Page 23 of Home for the Holidays

“The team’s holiday party is next weekend,” he says, his face still flushed. “We’re supposed to bring a date.”

Oh.

“So it’s a team function. It’s not a real date, then.”

He pauses. “Yeah. Right. Not a real date. Just a thing I have to bring a date to.”

“Well, in that case…”

His face clears. “You’ll come with me?”

I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this.

But I can’t stand the pain on his face when I said I wasn’t ready. I can’t stand the thought of hurting him more. I can’t stand the idea of not getting to experience what we shared last night.

“It’s a date,” I finally tell him.

His smile stretches ear to ear. He practically bounces out of his seat.

“Thanks, Rach,” he says, leaning over to kiss my cheek.

My face heats, and my heart starts to pound a little faster.

“What’s the dress code? What do I wear?”

Jake waves a hand. “Don’t worry about that.”

My eyes narrow. “I need to know⁠—”

“I’ve got it handled,” he says firmly. “Trust me, just this once.”

Jake has a game tonight, but unlike last night, he doesn’t offer me tickets. I watch it on the enormous flat screen TV, curled up in a blanket I’ve liberated from his bed. He has a road trip tonight. They’re off to New Orleans after the game.

My friend Elsy’s best friend Mitch plays for New Orleans. I could totally reach out and suggest we grab dinner and watch the game.

It feels weird, though. Jake isn’t mine. I don’t have any claim to him. It feels wrong to publicly pronounce any ties between us.

Once I find an apartment of my own, I’ll be out of his hair. We can go back to being nobody to each other.

Although… I don’t know how I’m going to give him up. Whether he wants more or not—and it certainly seems like he does—I don’t know that I’m ready to give it to him without losing myself in the process.

I don’t know who I am without Erik. I need to learn to stand on my own two feet, first.

When the hockey game ends, my phone buzzes with a text.

Were you watching? Jake’s asked.

Do you want me to watch?

I bite my lip while I wait for his reply.

Rach, I’d kill to have you at every game.

Okay, so he’s not being very subtle.

I wish I didn’t have this road trip. I’d much rather be home with you, he adds.

Going to snuggle with your roomie? Do you even have a roommate?