Page 49 of Run, Run, Roommates
I fold my arms and lean my hip against the counter. “We had ingredients for French toast?”
“I bought them yesterday.”
Yesterday, when Marco was letting the floodgates open on Christmas. There’s a selection of toppings on the counter: whipped cream, maple syrup, strawberries, chocolate sauce. Basically anything to satisfy a sweet tooth craving, and he bought all this before I started my period.
Wait.
“Did you know I was going to start my period today?” It wouldn’t surprise me. Marco’s observant enough to notice signs, whether they are tampon wrappers in the trash can or two temperamental roommates.
Marco raises an eyebrow. “How would I have known that?”
I shrug. And then squint suspiciously at him. “So you happened to buy French toast supplies?”
Marco piles the slices on a plate. “I wanted to do something nice for you. After yesterday—I mean, we both worked really hard on the scavenger hunt, and this is a way to say thank you.”
He hands me the plate and starts another batch. “Go ahead back to your pillow fort and pick a movie. I’ll be there soon.”
A couple hours later we’ve finished watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas—the animated version, not the Jim Carrey one—A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Marco had joined me while I was still working through my pile of strawberry-and-whipped-cream-covered French toast, and he hadn’t said a peep about my movie choice. I’ve turned off the heating pad and have curled up on my side in the pillows.
Our plates are on the coffee table, which I pushed over to the side of the room under the window. The French toast was amazing, though Marco refused to match my sweet tooth bonanza and instead had poured an austere amount of maple syrup over his serving.
It’s still a big improvement over his oats, so I’ll take it as a win.
In the middle of Rudolph, my phone dings with a text message.
Drew
Operation Santa’s Sleigh is complete.
Brin
OMG you are the best!! Thank you thank you thank you!
I roll onto my side and bat my eyelashes at Marco. “Can you do me a favor?”
“Sure.” He sits up. “Do you need your heating pad again?”
“No.” I bite my lip, trying to stop smiling like an idiot. “There’s a package down at the front. Can you get it for me?”
Marco’s brows draw together. “Of course. Did you order something? You know I would have run out.”
I make a shooing motion and Marco heads downstairs. When he comes back up, he’s carrying what is clearly a wrapped basket, complete with bows and mistletoe. Drew really outdid himself.
“What is this?” Marco kicks the door closed.
“My Christmas gift to you,” I say sweetly.
“Brin,” he admonishes, but he sits down on the floor next to me and sets the basket in front of him. “I didn’t get you anything.”
I gesture at the decorations from Billy Bob’s. “I beg to differ. Also, don’t act like you haven’t been switching out my candle to make it last longer or fixing my Christmas lights.” I sit up.
“How exactly did this happen, though?” Marco gestures at the over-the-top wrapping.
“I had help from Drew.”
“Oh, that explains a lot.” Marco shakes his head fondly. “He can be extra with the arts and crafts.”
I smother my smile while Marco opens his present. Drew really is extra, because he’s absolutely stuffed the basket with supplies. There are unpainted picture frames, paint, a storage caddy full of rhinestones, and even some funky tool to bedazzle things.
