Page 5 of Seeds of Christmas
“That just makes you a person with boundaries. Which is healthy.” Tara nudges my shoulder. “Your mom will survive one Christmas without you. And seriously? Maybe she needs to learn that she can’t guilt you into doing things you don’t want to do.”
“You’re very wise for someone wearing a sweater with a sequined snowman.”
“I come in several modes, all of them fabulous.” She hops off the counter, grabbing her pink backpack. “Okay, I need to go pack for my romantic winter getaway with my hot fiancé. You need to keep packing for your science adventure where you’ll be completely bored with professor Bam and your thoughts and no distractions?—”
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The lab door swings open, and Professor Bam rushes in with her messenger bag overflowing with papers, travel mug in hand, wild curls escaping from what was probably once a bun.
“Rhiannon! Perfect! I’m so glad I caught you!” She sets her bag down with a thump. “Hi Tara, shouldn’t you be on a plane by now?”
“Leaving in two hours. Just saying goodbye to my favorite junior.” Tara winks at me. “Text me updates? I want to hear all about your wilderness adventure.”
“There won’t be very good cell service?—”
“Then carrier pigeon. Smoke signals. I don’t care. Stay in touch.” She squeezes my hand. “And, Rhi? Stop feeling guilty. You’re doing what’s right for you.”
After she leaves, Professor Bam sits on the counter Tara just vacated and gives me a look I can’t quite read.
“So,” she says, “about the trip.”
My stomach drops. “Is something wrong? Did the grant fall through? Do you need to cancel?”
“No, no! Nothing like that. The trip is still on. The data collection is crucial; we’re all set.” She pauses, and her expression shifts to something I can’t quite read—apologetic, maybe a little uncomfortable. “But there’s been a small change in plans.”
“Okay?” My chest tightens. Small changes are never actually small.
“So, remember how I was going to accompany you on this trip? Be there to help with protocols, make sure everything went smoothly?”
Oh no.“Yes?”
“I can’t.” She actually looks apologetic. “My boyfriend—well, fiancé now, as of last week—” She holds up her hand, showing off a ring I hadn’t noticed. It’s tasteful. Expensive-looking.
“Professor Bam! Congratulations!”
“Thank you! I’m very excited.” She waves her hand dismissively, clearly uncomfortable with the attention. “But that’s beside the point. Alejandro—that’s his name, he’s fromMilan, absolutely wonderful, you’d love him. Anyway, he’s planned this whole surprise Christmas trip for us. Flying to Italy on the twentieth, his family’s villa, very romantic. And I said yes before I figured out what to do about the field work.”
My heart sinks. If she’s not coming, the trip is off. Which means no data, no paper, no passing grade, no scholarship, no?—
“So the trip is cancelled,” I say flatly.
“No! That’s what I’m trying to tell you. The trip is still happening. You’re still going.” She pulls out her phone, scrolling. “I had a few sudden meetings yesterday and I got a yes almost immediately from a student who really needs the extra credit.”
A student who really needs the extra credit.Translation: someone desperate enough to give up their Christmas.
“Who?”
“Carter Wolfe. He’s in your cohort, right? I thought you might know him.”
Carter Wolfe.
It was the fall of freshman year, right when I’d first arrived at University of Mountain Springs. Matthew and I were “on a break”—his idea, not mine—because he was furious I’d actually left for college instead of staying local like he had.
He’d somehow made it my fault that I wanted an education, that I’d go to parties with my roommate even though I never drank, never did anything except try to make friends and feel like a normal college student.
He’d text me constantly: Who are you with? Why are you out so late? Don’t you care about us? So when we went “on a break” two weeks into my first semester, I’d felt guilty and relieved in equal measure.
And that’s when Carter Wolfe had walked into Introduction to Earth Sciences—all confident stride and easy smile—and I’d let myself feel something that wasn’t weighted down byMatthew’s expectations. It was stupid and shallow and entirely based on the way Carter’s eyes crinkled when he laughed, but it had felt like freedom. Like, maybe, I could be the kind of girl who could have a harmless crush on a cute boy without it being a betrayal.
