Page 10 of A Love Like Christmas Time
People leave. Don’t get attached.
I repeat the mantra in my head over and over. People leave. And when they do, it hurts. I’m not going through that again.
But for some reason, Lauren’s face flashes through my mind between every repetition.
That mischievous smile, that cute dimple in her cheeks, and the playful twinkle that promises shenanigans in her eyes. The way her rosy cheeks glow when she enters the café from the cold outside.
The bell over my entrance tears me away from my thoughts. I plaster on my customer service face, which is slightly less resting murder face than my usual one.
“Welcome. What can I get you?” I greet the newcomers, forcing down all the emotions boiling up inside of me.
Chapter 4
Caleb
What the hell am I doing here?
The cold from outside is slowly creeping inside my car. It sends goosebumps up my arms and down my spine as I sit in Nic’s driveway, staring at her house as if it might eat me alive.
I’m still torn. A part of me wants to go inside. The part that knows everyone else in Wayward Hollow is spending today with their families and doesn’t want to be the odd one out.
Yet another voice in my head keeps screaming, ‘You’re fine alone.’
I guess this gathering is one of the few occasions where I wouldn’t be the odd one out, considering Nic cut ties with her family before moving to Wayward Hollow. From what I’ve heard Kieran mention in the café, he’s not exactly fond of his family either.
And Lauren?
Lauren is a mystery. I can’t remember her mentioning her parents before. A miracle, considering she runs on caffeine and talks about any and everything at the speed of light. The fact that she’s not very successful at building her bookshelves. Her work in Amanda’s antique store. The newest hobby she picked to try. I know everything in painstaking detail.
For once, Henry’s functional family is making him the outsider. Ironic.
A tap on the window makes me flinch, my heart beating against my rib cage as if it’s trying to escape. Think of the devil and he’ll knock on your car window.
Henry’s grin is so wide it’s competing with the Cheshire Cat as he motions for me to get out of my car. One deep breath. Two. Then, I unbuckle myself and open the door.
“Glad you could make it,” he greets me as soon as my feet touch the ground. Jensen weasels around my legs, tail wagging happily, and I lean down to say ‘hi’.
At once he stops and peers somewhere behind us, ears up and alert. Alas, it’s not a serial killer, only Kieran jogging towards us from a particularly dark patch of forest.
“Yeah,” I answer him gruffly and cross my arms in front of my chest. “Don’t expect me to stay long, though.”
“Of course, of course,” Henry assures me, sounding amused, and clasps my shoulder. “What a convenient excuse it is to have to get up at the asscrack of dawn to open your café.”
“I know.” I can’t quite fight the smirk pulling at my lips.
“Hey! It’s good to see you guys!” Kieran shouts and waves at us excitedly. He sprints the last few feet to catch up with us, while balancing a cake pan of some kind in his hands.
“Hold this.” He thrusts the cake pan at Henry, then leans down to greet Jensen. “There’s the handsomest boy of Wayward Hollow,” he coos and gives him a kiss on the brown fur on his forehead. Meanwhile, Jensen does his best to slobber all over Kieran’s face.
“Okay, okay.” Kieran laughs and gently pushes him off. “More kisses later, I’m starving.” He gets up from the ground with a groan and pats the dirt off his jeans-clad knees. “Please tell me I’m not the only one who’s been fasting to prepare for this?”
His eyes flick between Henry and me, but only one of us nods in agreement. I had a leftover muffin this morning, still not entirely sold on coming here.
The two of them chatter about their empty stomachs all the way to Nic’s front door, Jensen trotting along and joining the conversation with his signature ‘Awoowo.’
I still have half a mind to get back in my car and drive back home. My hands are clammy, and there’s a pit in my stomach - not because I’m hungry. This is becoming too real.
People leave. Why would they be an exception?
