I went to bed on cloud nine and woke up in a cocoon of misery. My head throbbed, my sinuses ached, and my throat was scratchy. Crap. I’d caught Evan’s cold. This was not good.
There was a rap on my door, and I prayed silently. Please don’t be Nate. “Come in,” I said, bracing for the worst. Nate was a smart guy. It wouldn’t take long for him to put two and two together. Evan had gotten me sick, and there was only one logical way for that to happen.
“Hey,” Evan greeted as he pushed the door open and entered my room.
“Morning,” I replied, pulling my blanket up to my chin. I had a bad case of the chills. “You sound like you feel better.”
His eyebrows pulled together. “And you sound like you feel worse.”
“I do.” I groaned.
He chuckled. “Sorry. I suppose it’s my fault. I guess that’s what you get for—” Nate appeared in the doorway. Time slowed to a crawl. I knew how Evan would finish his sentence, but I couldn’t talk fast enough to stop him. “—swapping spit with me.”
Nate’s cheeks paled, then went red with anger. This was the absolute worst-case scenario. I’d planned to tell Nate about the kiss, right after I told Evan that I wasn’t feeling it anymore. So much for my happy ending. I’d be lucky if Nate ever spoke to me again.
He turned around without saying a word and walked back down the hall. Everything happened so swiftly that I wasn’t even sure if Evan knew Nate had been standing there. I banged my head against my pillow and yelled into it. “Grr!”
“What’s wrong?” Evan asked.
“Nothing.” I sighed. “Can we talk?”
Evan’s bottom lip poked out. “Uh-oh. That sounds ominous.”
I sat up on my bed and motioned to the spot at my feet. “You aren’t serious about me, right? All the flirting and banter is just something to make your vacation more interesting?”
He smirked and took a seat. “Well, I wasn’t planning our wedding or anything, but if you’re questioning my sincerity, you should know that I do like you.”
I smacked my forehead, then scrubbed my hand down my face. “You’re not going to make this easy on me, are you?”
His expression changed to one of understanding, and he smiled dolefully. “Ah, this is the part where you tell me thanks, but no thanks.”
I was shocked by his candor. “Okay, so you are going to make it easy on me.”
Evan laughed. “I knew you were a long shot from the beginning. The second your boyfriend shook my hand, it was clear how he felt about you.”
“It was?”
“Oh yeah. But I wasn’t sure you felt the same way. And I’m not one to back down if I want something. Especially when I know the opposition will give me a good run for my money.” My jaw dropped. This conversation was blowing my mind. He was so casual...and he was basically getting dumped. “Honestly, I thought I stood a better chance. You guys have history, though, and that’s hard to compete with.”
I was dumbfounded. Evan knew Nate had feelings for me, but I’d had no clue. And when Garland said I think he likes you, he was talking about Nate, not Evan. How could I have been so blind? “I don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t say anything.” Evan shrugged. “Overanalyzing makes the situation awkward. And I’d still like to be friends. You’re easy to talk to, which is a trait I don’t often find in girls.”
“I’d like that, too.” I gave him a hug. There was no spark whatsoever.
Evan stood and walked toward the hall but stopped short. “By the way,” he looked back at me, “You might want to wait a day or two before you tell Nate you broke my heart.” His grin was mischievous. “That conversation will definitely end with kissing. And apparently this cold is highly contagious.” He winked at me and shut the door.
If only I’d known that yesterday. What a mess.
I picked up my phone and dialed Nate’s number. It went straight to voice mail. I tried a few more times with no luck. Next, I sent him an apology text. I knew he wouldn’t respond, but at least he’d read it. I also knew that barging into his house was futile. He wasn’t going to talk to me until he was ready. That’s how things worked with us.
I took a long shower, letting the hot water relax my aching muscles. It felt good on my skin but did little to wash away my frustration. Nate would forgive me eventually. The question was, would it be too late to pick up where we left off?
“Where are Evan and Garland?” I asked Mom when I finally came down for breakfast. She’d made caramel pecan rolls. They weren’t hot anymore, but they still smelled good. I scooped the gooiest one onto a plate and sat at the table.
“They said something about catching the early showing of A Christmas Story.”
“Oh.” I wilted in my chair. It was probably good that they were gone, but now I’d have to wallow in pity all by myself.
Mom didn’t notice me droop. She was distracted by cutting the mounds of fudge on the counter. She’d probably been up for a while, making Christmas candy to bring to all our neighbors. “I still can’t believe you’ve gotten past the first two stages of the competition,” she said. “I knew you’d find your Christmas spirit if you looked hard enough.”
Holy cinnamon stick. I hadn’t even thought about the contest. What would I do without Nate’s help? At this point, I was fairly certain I was on my own today. Mom would be crushed when I didn’t advance to the pageant round, but I still had to try. It was the least I could do.
I took some cold medicine and made it to the square a few minutes before noon. When I scanned the park, searching for Nate, a wave of nausea joined the big lump in my throat and the pit in my stomach. He wasn’t there, and knowing how bad he wanted to beat Sebastian, that meant he was really, really upset.
Tears pooled in my eyes. They spilled over but froze as they ran down my cheeks. The temperature had dropped overnight, and there was a storm rolling in. I swiped at my face. Even the weather hated me.
“It’s time for our final challenge,” Mrs. Newport announced. “After this evening, we’ll have our top ten finalists, and tomorrow we’ll crown our new King or Queen of Christmas.” The crowd clapped, but I couldn’t get excited. All the anticipation I’d felt yesterday was gone. Nate should be here. He’d worked so hard, and I was ruining his chances.
Sebastian sidled up to me. “So, where’s the talent?”
What a jerk. “I’m right here,” I replied, trying to sound confident.
He gave me a sympathetic smile. It was totally fake. “Oh, honey. You’re not fooling anyone. Good luck without him.” Sebastian patted my back and strolled away, an arrogance to his stride. It lit a fire under me.
“You’re not winning that easily,” I mumbled to myself.
“…a Christmas gift basket,” Kathy said, and I realized I hadn’t been paying attention. Crud, what did I miss? “Entries will be judged on beauty, creativity, and functionality. Now, if you’re ready…three, two, one, go.”
Was that it? Where was the catch? I grabbed the arm of the guy next to me. “Wait. I missed what she said. Did the gift basket need a theme? Were there any specific instructions?”
He gave me a strange look and shook his head. “She just said a gift basket.”
“Thanks.” I smiled calmly, but inside I was coming unhinged. Complete autonomy was the worst thing you could offer someone with zero creative instinct.
I bolted from the park, nearly slipping on ice about a dozen times before I made it home. The whole way I kept thinking, What would Nate do? It was useless. If I knew what Nate would do, I wouldn’t need him. The brisk walk drained my energy. When I entered the kitchen, I was sweaty and spent, physically and emotionally.
I dropped to the floor and leaned against the refrigerator. Mom came in carrying a stack of boxes and a tube of wrapping paper. “Oh, goodness. I almost stepped on you.”
“It’d serve me right.” I sulked.
“Why do you say that?”
“I sc
rewed up royally. Now Nate’s mad at me, and I have to finish the pageant project on my own. I can’t do it.”
Mom put down the boxes and sat on the floor beside me. “You can do it. You just have to believe in yourself.”
I chuckled morosely. “Have you ever thought about getting a job with Hallmark? Half the stuff you say would be perfect on a greeting card.”
She looked pensive. “I’m going to take that as a compliment,” she said, slipping her arm over my shoulders. “Honey, what you and Nate have is special. He won’t stay mad for long. And I can’t think of a better way to say I’m sorry than finishing what he started.” My eyebrows shot up, and she laughed. “Do you really think I believed that you entered the contest on your own? I knew Nate did it. Your name was on the sign-up sheet…in his handwriting. I played clueless because I wanted to see you try. I wanted you to have a happy Christmas and a happy birthday for once. I thought entering the pageant might help.”
It was so not helping. “But I don’t know what to do without him here.”
“You don’t need him in here”—she motioned to the kitchen, then placed her hand above my heart—“because you have him in here.” That was so poetic I wanted to barf. Mom stood up, grabbed her boxes, and continued into the living room.
I cried again, letting go of the tears for just a minute before I rolled up my sleeves and got to work. Forget the freestyle thing; I needed a theme to keep me on track. And I had the perfect one in mind. I’d make a forgive me basket. After it was judged, I’d take it over to Nate’s house and grovel at his feet.
It took me the rest of the afternoon, but I finished my project. I’d pulled out the hot glue gun and applied every Christmas bauble that Mom was willing to part with. The basket was covered in ribbon, bows, scraps of wrapping paper and fabric, tree ornaments, and a bunch of other random stuff. It even had a few pieces of fudge stuck to the side.
I’d wrapped the handle in some tinsel garland and strung a set of battery-operated lights through it—a clever idea which I was extremely proud of. The arrangement looked like one of Santa’s elves exploded and his guts were stuck to my basket. It was ugly as sin, but it was creative, genuine, and I’d done the entire thing on my own.
Nobody besides Nate would understand the meaning of the basket’s contents. It had most of his favorite treats and a bunch of items that referenced inside jokes or reminded me of him. I’d wrapped one of the gifts—a picture of us in a fancy frame. It felt too personal to share with the rest of the town.
I stood back to survey my work, then glanced at the clock and screeched. “Mom! It’s ten to seven. Can you drive me to the school? I’ll be late if I have to walk.”
She came downstairs with her hair half done and tossed me her keys. “I’m not ready yet, but you can take the car. I’ll have your dad swing by and get me.”
“Thanks.” I ran back to the kitchen and picked up the giant basket. It was heavier than I thought it’d be, but the real problem was the awkward oval shape. I couldn’t hold it by the handle because I’d smash the light bulbs, and it was hard to get my arms around the entire thing. Luckily, I managed to make it to the car without dropping it.
I’m a cautious driver when ice is involved, so I didn’t reach the school parking lot until 7:00. Technically, it was past the deadline, and Mrs. Newport was a stickler for the rules. I wasn’t going to carry my creation in for everyone to mock if I couldn’t submit the entry.
I left the basket on the front seat and went in search of Kathy. “Mrs. Newport!” I shouted, trying to flag her down. She was speaking with some of the committee members. “Is it too late to enter my basket? The road was icy, and I was scared to go faster—”
“Calm down, Chrissy. Nate dropped off your basket over an hour ago. He said something about you being sick and wanting to stay in bed.”
“Oh, riiiight.” I played along, even though I was totally confused. “I forgot he was going to do that.”
“You don’t look well. Maybe you should go back home.”
At that moment, I was seized by a sneezing fit. Embarrassing, but at least it made Nate’s story sound credible. I pulled a tissue out of my pocket and blew my nose. “Yeah, I feel pretty crummy, but I took a bunch of medicine, so I’ll be okay for a bit. Don’t want to miss the results.”
She eyeballed the snotty tissue. “Well, I’m glad you came, but don’t spread your germs all over the place.”
“I won’t,” I promised.
Since the last night of the contest only had a few items to display, the committee always planned something else to keep everyone occupied while they waited for the judges. This year, they’d organized an extensive exhibit of nativity scenes. A barber shop quartet wandered around the room, and a large assortment of holiday treats had been set out toward the back.
I headed straight for the baskets and knew instantly which one was Nate’s. It was the most gorgeous thing I’d ever seen. It put my pathetic attempt to shame. He’d actually woven the dang thing himself out of raffia and ribbon. But the elegance isn’t what got me. It’s what was inside that choked me up. I bawled for the third time that day.
Even though the colors were Christmassy, the overwhelming theme was Happy Birthday. He’d done exactly as I had, except he filled the basket with gifts for me. There was a giant piece of my favorite flavored cake wrapped in cellophane and tied off with a curly bow. On the top sat a candle shaped like the number eighteen. I saw a copy of the new book I wanted but hadn’t gotten around to buying yet. It was positioned next to a Die Hard 4 DVD. Kind of old school, but it made me laugh.
Treats, stuffed animals, a couple card games…a package of Kleenex and some Nyquil. Nate had thought of everything. At the center of the arrangement was a tiny jewelry box. I picked it up and untied the ribbon, which was keeping it securely closed. Inside was a silver necklace with a sparkly star pendant. A note had been folded up and wedged in the top.
For my Christmas star. Every path leads to you.
Now I was blubbering—like super ugly crying—in front of the whole town. Nobody was paying attention to me, but I felt completely vulnerable anyway. I dabbed at my tear-drenched cheeks with my well-used tissue as I read the note over and over.
“Wow,” Evan said. He’d been reading the note over my shoulder and let out a long whistle.
“I think someone looooves you,” Garland sang like a six-year-old before sobering up. “For real, though, if you don’t want Nate, I’ll take him. The guy makes a mean gift basket.”
“Shut up, dork.” I punched my brother and snorted a laugh. Gesturing to the basket, I asked, “Will you guys bring this home after the judging is over? I have to go.” I started toward the exit.
“Don’t you want to wait and see if you win?” Garland asked.
“I don’t care about the honorable mention. My prize is much better.”
I stood on Nate’s porch with my finger frozen over the doorbell, the disaster basket sitting at my feet. I was a giant bundle of nerves. I shouldn’t have been. It was clear how he felt about me, and now I knew that I wouldn’t be rejected. But the second I walked through that door, our whole relationship would change. That was scary.
I took a deep breath and pushed the button. Tina answered the door. “Chrissy, come in. Nate’s been waiting for you.”
“He has?” I hefted Nate’s gift into my arms.
“Yep.” Her smile was huge, bursting with a secret.
“Where is he?”
“In the dining room,” she replied, and disappeared.
I passed through the kitchen and entered a different world. Streamers hung from the chandelier. Dozens of helium balloons floated along the ceiling. The table was set with fancy dishes, drippy candles, and an assortment of party favors. Soft music played in the background. I was happy to note that it wasn’t Christmas music. As a matter of fact, there wasn’t a single speck of green or red anywhere.
“Surprise!” Nate grinned.
“What is this?” I asked, setting the basket on the edge of the table.
“It’s your birthday party.”
I laughed. “I gathered that much. But I thought you were mad at me.”
“I was. Until Evan came over this morning and said I should go easy on you because you told him to take a hike.” I blinked away my shock. Evan really was a good guy. He’d make some girl very happy. It just wouldn’t be me.
Cautiously, I worked my way toward Nate, fingering the pendant around my neck. “I got your present.”
“And?” He arched an eyebrow.
“I love it.” After a long pause, I added, “I love you too.” The words felt foreign on my tongue, but they were true. His smile beamed as he swooped in for a kiss. I hastily shoved my hand between our mouths. “Wait,” I said with a sniffle. “I’ll get you sick.”
“I’m probably going to get sick anyway.” He shrugged and smirked impishly. “I guess that’s what I get for swapping spit with you…and Evan.”
“Hah!” I laughed loudly. Any lingering uncertainty evaporated. Nate was still the same guy. Our friendship wouldn’t change. Well, except for the cuddling and hand holding and kissing, which I could happily get used to.
“Is that for me?” He pointed across the table. I cringed and nodded wordlessly. “Aw,” he cooed, “you shouldn’t have. And I mean that…literally.” He wrinkled his nose. I reached out to flick him on it. “Ow! I’m kidding. It’s perfect.”
“It’s hideous, and you know it.”
“Maybe. But I’ll still cherish it forever.” Nate eyed the candy on the side and snickered. “Or, at least, until that fudge gets moldy.”
“Gee, thanks.”
He sat and fished through the contents, laughing about some things and getting excited about others. “I really am impressed.” He scooted his chair back from the table and gave his leg a pat. I took a sideways seat on his lap.
“Why? It looks like it was made by a kindergartner.”
The Trouble With Christmas Page 8
