Page 46 of Falling Madly
Trevor
It was amazing how you could tell someone was scandalized, even if you didn’t understand a word they said. As we woke up to a group of Germans muttering in the doorway, I picked up on the unmistakably judgmental vibe before my brain caught up to the situation.
I rolled over on the cold, hard floor, my eyes searching for Teresa. There she was, already standing by the cable pole in her wrinkled elf outfit, smiling at them.
“Excuse me?” Our realtor appeared from behind the Germans. “I thought you were coming in later for the second viewing! I have another key, so…”
“I’m sorry!” Teresa’s voice was bright and cheery. “I lost Trevor’s car key, and we got a bit stuck.”
Annalise scanned our little campsite, and her professional smile morphed into shock. “Youslepthere?”
“That’s my fault,” Teresa continued. “Trevor offered his cabin, but we had no car, and my shoes are not made for walking.”
Annalise cocked her head, palpable confusion on her face. “And you’re dressed as an elf because…”
“Wardrobe issues.”
I was amazed at the way Teresa faced them with a smile, not flinching. It was reassuring to find yourself impressed by someone you’d already fallen for. I would have loved Teresa regardless, but everything I learned about her pulled me in a little deeper.
I scrambled to my feet and gathered our things, heaving the bags onto my shoulders. “I apologize. Here’s the key. We’ll be out of your hair.”
Annalise accepted the key, her mouth still hanging open, and the Germans shifted to let us pass. Once we made it to the sidewalk, we both burst into hysterical laughter.
Teresa pulled herself together first, quickly throwing her overcoat on top of the elf costume. It didn’t hide the striped leggings, but she looked a little less like she was headed to a poorly-timed Christmas party.
“I’m so lucky I was already awake when they showed up! I was brushing my teeth when I heard the door,” she said.
“That explains why you look way more presentable than me,” I replied, desperately trying to straighten my achy back and peel open my eyes. I felt exhausted and beaten, yet almost giddy after last night.
She looked down at her legs. “I look like I’ve escaped from an institution.”
“What do you mean? That could easily be a fashion choice. You don’t even have the pointy boots with jingle bells.”
“I jingle, though,” she said, throwing her purse over her shoulder. “Okay. I don’t know about you, but I need coffee. So badly that I don’t care what it tastes like.”
She headed down the street towards Cozy Confectionary, sounding like the intro to Jingle Bells, playing over and over again without the song ever starting. Insanity-inducing, but she was that to me anyway, so I just rolled with it.
Moments from last night played in my head, making my step feel lighter than it should have.
We received a few sideways looks from other patrons, mostly due to that incessant jingling, but the smell of cinnamon and butter was as heady as ever, and we were both too hungry to care. I bought us protein smoothies and cinnamon rolls and watched Teresa mix four creamers into her coffee.
The morning was cloudy, with muted daylight competing with artificial lighting. The pink decorations still hung everywhere. Softly floating snow behind the window added to the ambiance. Valentine’s Day was technically over, but Cozy Creek clearly wasn’t done celebrating love.
I checked my phone for messages. Charlie hadn’t given any updates, but I knew they were traveling. Even if all went well, he wouldn’t make it here before tomorrow. If I wanted to avoid bringing Teresa to my cabin, I had to find her a ride out of here today.
I’d been warned about Cozy Creek not having Uber, and that its alternative, Huber, wasn’t necessarily available to outsiders. I wanted to think of myself as an insider, but I’d only just bought the cabin, and was still in the process of selling my place in Denver.
“So, I was thinking we could maybe ask around and pay someone to give you a ride back home? There are tourists stopping here on their way through as well; someone might have room in their car.”
She looked up from her smoothie, frowning. “What? Are you staying here?”
“I have Charlie and Bess coming up to bring the car key, so I’ll have to stay. But you don’t have to.”
She pinned me with a look that made my every muscle tense simultaneously. “Why am I not welcome in your cabin? Do you have a secret wife up there, or a dead body?”
I laughed, trying to shake the tension. “No.”
“Or are you trying to get rid of me before Charlie and Bess arrive so you guys can make a decision about the company moving without me?”
