Page 35 of Cross Check Christmas
"Then channel that rage.” Daisy waves a candy cane at me. “Get creative. He stole your gym time, hijacked your budget, andturned your house into Clark Griswold's fever dream. Without asking! And now he's living five doors down from you!"
I groan and bury my face in my hands. "Don't remind me. Every morning I have to see him jogging past my house without a shirt on. In December! Who does that?"
"Someone trying to get your attention." Daisy smirks.
"Oh, and get this." I pull out my phone, scrolling to the message. "Liam texted me."
"Wait - Liam Ellis?” Daisy abandons her cookie display. "Hendrix's brother Liam?”
"I didn't even know he had my number." I show her the screen. "He's got box seats for the Knights vs Titans game on Friday."
“The guy who never talks to anyone? Who you had a crush on in high school?"
"I did not have a crush-"
"Please. You wrote his name in your notebook with little hearts."
I stuff my phone back in my pocket. "Anyway, there's a catch. Hendrix is going too."
“Hang on a minute, let me get this straight. Liam’s team has an away game in Toronto. And out of the blue, he invited… you?”
“I guess when you put it that way, it sounds a little fishy.”
Daisy's eyes light up with that dangerous gleam I've come to fear. "No, no, actually, this is perfect!"
"How is being trapped for three hours in a car with Hendrix Ellis perfect? Each way! Not to mention during the game. I don't even like sports.”
"Because you'll drive!" She claps her hands together. "Think about it. You offer to drive, saying you don’t trust his notorious lead foot and you're more responsible or whatever. Then after the game..." She pauses for dramatic effect. "You leave him there."
"Daisy!"
"What? He'll be fine!"
"I can't just strand someone in another city."
"The man lives in Toronto! He's probably got a fancy condo downtown." Daisy rolls her eyes. "Drop him at home first if you're going to be all ethical about it. But this is your chance! He'll be back where he belongs, and your Christmas pageant will be saved."
"That's..." I sputter, "that's practically kidnapping in reverse."
"Is it, though?" Daisy grins. "He'd be exactly where he belongs – back in Toronto, away from your pageant."
"But-"
"And away from your Christmas lights."
"Well-"
"And definitely not jogging shirtless past your house anymore."
I stare at my phone, considering. "It does seem like fate handed me this opportunity..."
"Exactly! And hey, maybe once he’s back in his natural habitat he won’t even want to come back to Brookking Sound.”
I bite my lip. "I'll think about it."
An elderly gentleman passes by. "Support the arts?" I call out weakly. He doesn't even break stride. "We have... festive things? Aaaand he's gone."
"That was painful." Daisy shudders. "You're literally the worst salesperson I've ever seen. And I once hired my nephew who tried to convince customers our muffins were 'probably not poisoned.'"
