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“Don’t shout!” I groan and fall into the kitchen chair, staring out the back window. The Hangup Mountain rears up into the clouds out that window, big and wide and dangerous.
“What’s the matter? Tied one on last night?”
I groan and shove my hand through my tangled brown curls. “Yeah. And it’s all your fault.”
“Humph! Not my fault you decided to get blitzed off your ass. That one’s on you.”
“You’re the one that sent that man here.”
“And you decided to get drunk to forget about Sebastian? Why don’t you just admit you still like the boy and go talk to him?”
“Never!” I hiss, drowning my sorrows in the lukewarm cup of coffee she shoves at me. The rich, dark aroma clears my head and has me almost forgiving her for what she did.
Almost.
“Granny. I love you but you need to let this shit go. Sebastian and I aren’t even friends anymore. Let alone anything else. Stop trying to throw us together.”
A guilty look creeps across her face and the lines in her face deepen as she frowns. “I know you’re going to think that I did this on purpose, but I really didn’t. It just happened. So don’t kill the messenger.”
Oh shit. I don’t even know what’s coming next but I already know I’m not gonna like it. “What did you do?”
“Ummm. I really thought you two could handle things like adults and there wasn’t anyone else volunteering.”
Her hemming and hawing have me even more worried. “Just spit it out. That way I can tell you that there’s no way in hell I’m doing whatever you volunteered me for and we can just move on.”
“You’d take that away from the kids?”
“What. Did. You do.” My words are clear and concise. Unlike my mind which is currently spinning out of control wondering what the hell she’s gotten me into.
“Well… you see.” I make a “come on” motion with my hand and she grumbles but finally blurts out. “There wasn’t anyone volunteering to get what we need for the auction. You know for the group home. The kids need that space. That building is important. And it needs so many updates before the kids can move in. Margot and I volunteered you to get what they need for that scavenger auction that we’re running.”
“Scavenger auction? I don’t remember hearing anything about a scavenger auction?”
“Yeah. We’re doing a scavenger auction where we will be doing the twelve days of Christmas theme. Everyone will be donating to the cause but only if the people doing the actual scavenging can find all the stuff in the song.”
I eye her in horror. “How the hell am I supposed to find twelve maids a milking and eleven lords a leaping. Is that what it is?” I cock my head to the side, suddenly wondering if I’m remembering it right. Panic flares in me. “I don’t know if I remember the damn song!” A sudden bout of terror washes over me. This is a pain in the ass but I have a feeling there’s more to it than this. “There’s more, isn’t there?”
She won’t meet my eyes and I groan and drop my head to the table. “What is it?”
“Well…Margot volunteered Sebastian too. You two need to work together to get all the items.”
“Oh, hell no!” I jump up from the table, pacing back and forth angrily. After that little bit of drama last night, there’s no way I want to be shoved together with Sebastian again.
If I get too close to him again, I think I might go crazy and lose my control. And I don’t want to see what’s going to happen if I lose control.
“There is no way that we can work together. It’s not gonna happen. We haven’t been alone together since high school and we just can’t do it.”
Her jaw firms up and there’s a hard look in her tired blue eyes. “Well, you’re going to have to. We have to have someone do it and nobody else will. You’re our grandkids and you should want to help us! Help the kids who go to that place. Or at least they will. If it gets done.”
Raising a brow, I cross my arms and try to keep my ire. I feel like I’m about to lose this argument right now. And if I do, I’ll have to do what she needs. Because she’s important to me and if this is important to her, then I need to help.
“Guilt, Granny?”
She gives me a smug look and I know I’m about to lose. I sigh and hang my head, giving in. “Fine. I’ll do it. But I still don’t think it’s necessary to be with him.”
“Stop being such a pain in the ass, Mistletoe! It’s been long enough. Let it die!”
Tears spurt into my eyes and I push them back, sniffling. “It hasn’t been nearly long enough to forget about all that.”
