“Are you planning on cooking me a Christmas goose?” he asked, sarcastically.
“If that’s what you want.”
“Can you cook?”
She arched her brows and slowly shook her head. “It seems to me, you aren’t aware that I spent the last several years working in a diner. A couple times I had to step in when the cook got sick and prepare the orders myself. So, yes, in a word, I’ll be able to manage Christmas dinner, only …”
“Only what?” he asked, revealing how skeptical he was.
“Only I’m not sure I can cook for two. Every recipe I know is for twenty servings or more,” she teased.
He grinned, and it was all Addie could do to tear her eyes away from him. It amazed her how good-looking he’d become … Well, he’d always been cute, but he was no longer a boy now, and it was different.
“I’ve never cooked a goose, but I’m willing to give it a try,” she said, in an effort to distract herself, tearing her gaze away from Erich.
“I don’t want anything special. As far as I’m concerned, Christmas is the same as any other day of the week. It’s certainly nothing special to me.”
Addie ignored him. “I think a small turkey, stuffing, cranberries, and a couple of side dishes will be perfect.”
His look hardened, and when he spoke he raised his voice slightly. “Apparently, you didn’t hear me.”
“I did,” she returned nonchalantly, “but I prefer to ignore what you had to say.” She stood, and, placing her hands on her hips, she surveyed the room, doing a slow turn. “What we need is something tangible to put you in the spirit of the holidays.”
Erich stood, too. “You aren’t listening.”
“A Christmas tree will put you in the holiday mood.”
“I don’t want a Christmas tree.”
Addie ignored him again. “No worries. I don’t need your help setting it up. I’m happy to do it myself.”
“Not at my house you won’t.”
“I’m thinking a five-foot tree would be the perfect size.” She studied the room, filling her mind with the vision of a fully decorated tree. That was a sure way to help the Grinch’s heart grow three sizes. He might object now, but a decorated tree was just the ticket. He wouldn’t be able to resist the holiday when every time he walked into the room he was confronted with the bright, twinkling lights of a Christmas tree.
“Addie, I’m serious. If you want to go through all the trouble of putting up a silly Christmas tree, do it at your own house and not here.”
“I’m serious, too,” she countered.
He grumbled under his breath. “Don’t you have someplace else you need to be? Homework that needs to be read?”
“Are you saying you’re sick of me?”
“As a matter of fact … I’m not, which sort of shocks me. Heaven knows I should be, with all this talk about Christmas.”
Staring at him, she was struck anew at the deep shade of blue his eyes were. How was it she’d never noticed that before?
“I find it unsettling how much I like hanging out with you,” she said. “You’re not half as bad as I remember.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” he said, joking back. “With the exception of you insisting on decorating a tree.” He smiled then, and the mood lightened.
They stood there goofily, smiling at each other. Suddenly it seemed like the most natural thing in the world for him to kiss her. Addie wasn’t sure who leaned toward whom first. It might well have been her.
Erich placed his wrists on top of her shoulders, the weight of his twin casts catching her by surprise. She tilted her head back to look up at him and closed her eyes as his mouth settled, warm and gentle, over hers. His lips were soft and his kiss stole her breath.
He released her quickly. As if they were two children who’d been caught doing something wrong, they stepped away from each other.
Erich spoke first. “Wow,” he whispered. “That was wild!”
Addie smiled. “I know, right?”
He stepped closer and rested his forehead against her own. “Do you remember when we were eight?”
“Vaguely.”
“You offered to pay me your allowance if I’d kiss you.”
“I did?” Addie didn’t remember any such thing. “Tell me you’re making that up.”
“Nope. I swear it’s true.”
“You didn’t take me up on my offer, though, did you?”
Erich did a poor job of hiding his amusement. “Actually, as I remember it, I kicked you in the shins.”
Addie’s smile grew bigger. “That sounds like something you’d do.”
“I was just thinking …”
“Yes?”
“I was just thinking,” he repeated, “that I wouldn’t be so willing to turn you down if you were to make that same offer again.”
Chapter Twelve
The next morning Addie hardly knew what to think. Erich had kissed her. Actually, she might have kissed him! She couldn’t remember who had done what. What did stick in her mind as she tossed and turned the night away was the absolute shock of it.
Erich?
Her?
Even as she sat on the edge of her bed, fighting off the last dregs of sleep, she didn’t know how it’d happened. Nor could she figure out when things had changed or even what had changed. Clearly something drastic had.
Was it her?
Was it Erich?
She decided she’d blame Christmas. Perhaps this was his way of telling her his relationship with Ashley was completely over. That sort of made sense. It could be that they’d gotten caught up in the moment. Addie had always considered the holidays an extra-special time of year. Magic hung in the air, and people were gentler, kinder to one another. Differences were set aside, friendships deepened, and people in general were more charitable and happier.
That explained it, she decided. She would chalk the kiss up to Christmas.
Once she’d showered and dressed, Addie glanced out the dining room window toward Erich’s house. Despite the early hour, she saw that his lights were on. Apparently he’d had trouble sleeping, too. She couldn’t help speculating if he’d spent the night wondering about their kiss the way she had.
Maybe. Maybe not.
He’d probably brushed the incident aside and had completely forgotten it’d happened.
Seeing that he was awake and she was awake, Addie cooked him a breakfast of scrambled eggs plus toast and carried the meal from her house to his.
As was her habit, she knocked once and let herself in. Erich wasn’t in the living room the way she’d expected. Standing just inside the entry, she called out for him.
“Erich?”
“In the kitchen.” His voice came from the far end of the house.
He moved about considerably better now, she noticed. After several days sitting and sleeping in the recliner, she suspected he was thoroughly sick of remaining in the same position for hours on end, which gave her an idea.
“I brought you breakfast.”
“Another protein drink?” he asked.
“No, eggs this morning.”
She found him sitting at the kitchen table with the morning newspaper spread out across the surface. He was able to use his fingers more and more.
“Eggs.” His eyes lit up.
“With cheese and chives.”
He looked impressed. “Wow, you can actually cook.”
Amused, she tossed him a dirty look, then set the plate down in front of him. “Do you want coffee?”
“Please.”
Addie brewed him a cup and then made one for herself. When she finished she carried both mugs to the table and sat down across from him.
To this point, Addie had served him finger food or thin soups that he could drink through a straw. It pleased her to note that he was able to manage a fork. It wasn’t easy or pretty, but he’d become adept enough to get the food to his mouth. It was evident that the effort taxed his patience, though.
&nbs
p; “I have a question,” she said, leaning slightly forward as she placed her elbows on the table. She could be opening a hornet’s nest, but curiosity had won out and she couldn’t stop herself.
He looked up. “Okay.”
“Did we … you and I actually kiss last night?”
He paused and considered the question. “I seem to remember that we did.”
“Didn’t you find that just a little bit odd? You and me … kissing?”
Once more he mulled over her question, letting the fork dangle above his plate, holding it between his fingers. “I’d say it was more surprising than it was odd.”
Addie didn’t see it that way. “I found it shocking.”
He held her gaze and studied her as though curious. “Do you always analyze a kiss this way?”
“Not before now.”
“So I’m the first?”
“Yes.”
He frowned slightly. “Should I take that as a compliment or insult?”
The question gave her pause. “I don’t know. How do you feel about it?”
“Kissing you or how I felt afterward?” he asked.
She wasn’t sure. “Both, I guess. You didn’t plan it, did you?”
“Hardly. At the time it seemed the thing to do. I don’t regret it, if you’re looking for an apology.” He set the fork down and pierced her with a single look. “What are you thinking?”
“I don’t know yet. I think I probably should regret it, but I don’t.”
He grinned then, as if he found this discussion highly amusing.
“I’d like for the two of us to go out today,” she said, speaking impulsively.
“And do what?”
“Just walk. You need the fresh air.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It will do you good. You’ve been cooped up in this house far too long. You’re up and about now and looking more like yourself every day. We don’t need to go far.”
“Not interested.”
“Erich, don’t be difficult. It’ll be good for you.”
He exhaled and leaned back in his chair. “I have the distinct feeling you’re going to badger me until you get what you want.”
“I won’t badger you.”
“No, you’ll probably torture me into submission.”
If he expected her to pout and demand her own way, she was sure to disappoint him. “You make me sound heartless, and I assure you I’m not.”
“It won’t be easy getting me ready for this.”
“I know.”
“You’ll need to help me with my shoes and my coat.” He said this as if it would be enough to cause her to change her mind.
“I’ll be happy to do that.”
No more than a half hour later, Addie opened the front door and they stepped into the cold December air. The morning was crisp, and the frost crunched beneath her feet as she stepped onto the lawn. The sky had clouded up to a shade of battleship gray.
Erich’s gaze followed hers as he carefully moved down the three short steps leading off the porch. “If I could, I’d hold your hand.”
“Ah, that’s sweet,” she said, and slipped an arm around his elbow, wanting to be sure he was steady on his feet. “How are you feeling?”
“Not bad.”
The park where they’d so often played as children was two blocks away. Addie thought they could walk there, rest a bit, and then return to the house. That would be an outing enough for one day.
Erich looked toward the low-lying clouds a second time. “It smells like snow.”
She appreciatively sniffed the air and agreed. “It does.”
“No class today? No Mr. Mills?”
“No, it’s been canceled due to the threat of snow, although I wish there were classes. I’m surprised how much I like this class and the people I’m meeting, especially Danny and Andrew.”
“Hey, have I got competition?” he joked. “Have you been kissing them, too?”
“No,” she said, laughing. “Andrew’s the war vet I mentioned earlier. The one with the service dog named Tommy.”
“What about the other guy? Danny, was it?”
“Yes, Danny. He’s this big, tough-looking guy who’s like a huge puppy. It seems he’s got a comment for just about everything Mr. Mills says. He’s got a great attitude, although his personality is a bit quirky.”
“Quirky?”
“You’ll know what I mean when you meet him.”
Erich slowed his steps to a crawl. “And just when am I going to meet this felon friend of yours?”
“At the Christmas party Mr. Mills mentioned in our last class. It’s a potluck. Everyone is bringing something.”
“And you want to bring me?”
“Yes.”
“I think,” Erich said pointedly, “when Mr. Mills suggested you bring something, he was referring to a dish to be shared with others, not a person.”
“I know what he meant, and I am bringing food. In fact, I’m baking cookies.”
“Can you explain why you want to drag me to your class party?”
Addie had hoped that by mentioning the invitation casually, Erich wouldn’t make a big deal of it. “I want to include you. It’ll be fun and you’ll enjoy the outing.”
He automatically shook his head. “Thanks anyway.”
Addie couldn’t hide her disappointment.
Using his index finger, he lifted her chin so their eyes could meet. The last time he’d looked at her with the same intensity had been right before they’d kissed. “I don’t think you were listening when I mentioned how I feel about Christmas.”
“I heard you, but I didn’t like what you had to say.” He didn’t know it yet, but she fully intended on purchasing that Christmas tree and decorating it. Furthermore, she planned to set it up inside his house. Erich could ignore the holidays if he wished, but she was going to make it as hard as possible.
“Are you saying,” he asked, skeptically, as they continued on their walk, “you were so overwhelmed by the emotional magnitude of our kiss that you completely lost track of our conversation?”
“If that’s what you’d like to believe, then sure, why not?” She flashed him a brilliant smile, hoping to dazzle him with her charm and wit. All too soon she realized it hadn’t worked.
“Addie, I hate to disappoint you, especially when we’re getting along so well. I’m not interested in this friendly little class get-together. I don’t want to think about Christmas. My goal is to get through the next few weeks as best I can while I’m in these casts and ignore everything else.”
“It’s just that I’d hoped you’d come.”
“Why would you even want me there?” he probed.
“Because I think you’d enjoy it. Is it me you’re looking to avoid or everything else?” she challenged.
“Listen,” he said, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk and turning to face her. “I don’t want to put a damper on your festive mood. Both my wrists are in casts. Even the simplest movements that everyone takes for granted are beyond me. I’m not up to celebrating much of anything. Can you leave it at that?”
As much as she would have liked him to attend the class potluck, she understood what he was saying. “Okay, got it.”
His shoulders sagged. “Darn. I was sort of hoping you’d want to argue.”
“You were?”
“Yes.” He looked down and smiled at her. “Then we could kiss and make up.”
“Are you looking for excuses to kiss me again?” she teased.
He lifted his thick eyebrows with the question. “You interested?”
“Could be.”
They reached the park just about the time it started to snow. The flakes were heavy and thick.
“Stick out your tongue,” Addie urged excitedly.
“What?”
“Don’t you remember when we were kids, we used to catch snowflakes on our tongues?”
“The key phrase here is: We were kids. That’s something kids do. Not adult
s.”
“Erich. What’s happened to you? When I knew you before, you were up for just about anything.”
“The point is, I have two broken wrists,” he returned in quick order. “This past week hasn’t been fun, you know.”
“I realize that, but it isn’t enough of an excuse to be mad at the world.”
“The person I’m mad at is the driver who slammed into my car at fifty miles an hour. I’m mad because I’m as helpless as a baby. And I’m mad because I’m being forced to use my vacation time and accumulated sick leave to sit around my mother’s house and be treated like an infant. And I hate Christmas. Let’s leave it at that.”
That left her wondering if he was talking about something other than the accident that’d happened in his own life. His father hadn’t died in December. Addie remembered getting word about his dad around Saint Patrick’s Day, so it must have been in March.
The silence seemed to throb between them.
“Okay,” she whispered. “Message received.”
By unspoken agreement, they started walking back toward the house.
It was Erich who broke the silence. “Frankly, I think Scrooge got a bum rap.”
“You do?”
“As far as I’m concerned, he had the right idea when it came to Christmas.”
Chapter Thirteen
Humming a Christmas carol, Harry headed toward his class. His spirits were high. He’d managed to avoid Dr. Conceito for the last couple of days, and he found himself adjusting to the ways of Earth. Dealing with emotions continued to be a bit tricky, but he was getting there.
Two inches of snow had accumulated the day before, with more forecast for later in the afternoon. Harry loved snow. For several generations, youngsters had been making snow angels without ever suspecting where the original idea had come from. He smiled to himself as he crossed the campus. He was scheduled to meet with Celeste later and give his mentor an update on Addie Folsom.
The idea of his young charge taking Erich cocoa had worked famously. Harry knew the two had kissed and that Addie had managed to get Erich out of the house for a short walk the day before. Oh yes, matters were progressing nicely. Addie had shown vast improvement when it came to attitude. She truly had matured in the years she’d been away from her family. As for her relationship with Erich, it was too soon to tell. Still, Harry could see significant progress had been made. He couldn’t take all the credit, he realized, but Celeste would be pleased.