I snort. “You used to hate curling too.”
He shrugs with a grin. “Things change.”
I know firsthand that’s true. “Tell me about your new boyfriend. He has to be better than Shithead.”
Thankfully, Curtis laughs. He wasn’t too fond of the nickname I came up with for his boyfriend from college, but I’d told him if the shoe fits… “To be fair,” he says, his eyes bright, “that’s a pretty low bar.”
“True.”
“Let’s just say, I finally smartened up and kicked him out a couple years ago.”
“How long have you been with this new guy?” I ask. “Reggie?”
“Yeah, Reggie. And almost a year.” He pauses and his face softens. “It’s pretty serious. I’m going to propose after the first of the year.”
A rush of warmth fills my chest. “That’s amazing, Curtis. I’m so happy for you.”
His face flushes. “Yeah, he’s pretty great.”
“How’d you meet him?”
“At a teachers’ conference in Pittsburgh, believe it or not. We got drinks, then dinner, and it turns out he teaches over in Hollister.”
“That’s like fifteen miles from here,” I say in surprise.
He grins. “I know, right? It’s like it was meant to be.”
I lift my bottle and clink it against his. “Congrats, man,” I say, “You deserve the best and more.”
“Thanks,” Curtis says, and we both take a drink. As he lowers his bottle, he says, “What about you? Any girlfriends?”
I’m about to say no, and then I remember, Finley is asleep in my parents’ house right now. Hollybrook is a small town. It’s bound to get out that I brought a woman home for Christmas. Especially after taking Finley caroling. “Yeah, but it’s pretty new.”
Curtis leans in, excited. “Tell me about her.”
“Well…” I say, trying to figure out what to tell him. “She’s actually back at my parents’ house right now.”
Curtis’s eyes go wide. “What? You’re kidding?”
“Nope. She didn’t have anywhere else to go for Christmas. She’s kind of an orphan.” I shrug nonchalantly. “I felt sorry for her, so I brought her home with me.”
Curtis does a double take, then shakes his head. “Wait. Back up. You brought a girl you just started dating home because you felt sorry for her?”
My defenses go up. “What’s wrong with that?”
“Dude,” he says. “That’s the worst reason to bring a girl home.”
“Why?” I ask, staring at him. “She’s always wanted to spend Christmas in a place like Hollybrook. She grew up in Atlanta, and she’s never seen a white Christmas. It was always something she and her mom wanted to do.” Maybe it’s the two beers in quick succession that make the words tumble out. “I figured it was a win-win. Grant is bringing his girlfriend home for Christmas, which meant he would get our room and the beds. I would’ve been sleeping on the sofa bed with Aunt Jean’s grandkids.” I shudder. “So, instead, we get my room and Finley gets her white Christmas. Like I said, win-win.”
Curtis’s mouth drops open like a cartoon character. “Let me get this straight. You brought a girl home so you could sleep in your bed.”
“Don’t make it sound so callous,” I snap. “The sofa bed’s awful, and I’d be miserable for nearly two weeks. And don’t forget Aunt Jean’s three grandchildren sleeping in the rec room with me.” I take another swig and stall, regretting how defensive I sound.
He keeps his voice calm. “So, wait—you brought a girl you barely started seeing home for Christmas, so you don’t have to sleep on a sofa bed.”
“Yeah,” I say too quickly. “It’s not that big a deal.”
“Does she mean anything to you?”
