Page 7 of A DIY Christmas Miracle
“Shouldn’t Jack be the one to handle putting up the tree so he gets a little practice?” I teased, winking at Jack and Sophie. “I mean, next year, you’ll have your own kid, so I’m guessing you’ll want your own tree, and by then, you should be able to put it up safely. Without it falling and smashing your parents’ coffee table, including everything that’d been placed on it.”
“You’re evil, Eli. Has anyone ever told you that?” Jack crossed his arms in front of his chest, glaring at me with what appeared to be anger, but I could see the mischievous glint in his eyes. Funnily enough, I’d been told I was evil multiple times — by Jack himself. It was basically his duty as my adopted big brother. He was annoyed with me; I was annoyed with him. It was all fun and games.
“I look like an angel,” I told him indignantly, running my fingers through my freshly bleached, platinum hair that was on the verge of actually looking silver.
“On the outside, yes. But we both know your true self lives a couple of floors further down.” Jack pointed at the floor, chuckling.
We looked at each other and started laughing. I wanted to add something, maybe another little jab, but Will intervened.
“Let’s focus on the task at hand, okay? So, I’ll pick up Eli on the morning of the twenty-second, we’ll go shopping for a Christmas tree, and then head out to the cabin. We’ll also take the groceries with us. Is there something else we need to bring? Christmas decorations?”
Will talking about us like we were a unit warmed my heart. I could almost pretend there really was an ‘we.’ That we were an actual couple, not just casual friends who ran in the same circle. I could definitely get used to this.
“Oh, yes, please take the decorations and get everything ready for our arrival.” Cassy clapped her hands, beaming from ear to ear.
I wondered if my smile rivaled hers; it did on the inside, at least. Everything was going according to plan. And our duties as the first two to head out were… romantic. Choosing a tree together, decorating together… it sounded so intimate and familiar. Like a couple who’d already been together for a long time.
Unfortunately, we were neither a couple nor had we already been together for a long time.
However, if everything worked out the way I wanted it to, maybe I’d be able to say otherwise in a couple of years. Maybe Will and I would end up living together. Our separate book collections would sit side by side on the shelves that’d certainly cover the walls of our living room. We might even have a small library. And because Will was an awesome person, he wouldn’t judge me for loving romance books.
I let out a dreamy sigh.
“Eli?”
“Huh? What?” I startled, blinking before turning my head to find everyone staring at me. My cheeks heated, and I felt the blush creeping up my neck. The contrast between my almost-white hair and red face probably made me look like a fucking candy-cane.
“We just wanted to make sure it really is okay for us to put you and Will to work to that extent.”
“Oh, yeah.” I swallowed. “Of course it’s okay.” That way, Will and I had stuff to do to keep us busy. Stuff that’d force us to actually spend time together.
“Perfect. It’s so nice of you to do the cookie baking, too.”
“Uhm… come again?”
“The cookies? Juliet and I just said we wouldn’t be able to do it because both of us had to agree to work late on the twenty-third in order to get Christmas Eve off.”
“Oh, it’s no problem, is it, Will?” I looked at him doubtfully, hoping to hell I hadn’t just agreed to something he’d hate to do.
“No, it’s all right.” He winked at me. Legitwinked! I could’ve died then and there, and I’d have been… yeah… that was a little melodramatic. Still, warmth spread through my insides. “You’re an elementary school teacher, so that means you can bake, right? I’ll quote my namesake, William Shakespeare, for you while you mix the ingredients and make the actual cookies. Deal? My last attempt at baking resulted in star-shaped rocks.”
“Oh no. If we’re baking, it’ll be a team effort. If we poison everyone, we’ll both be to blame.”
“That sounds promising,” Marc grumbled.
“If everything fails, just call me and we’ll bring an emergency supply,” Sophie said and smiled, rubbing her rounded belly. “Our baby has developed a fondness for Christmas cookies.”
“Our baby,” Jack said, snorting.
“Did you say something?”
“No, honey.” Jack batted his lashes at Sophie, causing everyone to burst out laughing.
I leaned back against the cushions and listened to the bickering between Sophie and Jack, content to just be a bystander right now. I could still feel Will’s warmth, still felt his thigh pressed against mine, was still inhaling his scent that surrounded me like a warm, fuzzy blanket.
If it wouldn’t have been weird, I’d have rested my head against his shoulder and burrowed my nose in the crook of his neck.
As it was, I stayed where I was, hoping that one day, very soon, I’d be able to do all the things I so desperately wanted to.
