Page 57 of A Love Like Christmas Time
Huh? This is the first time someone needed anything from me since I moved here, and it had to be now of all times? He lets go of me and takes a step back. Immediately, I miss his arms around me.
“Who dares disturb me?” I curse under my breath as I fumble it out of my pocket.
My whole body tenses when I see “Dad”flashing across the screen.
For a few moments that stretch like an eternity, I just stare at it, not daring to move a muscle.
If I don’t take this, he’ll call back again at least four times within the next ten minutes. If I don’t answer any of them, he’ll probably send a search party. That’s him. Dad of the year. Never there for his child, but if he wants something, you better answer.
What could he even want? I thought Maisie and her kids were filling the gap I never left.
I have no desire to talk to him. Least of all right now. His call couldn’t have come at a worse time.
“Sorry, I have to take this,” I mumble without looking up.
“I’ll make us some coffee.” I hear him say as I storm over to his living room space, as far away from him as possible without crossing bedroom territory.
I stop right by a window overlooking the town square. The Christmas market booths — adorable little wooden huts — are already built. Everyone gets to decorate their booth before the market opens. My decorations are already packed in Ikea bags, stuffed in a closet that Taytay and Jenna can’t open and ready to go.
With a sigh, I take the call.
“Hi, Dad,” I greet him dryly.
“Hello, Lauren. I have on my calendar that you’re going to be in town the day after tomorrow.”
I grimace. Why did I even tell them I’d be in town, after Andrew told me he had a buyer for the apartment again?
Right. So they wouldn’t find out about it from some gossip magazine and scold me for the next decade about being in town and not letting them know. Not that they expressed any interest in meeting with me. Until now.
“Right. Yes,” I stammer, crossing my arms in front of my chest. “Your calendar is right.”
“Okay, I am taking you to dinner on Friday. There are some important things we need to talk about.” My face contorts into a grimace. Is this the part where I get officially disowned?
“I will be packing and cleaning and all that, Dad, I’m not sure if-”
“No excuses, young lady.” He uses the same disapproving tone he did when I was fourteen and didn’t want to show him my grades, because I could predict he’d scold me about that C in physics. My hands find the little clips in my hair, slowly pulling them out. “Don’t act as if you’re going to spend every waking second of your time here clearing out the apartment. I will be in the car in front of your house at seven. Don’t make me wait.”
“Understood.” I close my eyes for a moment and force myself to take a deep breath. “Is it going to be only you?” I cross my fingers and mouth a silent prayer, gaze directed to the sky.
“Your mother and I aren’t currently on speaking terms.”
I breathe a sigh of relief, choking on it halfway through. That’s not something I should be relieved about, right?
“Seven o’clock,” he reminds me. “Be ready.”
“Sure,” I mumble. Without a goodbye, he hangs up the call. God, I hate it when he does that.
My eyes are caught on the black screen, seeing my reflection in it. What the hell is this about?
I turn to find Caleb’s gaze, heavy with worry. “Is everything okay?”
Chapter 23
Caleb
The moment she answers the phone, her posture tightens. Her shoulders curl in as if the weight of the voice on the other end pulls her down. She’s biting her lip so hard it turns white as she listens to the person on the other end of the call speak.
It’s hard to keep my distance and focus on making our coffees, anxiety forming a pit in my stomach. What’s going on here?
