We make it to the front door, and I almost throw her in, slamming the door shut behind me.
“Are youinsane?”I stare at her, panting as I tug my hat and gloves off. “You could have hurt yourself out there.”
“I don’t want to be stuck in here withyouat Christmas,” she replies through gritted teeth. “You made school shit for me, Dylan Charmer, and you’re still an asshole!”
I count to ten, closing my eyes as I inhale deeply. This woman is testing my patience.
“I’m sorry about that,” I mutter, stomping my boots on the mat. “But can you please stop judging me based on who I was like twenty years ago?”
“Like I said, you’re still nasty. Telling me maybe the pub down the road will have a ‘twatting tree’ in it!” Merry retorts, her eyes flashing.
I hold my hands up with exasperation, striding over to the kitchen as she continues.
“I know you rescued me earlier, and I’m grateful for that, but this isn’t the sort of bloody Christmas I wanted!”
I drag down a glass from the top shelf, filling it with the amber liquid that I know will soothe me as soon as I catch a whiff of it.
“It’s not exactly what I wanted either, Merry!” I point out, swirling the liquid in the glass. “But look, let's stop arguing. I’ll take you to the pub later if you’re sure you want to go.”
“I am.” Merry nods. “Thank you.”
So now we’re back to the civil city girl, are we? Being around her is exhausting. I sip my drink as she watches me, her tongue wetting her lips as I offer her the glass.
“No thanks,” she says, nodding up to the cupboard. “Can I have my own?”
I make her a drink, and I walk past her to the sofa. I slump down, shifting the cards onto my knee. Why are women so difficult?
“Can I have a lie-down?” Merry asks from behind me as I nod silently. “Where?”
“My bedroom is upstairs to the left. Knock yourself out.”
“Thanks.”
The sound of her padding upstairs makes me relax slightly, the tension leaving my shoulders. Maybe it's for the best that she goes to the pub because I can’t be doing this for the next two days or whatever it is.
They better have a room.
