Page 20 of Just Home for the Holidays
Don’t worry—I’ve got this.
Chloe didn’t reply. The last thing he needed was encouragement. Her nieces were looking at her, curiosity in their expressions. Her mom was staring straight ahead, her lips so tight that they were almost invisible. Mandy’s eyes were twinkling when she met Chloe’s gaze over the girls’ heads and Chloe felt herself blush.
When the phone vibrated again, Mandy whispered. “Could this be love?”
Chloe gave her a look that should have made Mandy bite her tongue. Instead it made her smile widen.
She figured she might as well look.
#2 and #3 on your list are redundant, btw.
I thought you were a more efficient communicator.
Chloe started to put her phone away, then couldn’t let it be.
The redundancy was deliberate, foremphasis.
He replied immediately.
Got it, boss lady.
#11 is a bummer, though. Mistletoe is the only festive tradition I can get behind.
Theonlyfestive tradition? Why?
Before Chloe could ask, Hunter sent her another message.
I’ll wait to send you my comments on the schedule, since you’re busy.
What comments on the schedule? It was her vacation and her schedule. Hunter didn’t get to comment on it.
Her phone was silent, though, and still in her pocket.
The minister greeted them all, thanked them for coming, and invited them to join in singing the next carol. The choir began to singHark, the Herald Angels Sing, one of Chloe’s favorites, and the attendees stood to sing along. Her nieces belted out the song, off-key and not caring one bit. She kept her hand in her pocket on her phone, but it remained still.
She checked that it was still turned on.
What had happened to Hunter?
And what issue could he possibly have with her schedule? It wasn’t any of his business!
* * *
Hunter grabbedsome Vietnamese take-out and returned to his current house-sitting gig on the Upper West Side. He spent an hour going through Chloe’s calendar of festive events, making a list of his own. Then he watched sit-coms until 10:30, wanting it to be crystal clear that he was breaking rule number five on purpose.
Let the games begin.
“What are you doing?” Chloe said when she answered.
“Ditching the traditional greeting already,” Hunter teased. “Aren’t there rules about that?”
“It’s after ten!”
“Yes. Rule number five bites the dust. I’m making good progress, don’t you think?”
“No. No, I don’t think so.” She was stern and he could easily imagine her scowling at him, maybe shaking a finger, too. She’d try to look tough, but a tendril of hair would escape from her up-do or her glasses would fog and he’d think she was just delicious. Hunter leaned back and closed his eyes, letting her tell him off. “You’re being irresponsible and a pest, deliberately trying to make trouble...”
“You’re whispering.”
