AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Get that out of your mouth,” Eugene said to Max, who ran to me with a green ornament in his mouth.
Eugene had multi-colored Christmas lights in her hands. More lights hung over the fireplace. Bags and opened boxes littered the floor. When she saw me, she looked around at the mess she’d made, then put the lights behind her back. Did she think the seven-foot tree would hide behind her, too?
“Oh, Hudson. You’re home early,” she blurted.
She blinked rapidly and breathed heavily. Bringing her hands in front of her, she fidgeted with the lights she held. Was she scared I’d be mad that she decorated? Dropping down on one knee, I fought my smile and held out my palm to Max. He dropped the ornament and went back to Eugene, tail wagging.
“I see you went shopping,” I said as I stood.
“Yes! Yes, I did.” She kicked a box near her, then piled another on top of it.
“Did you get yourself some clothes?” I hung up my coat and slipped into my house shoes, then faced her again.
“I did.” She twisted her fingers as she watched me approach.
Her eyes followed my arm as I lifted it and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m proud of you. That tree probably cost you a good penny.”
The breath whooshed out of her. “For a minute there, when you didn’t smile, I thought you were upset.”
I let my knuckle graze her cheek, and she inhaled quickly before pulling away.
“Do you want me to help decorate?” I offered.
She shrugged. “You can if you want.”
“I want to,” I murmured.
She averted her gaze, making a sound in her throat.
I watched her hang a few to see if there was a certain pattern she was using before helping. I felt her eyes on me more than once when I turned to get another ornament.
“Why didn’t you have a tree up?” she asked.
“It’s just me and Max. More trouble than it’s worth.”
“I haven’t celebrated Christmas since my gran passed,” she murmured.
I watched her disappear around the tree and frowned. “What about Ed?”
“My brother and Francis invite me every holiday. I don’t know. I never feel like doing anything.”
“Probably because you don’t want to spend the money.”
She snorted. “Most likely.”
“So, why now?”
“Your home is far less depressing than the apartment I lived in.”
I still hated that she had lived in that shithole.
“It’s your home, too.”
Eugene said nothing until she walked to the stairs and banged her hip on the banister. “I’m okay!”
I shook my head, then chuckled as she disappeared upstairs.
???
