Page 78 of Shut Up and Jingle Me
I keep replaying it in my head as I cut across campus, the snow crunching under my boots like a soundtrack. Max, scowling, jaw tight, looking like the word “yes” was being dragged out of him against his will—and yet he said it. My Grinch. My Grumpy. My Max.
And now I’ve got three weeks with him. Three weeks where I don’t have to sneak. Three weeks where it doesn’t end with him slipping out into the hall like we’re a secret.
I spot Luke sprawled across one of the couches in the campus lounge, phone in one hand, soda in the other. He sees me the second I try to sneak past and lifts his chin, smirking.
“Starling,” he calls, loud enough that half the room probably hears. “Get over here.”
I hesitate, already sensing a setup, but he pats the cushion next to him like he owns it. “Come on. Sit.”
I drop onto the couch beside him, pretending not to notice the knowing look on his face.
He studies me for a long beat, head tilted, straw between his lips. Then—“You look way too happy for someone who just camefrom practice. What happened? Win the lottery? Have sex in the showers? Finally make Calder laugh?”
I blink. “What? No.”
He narrows his eyes, grin widening. “Oh my God. Youdid, didn’t you?”
“Luke—”
“Don’t even. You’re blushing.” He sets his soda down and leans in conspiratorially. “Alright, spill it. What’s going on between you and our resident Grinch?”
I turn toward him before lowering my voice just loud enough for only him to hear me, “Max is coming home with me. For Christmas.”
Luke sits up straighter, brows lifting. “You and Calder. No shit.”
“No shit,” I confirm, grinning like I’m about to explode. Should I be spilling our secret to Luke? Probably not. But he’s cool. He isn’t going to run and tell the world. He knows how to keep secrets.
For a second, he just watches me, like he’s waiting for the punchline. Then he shakes his head, a slow grin tugging at his mouth. “Damn, Eli. You’re in it.”
I roll my eyes, but it’s useless—my cheeks are already hot. “I know. Don’t say it.”
“Too late. You’ve got that look.”
“What look?”
“TheI’m-gonna-fall-on-my-face-in-lovelook. And I’ve never seen you wear it before, so it’s definitely not sugar high. This is Calder.”
I groan into my hands, muffling a laugh. “He’s…different with me. He’s Max. I can’t explain it.”
Luke elbows me lightly. “You don’t have to. I get it. But just—be careful, okay? Grumpy boys can break soft hearts without meaning to. And your heart is definitely soft.”
I drop my hands and grin at him anyway, because I can’t help it. “Good thing my heart’s also stubborn.”
Luke snorts, leaning back into the couch. “Good thing.”
Luke eyes me for another long second, then tilts his head, the grin softening into something knowing. “So how long has this thing been going on?”
I throw up my hands. “It’s not a thing.”
“Uh-huh.” He takes a sip of his soda, deliberately slow. “So how long has this ‘not a thing’ been happening?”
My mouth opens, then shuts, and I feel my ears go hot. I twist the strings of my hoodie around my fingers. I knew that he’d want to know more. But it’s still strange to say out loud. Yeah, Daniel knows, but he just gives me shit on the ice when no one else can hear him.
“…Thanksgiving,” I mumble.
Luke nearly chokes on his drink. “ThesnowstormThanksgiving?”
I wince. “Yeah.”
