Page 76 of Maybe This Christmas
“Don’t worry, we’ll keep them in check,” Eleanor said.She pointed to Tiffany and Tinesha.
Inez clucked her tongue against her teeth.“You’re no damn fun.Fine.My phone will stay in my bag.Happy?”
Caleb rolled down the window and took the ticket as they entered the parking garage.“Not really, but I’ll take it.”
After they parked, it was an ordeal to get all the biddies out of the van and organized.He wondered if herding cats would be easier.
“Okay, Aniyah gave me the address.I have a walking map up on my phone,” Tinesha said.
“Why does she get to have her phone out and I don’t?”Inez said.
“Because I have self-control.”Tinesha gave Inez a light punch on the shoulder.
Caleb snickered.“Come on, it’s starting to get dark.Aniyah said Emma just got home.Let’s go get her.”
* * * *
Considering she’d pulled everything together so last minute, she was quite pleased with her cozy Christmas Eve.
She’d cobbled together a decent Christmas dinner for one from ready meals available at the grocery store.This included her childhood favorite—a fruit cake.Something Davis had always forbidden at their celebrations.She was always the only one who ever loved them.She was sure there was a metaphor in there about feeling unwanted—growing up in foster care, and how everyone hated fruit cake—but she was depressed enough.She didn’t need to make herself feel worse.
She turned on a cozy, atmospheric Christmas video to add to the ambience.Unlike last night, it didn’t make her want to cry.That was something, right?She was starting to accept that her time at Sky House had been nothing more than a fantasy.
During her packing, she’d found a box of Christmas decorations.She’d never bothered to decorate much.Davis detested clutter, and they were usually away for the holidays anyway.
She’d looked over the campy decorations that had been hidden in a box for years.Her pink desktop Christmas tree went on the coffee table.The bold, retro table runner laid across on the glass and metal dining table.
Brightly colored pillows were tossed on the leather couch.She even found her old, tattered Rudolph doll from childhood.
She sat on the couch, clutching the old doll.Even after finally allowing her personality to shine in this cold place, it still felt like someone else’s home.
It was time to make her own home now, for better or worse.She couldn’t rely on anyone else.
She’d relied too heavily on Davis.Look where that had left her.
The microwave beeped, reminding her that her dinner for one was done reheating.
She gently placed Rudolph on the couch and headed for the kitchen.Her holiday spirit dipped slightly when she pulled out the plate of turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes.
“At least you have a meal,” she muttered to herself.“It could be worse.”
She closed the microwave door and set her plate on the table.She remembered she’d bought gravy.That would save the turkey that looked about as dry as Davis’ sense of humor.
She began to rifle through her grocery bags as the jarring noise of the doorbell cut through the apartment.Her heart jumped into her throat at the interruption.
Most of the building was empty, but someone must’ve rung her bell by mistake.Better send them on their way.
She shook out her nerves as she walked over to the door.She unlatched the deadbolt and opened the door wide enough for the chain latch to catch.
“Sorry, wrong apartment!Merry Christmas!”
When she started to close the door, a hand caught it before it could catch.“Emma, please open the door.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Emma peered at him through the crack in the door.Through the narrow space, he couldn’t read her expression, and he hated that.
Thank god he’d insisted the biddies stay downstairs.They were probably driving the security guy crazy by now.But he didn’t need to see the whole of her face to know she was more than a little freaked out.
