Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26006 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26006 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
“How do you think you let him down?”
“By letting another opportunity to come out pass me by. He’s put up with so much shit from me in the nearly two years we’ve been together—keeping our relationship a secret, not being able to include him in work and family events, it goes on and on. Why does he put up with me?”
“Because he truly cares about you.”
“He could do so much better.”
“You’re a great guy, Hudson, and Kel knows it,” he said. “The fact that you’ve been struggling with some stuff doesn’t change that.”
It seemed ridiculous to keep arguing with him about how much I sucked, so instead I got up with a wince. My short-lived football career had left me with a bum knee and two bad ankles, and they’d all stiffened up on the flight back from Illinois. I stretched carefully as I said, “We should go inside. I think I’m ready to stick a smile on my face and not suck all the joy out of the room.” That sympathetic look returned to his eyes, but Noah nodded. Then he grabbed my empty glass and one of my suitcases before accompanying me up the stairs.
When we got inside, it was exactly as I’d expected. The living room was packed, and Yolanda and JoJo, the house’s landladies, were obliterating the competition in a lively game of Pictionary. I left my luggage and the blanket in the foyer and lingered in the doorway, and after a chorus of greetings, someone stuck a glass of eggnog in my hand.
A moment later, there was a gentle touch on my lower back. I turned to look at Noah, who leaned in so I could hear him over the ruckus and told me, “I brought you a chair from upstairs, because it looked like your knee was bothering you.” He really was incredibly thoughtful, and I told him I appreciated it before taking a seat.
A few minutes later, Kel and Lark emerged from the kitchen. They were sweaty and disheveled, and their aprons looked like there’d been some sort of explosion. Both of them were carrying trays lined with mismatched mugs, each of which had a fork sticking from it.
“I’m sorry to report tonight’s dinner attempt failed spectacularly,” Kel announced, as he and his friend circulated so everyone could grab a mug. “We’ve ordered pizza, and it should be here soon. In the meantime, here’s what we salvaged from our three-dimensional white lasagna snowman. We were going for a winter wonderland theme with dinner, but it didn’t work out.” His face lit up when he turned toward the doorway, and he exclaimed, “Sonny, you’re early! I didn’t think you’d be getting here for another hour.”
“I got lucky with stand-by on an earlier flight.”
Someone took the tray from him, and he hurried over and gave me a hug. Then he leaned back and said, “Oops, I got bechamel sauce on you.”
“It’s fine.”
Lark joined us just then and exclaimed, “Hi, Hudson! Did you get a cup of lasagna?”
Noah and I both took a mug from his tray, and I tried a bite before saying, “This is delicious.” It really was, even if it looked like a science experiment.
“It was so cute, too, for about twenty seconds.” Kel sounded wistful. “It was a perfect, three-tiered snowman, about two-and-a-half feet tall! We actually got it to stand up, but when I turned to get my phone so I could snap a picture, the whole thing face-planted into the salad bowl. We tried to rebuild it, but eventually we had to admit our frosty friend was no more.” Lark solemnly made the sign of the cross, like they were administering last rites to tonight’s dinner.
“It was a good try,” Noah said, “and Hudson’s right. It tastes delicious.” That seemed to perk up the chefs a little.
Pretty soon, the pizza arrived and everyone dove in. I ate a couple of slices before pulling Kel aside and telling him, “Today wiped me out. I’d like to go rest in your room, if that’s alright.”
“Of course. I’ll come with you.”
“No, stay and enjoy the fun. JoJo’s cueing up The Nightmare Before Christmas, and I know how much you love that movie.”
“Well, okay. But first there’s something I want to give you and Noah, so let’s all go upstairs for a minute.”
We brought my suitcases with us when we climbed the stairs, and once we reached Kel’s room he handed each of us a festive holiday gift bag. I asked, “Are we exchanging gifts already? Because yours are in my apartment.”
“No, it’s just—well, you’ll see. Open them.”
Kel chewed the edge of his thumbnail as Noah and I pulled knit caps and scarves from the bags. There was also a note with a picture of a log cabin on it. That turned out to be an invitation to spend a week in the Sierras, beginning two days before Christmas. “I was going to see if you could come home a day early, and when I found out you were already on your way back, it felt like it was meant to be,” Kel explained. “So, will you guys spend Christmas with me in a cabin in the woods?”