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“Well, well,” Ben turned me in the flickering porch lights, squinting. “Are you the young man who’s stolen my Sadie’s heart?”
A sharp stab of guilt stabbed through me and I could see the same mirrored on Sadie’s face. I cleared my throat. “Yes, sir, you can call me Connor.”
Ben looked me over once more before he strode over on long legs, clapping me heartily on the shoulder. “I guess that means you can call me Ben then. Come on inside, make yourselves warm.”
Sadie nodded and we followed him inside the house. The interior of Sadie’s childhood home was welcoming and warm. There were garlands hung over the stairs and wreaths dangling from every doorway. There was a huge, twinkling Christmas tree in the sitting room beside a long, weathered leather couch, and I realized all of a sudden that Sadie and I never got a tree. It made me sad and I touched Sadie’s back as she stared up at the tall Douglas fir, watching the lights glow over her pretty face. I walked over quickly and arranged the presents we had brought under the tree before making my way back over.
Ben stopped too, standing next to his daughter. “Hoped you might help me decorate it… and you too, Connor.”
Sadie swallowed and I could see her eyes glisten as she nodded. “I’d like that, dad.”
“And you too, Connor,” Ben grinned as he passed by me headed to the kitchen. “Now that you’re a part of the family.”
Sadie sighed out a breath, looking away from the tree and from the Christmas movie playing on the television. “Alex should be here tomorrow.” Sadie’s voice was quiet. “I kind of don’t want to call him, though.”
“So let’s not,” I shrugged. No matter what happened, I wanted to enjoy this with Sadie. I didn’t want Alex to ruin the affection between Ben and his daughter by shoving a camera in their faces. It wasn’t right.
“But the show,” Sadie hesitated. “Won’t we get in trouble? I don’t want to get kicked off Games of Love, Connor.”
“Look, it’s okay. We’ll just wait and by the time he gets here tomorrow, it’ll be too late,” I told her, reaching a hand out to press to her shoulder, squeezing gently. “I want you to have to this.”
Sadie stared at me and I felt her move a little closer. My heart ached as our foreheads touched and I could feel her warm breath against my mouth. The air was charged between us, like a sharp crack of lightning just before a hot summer storm.
“Connor…” Sadie started, low and soft.
A door slammed at the back of the house and the two of us jumped apart. My neck burned with heat and I could see the pink spread over Sadie’s cheeks. She folded her arms around herself and when she looked at me again, it was only for a second. One step forward, two steps back.
“I’m not a child, Oli, I’m having a child,” complained a vaguely familiar voice. “I can carry my own suitcase, thank you very much.”
Sadie perked up, her face brightening. “Oliver? Rose?” she called, turning the corner to enter a spacious kitchen with neat antique decor and appliances. There were long windows, a sink that looked more like a tub, and a soft-looking yellow sofa in the corner beside a small Christmas tree decorated in spoons and forks.
“Merry Christmas Eve,” Rose grinned, reaching out to give Ben a hug and then Sadie. She put a hand on her belly, letting out a breath, and then patted my shoulder. “It’s so nice to see you again, Connor.”
“Yeah, thanks for coming, man,” Oliver nodded, grinning at us both, though he looked exhausted.
“Uh, wait…” Sadie began, looking perplexed. “I thought you guys weren’t coming.”
“Rose wanted to be here,” Oliver told us, seemingly moments away from rolling his eyes.
“Well, I’m glad all of you are here,” Ben smiled widely, leaning his hip against the dark green counter. “Everyone hungry for some takeout?”
“Takeout?” I asked quietly, looking around. I noticed there were no Christmas dishes or plates of food sitting around in the kitchen. Oliver put their presents under the tree and when Sadie wandered into the sitting room to plop down on the couch with Rose, I followed.
“We do takeout Christmas eve and then cook breakfast together Christmas morning, and then open presents,” Sadie told me, looking at Rose instead of me. I longed to mend the awkwardness between us.
“It’s a non-traditional tradition,” Rose explained, nodding. She looked between us. “Is something going on with you two?”
“Nothing,” I said at the same time Sadie snapped, “There’s nothing going on.”
“Sure,” Rose snorted. She settled into the couch cushions and I sat beside Sadie, eyes drifting shut in the soft light of the TV and the dark of the room. “Did you know your dad’s neighbor is selling his house?”
