Page 78 of Holiday Love
Now we’re with my parents on Jamie’s boat. Teddy’s wearing a shirt, which is a relief and a tragedy all at once. We start the boat parade with Teddy at the helm driving, looking infuriatingly good. One hand on the oversized silver wheel, his cast stretched out in front of him like it belongs there. The white Christmas lights his housemates strung along the railings glow across his face, catching in his lashes, softening his jaw. It’s too much.
I look away, then back. Away again. Then back, like a broken compass.
It’s fine. I’m fine. Just a completely normal human woman trying not to ogle her fake boyfriend while her real parents are sitting ten feet away. The man is literally glowing like a Christmas miracle, and I’m trying to remember how to blink.
At this point, even hisinjuryis hot. What kind of messed-up holiday rom-com am I living in?
Jamie’s rigged up a massive fake Christmas tree, somehow mounted to spin in a slow, hypnotic circle that sets the shiny ornaments swaying. He’s also installed huge speakers in the rear corners. They blast holiday classics likeJingle Bell Rock,Little Drummer Boy, andDeck the Hallsinto the salty winter air.
Downstairs in the boat’s small cabin are snacks and appetizers, plus a huge pitcher of eggnog. I carry a cup up for myself and another for Teddy, who accepts it with a smile. I’m three big sips in when I realize it’s spiked with rum. “Yum, this is tasty but strong,” I tell Teddy, who puts the drink aside with a slight grimace. He’s still off alcohol. I take another sip. The drink is good, sweet with nutmeg and cinnamon, but the rum burns as it slides down my throat. I cough into my fist. “I’d better be careful. Don’t want to fall off the boat and end up on Santa’s naughty list.”
Teddy laughs. “If that’s the criteria, then I’m screwed. Last New Year’s Eve Jamie and I got so wasted we couldn’t find our way home. We had to call Anthony to come get us. Turns out we were two houses away.”
I laugh with him, but a little part of me wonders if he was drinking that much because of me. Was Teddy sad when he came back from New York after Christmas? Was it possible he was missing me all those months ago?
Surely not. I’m probably reading too much into it.
I glance over at Jamie, who’s chatting up my parents over by the tree. Mom throws her head back laughing over something he said, and even my dad is grinning.
Teddy follows my gaze. “Your parents love Jamie,” he says, and something bitter slips into his voice. “No surprise there. Everyone does.” His hands tighten on the wheel. “Maybe Jamie should be your fake boyfriend. Your dad clearly likes him more than me.”
I pat his shoulder in mock sympathy. “Don’t worry. You’re the only fake boyfriend for me.”
That makes him chuckle. “Gee. Thanks.”
Teddy’s old housemates Anthony and Gina are also on the boat with us. Anthony stays close to Gina, with his arm possessively wrapped around her waist. For her part, Gina keeps sneaking glances at Teddy. Lingering looks. The kind filled with longing.Once I openly catch her staring at Teddy. When she sees me, she sends a glare so full of venom my mouth goes dry. When she said hello to me earlier, she pretended like she barely knew me. Like we’d never had that sidewalk showdown outside of my dance studio.
Spoiler alert. It’s not you.
“It’s official. Gina hates me,” I tell Teddy.
“No way.” He smiles up at me. “You’re imagining it.”
“I’m not,” I insist, wanting to tell him about that earlier conversation but deciding not to. I don’t want to sound bitter, insecure, or, worse, needy. “We’re trapped in a fake dating love rectangle.”
“Rectangle?” He laughs, and I love the sound. Teddy happy is the most beautiful thing. He lights up when he’s happy. He glows.
“Yes. You, me, Gina, and Anthony. A love rectangle. It makes me feel bad. I almost want to reassure her it isn’t real, that we aren’t together.”
Maybe Ishouldsay it again. Maybe she’d believe it this time.
“Yeah. Right.” Teddy looks out at the water, his voice quieter now. “Not real.”
Boats decorated with all manner of lights, trees, and inflatable snowmen bob along the water in a cheerful line ahead and behind us, each one brighter and more over-the-top than the last. Holiday music blares from speakers, and the scent of cocoa and cinnamon seems to float on the breeze. Crowds gather along the docks, bundled in festive sweaters, waving and cheering. We smile and wave back at a group of children who wear matching Christmas pajamas, their cheeks flushed with excitement.
After I finish my eggnog, Teddy waves Jamie over to take the wheel. I’ve been quietly stressing about Teddy and his crutches on the slick deck, but he handles it like a pro, steady and sure-footed as we make our way to the front of the boat where it narrows into a pointed bow. We lean over the edge, the water gliding beneathus in dark, rippling streaks, the soft splash of waves brushing the hull.
Suddenly, Teddy steps in close, his chest flush against my back, surrounding me with his warmth. Heat rises beneath my skin in a rush. We haven’t touched this much since that time at my parents’ house.
“Teddy?”
“Let’s re-create that scene fromTitanic,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my ear. “I’ve always wanted to try.”
“Okay,” I say, giggling at the idea.
“Hold out your arms,” Teddy instructs me.
I do it, spreading my arms out on each side, I lean as far forward as I can go and pretend like I’m flying. Teddy holds me by the waist so I don’t fall.
