Page 102 of Seeds of Christmas
“Good. You deserve people who are protective of you.” His arm comes around me. “So, now what?”
“Now...” I think about it. “Now I call my mother. Tomorrow, probably. When I’ve had time to prepare. And I tell her the same thing I told Matthew. That I’m done letting other people decide what’s best for me.”
“Do you think she’ll take it well?”
“Probably not.” I look up at him. “But I’m not doing this alone. Right?”
“Right. I’ll be here. Whatever you need.”
There’s a knock on my door, and Emma’s voice calls through. “Rhi? Meg said to tell you pizza’s here in twenty minutes and Carter is staying whether he likes it or not!”
I laugh. “Hear that? You’re staying.”
“Wouldn’t dream of being anywhere else.” He stands, pulling me up with him. “Come on. Let’s go meet your roommates properly. Let me integrate into your real life.”
“You’re sure? They’re going to interrogate you.”
“I rescued you from a collapsed cave. I think I can handle three college girls.” He pauses. “Okay, that sounded more confident in my head.”
“Too late. You’re committed now.”
As we head downstairs, his hand in mine.
My roommates are going to love him almost as much as I do.
The pizza arrives. Meg makes Carter tell the whole rescue story, complete with dramatic reenactments. Emma—my quiet, artsy roommate—sketches while she listens. Sophie, our fourth roommate, comes home from her shift at the coffee shop andimmediately declares Carter “way hotter than Matthew” before she even knows his name.
And through it all, Carter holds my hand under the table.
Stays.
Shows up.
Just like he promised.
Later, after everyone’s gone to bed, Carter and I lie in my narrow twin bed, tangled together, talking in whispers.
“Your roommates are great,” he says.
“They liked you. Meg gave me the thumbs up when you went to the bathroom.”
“Good to know I passed the test.” He kisses my forehead. “Thank you for letting me be here today. For letting me meet this part of your life.”
“Thank you for being here.” I trace patterns on his chest. “I was so scared. But having you there made me brave.”
“You were already brave. You just needed to remember it.”
I tilt my head up to kiss him, soft and slow and grateful.
When we break apart, he’s smiling.
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing. Just—I’m really happy.” He says it like it surprises him. “Like, actually happy. For the first time in a long time.”
“Me too.”
“Yeah?”
