“What have I missed?” I ask, eyes trained on the big screen.
“She just got whisked back in time by that sand thingy.”
I lift an eyebrow at Ava’s explanation.
“I think you meanhourglass,” Nina says.
“Whatever it is. She’s about to see the hot actor,” Lanie says, grabbing a handful of Cheez-It crackers. “It’s about to get swoony.”
“Are you hungry, Lanie?” I ask, completely mystified by the sheer amount of junk she’s consumed in the past ten minutes. While she has never shied away from food, she typically grabs healthier options. I feel bad that I didn’t opt to serve a meal.
She purses her lips. “Is that a fat quip?”
“I’m offering to make you actual food if you’re hungry.” I motion to the large platter. “I really didn’t think this through.”
She wipes her hand on her pajamas. “I’m simply using the holiday as an excuse to indulge. Nothing wrong with that.”
“I didn’t say there was. I was only attempting to be a proper host.”
“You failed,” she singsongs.
“Can you two just get along so we can watch the meet-cute?” Nina reprimands, a hint of humor in her tone.
Ava squeals, clapping her hands and shimmying in her seat, clearly ready for what’s to come. “Meet-cutes are the best part.”
My head shakes and my chest bounces, barely containing the laughter that bubbles within at Ava’s reaction. My little girl is sixteen. She’s a young adult, interested in love and romance, something that wasn’t the case a year ago.
“Here, this is yours,” Nina says, passing over a mug. “It might be a tad cold by now, but it’s good.”
“Thank you.” I take a sip and sigh.
The temperature is perfect. Not too hot and not too cold. The hint of Baileys just enough to make the cocoa even better.
We all settle in to watch the movie, oohing and ahhing at every twist that arises. It’s cute. Your typical Christmas love story, complete with magic and humor. The type of movies we all enjoy this time of year.
Over an hour goes by, and we’re moments from the movie’s conclusion when the doorbell rings.
Ava looks over her shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. When she turns toward me, she lifts one brow. “Who could that be?”
My eyes are narrowed as I run through the short list of possibilities.
I quickly eliminate Nick West. I’ve peeked at the house next door for any signs of him a few times tonight, only to find it dark. He’s likely working late at the station.
That’s been his excuse for the three dates he’s cancelled in the past two weeks. Ever since the night Nina showed up on my doorstep, looking as though she’d been run through the mud, he’s been distant.
I did send him away without an explanation, but he can’t be angry with me about that. Nina’s practically family, and she was distraught. I needed to be there for her and didn’t think she’d be open to spilling her guts with Nick hanging around.
“Well…are you going to answer it or let them freeze out there?” Ava asks, cutting off all thoughts of Nick.
I jump up from the couch and rush toward the door because she’s right—it’s a chilly night, and nobody should be left to freeze on Christmas Eve.
Pressing my eye to the little round hole, I check to see who it is, but there’s nobody out there. At least, not that I can see. A strange feeling washes over me, and I decide not to open the door. Instead,I make my way to the white-trimmed picture window, staring down the road both ways.
The soft glow of twinkling lights glistens off the freshly fallen snow all the way down my street. It’s a stunning sight that distracts me from my initial reason for peering out my window into the dark night.
There’s nothing and no one to be seen. Not even taillights in the distance proving that someone had been on my doorstep.
Bizarre.
