Page 45 of Grinchland
But Clara looked hopeful that I would be just as impressed as she was. Even though I wasn’t sure how I felt about giving Todd so much praise, I could tell she wanted me to have a similar reaction, so I just smiled and nodded. “Looks great, Todd.” Then I glanced back over to Clara. “I guess I’ll leave the two of you to it.” I set the bags down on the ground and turned to leave.
I didn’t like feeling jealous. I didn’t like that I’d interrupted what seemed like a date between the two of them. Why was I even here? Couldn’t she have just had Todd pick up the paint and twinkle lights? It was strange that she would ask me to do it when they were perfectly capable of accomplishing the task.
“Where are you going?”
Clara’s voice stopped me in my tracks. I paused, hating that I loved that she hadn’t let me walk out of the gym, that for some reason, she wanted me to stay. Because, deep down, I wanted to stay with her. I didn’t want to walk out and go back home.
“I’m going home,” I said.
Clara’s eyes widened. “Oh, okay,” she said, doing nothing to mask the disappointment in her voice.
It got my heart racing. Did she want me to stay?
“Unless you need me for”—I circled my hand toward the plywood in front of me—“whatever this is.”
Clara glanced from the plywood over to me. “I was kind of hoping that you could help me.” Her expression turned shy as she glanced up at me.
Todd cleared his throat. “I think I’ll head out. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” Clara thanked him, and then Todd turned his attention to me. “See you tomorrow, boss,” he said.
I nodded.
Soon, Clara and I were alone in the gym. I wasn’t sure what to say or where to look, so I settled on just staring at the floor. Thankfully, Clara took over and led the conversation.
“Are you okay with staying?” She held up her hands. “If you can’t, I totally understand.”
“Do you want me to stay?” Call me crazy, but I needed her to say yes. I needed to know that I wasn’t the only one who felt our relationship changing. I’d gone from having to spend time with her…to wanting to spend time with her.
And I wanted her to admit that she wanted to spend time with me too.
Clara held my gaze as silence fell between us. Then she started to nod. “I want you to stay.”
Slowly, ever so slowly, a smile began to spread across my lips. I shoved my hands into the front pockets of my jeans before I shrugged. “Then I’ll stay.”
“Okay.” Clara’s voice was soft and her gaze was shy.
I loved that when she was nervous her cheeks flushed and her eyes twinkled. Clara may be obsessed with Christmas lights, but I was obsessed with the glow that naturally flowed from her gaze. It was unlike anything man-made.
Needing to break the connection between us before I did something stupid, I pulled my gaze from hers and turned toward the wood that was lying on the ground. Our relationship had gone from antagonistic to tolerable. Making a stupid move now would ruin everything.
“What’s the plan with all of this?” I asked as I glanced over at her.
Clara clapped her hands together, steepled her pointer fingers, and turned to face me. “We’re putting on a play,” she said, her voice reverent.
“A play?”
She nodded. “A blank Carol.”
I frowned. “A blank Carol?”
She held my gaze. “You know, A c-h-r-i…A blank Carol.” She moved her hand in a forward circle as if that was going to help me get there faster.
“The story of Scrooge?” I asked.
She nodded. “There you go! Now you’re getting it.”
“But when is the performance?”
“Thursday.”
