Page 37 of The One Timer

“Because I needed to get to work. Here.” We’re close enough so that I can feel her tension and sense the pounding of her heart as her chest rises and falls. That ticks up my heart rate.

“You could’ve gotten me up to take you back⁠—”

She shakes her head. “No. You had hockey. It was better for us to have a clean break. No messy goodbye. No…” She sighs. “Second thoughts.”

“You having second thoughts?” I can’t keep the hope from my voice, and my heart thumps in earnest now, but I control my breathing because I can’t get ahead of myself. I want her in my bed again too damn much for my own good.

“No. Of course not. I meant…” She blushes and then closes her eyes and blows out a breath. “I meant you—I know, very presumptuous of me. But in my defense, you might have hinted at seeing me again.”

“I don’t think so. I think it was wishful thinking on your part.”

She snorts. “You have to be shitting me. Not⁠—”

“Yes. It was you. You were worried you would have second thoughts and end up staying⁠—”

“No fucking way⁠—”

“Shhh. This pantry isn’t sound-proof.”

She claps a hand over her mouth, and I’m tempted to rip it away and kiss her into silence.

But I don’t have a chance because Gran interrupts our tête-à-tête.

Gran appears around the corner, and I back away from Emery before she catches our too-close proximity.

“What’s all this?” Gran says, her eyebrows rising. “I was hoping you two would get along, and I’m not sure why you wouldn’t because you’re both generous and reasonable young people. Please remember, this is Christmas time, the time for generosity of spirit and tolerance, and behave accordingly.”

Gran hasn’t reprimanded me so thoroughly, if gently, since I was thirteen years old and in trouble at school.

Shoving my hand through my hair in frustration and shame, I figure this is as good a time as any to tell Gran why I came a day early.

“I have another Christmas surprise for you, Gran.” I shove my hand in my back pocket, pull out an envelope, and hand it to her.

“What’s this?” Her face brightens, and her irritation is a thing of the past. She returns to her usual, cheery self. That’s what I love about her—one of the things. She doesn’t hold grudges.

I glance at Emery to see where she’s at, whether she’s holding a grudge. She isn’t. Her beautiful face is free of annoyance. She has stopped what she was doing to watch Gran and me, looking like the kid with her nose pressed against the store window, wishing she could have whatever she’s seeing that’s beyond her reach. The idea dismays me, but Grandma’s exclamation as she opens the envelope steals my attention.

“Tickets to your game on Christmas day. What a wonderful surprise. There are enough tickets here to bring half the family.”

“There’s a ticket for Emery to go, too,” I say, trapping her eyes and silently demanding an answer.

“What a wonderful idea,” Gran says.

“I don’t know⁠—”

Gran takes her hands. “I’d love you to come with us if you wouldn’t be missing your family dinner.”

She darts an accusatory glance at me, then smiles at Gran. “My Aunt Bea is working at a catered event, and Petra and Penny are going to Penny’s boyfriend’s house for dinner. I was planning to go to my friend Merry’s house for dinner and then cooking a late dinner for my family, but⁠—”

“It’s settled then,” I say. “Merry won’t mind, will she? She’ll be happy you have a chance to go to a hockey game.”

Her eyes narrow a bit. “I suppose you’re right, though I’m not sure how you’d know.”

“Lucky guess.”

“As long as I can get home by five to cook dinner for my family, I’m in.”

“I think we can arrange that.”