Chapter 11 #2
It was going to be a bitch when I left after New Year’s.
But I didn’t want to protect myself. I could have.
I could put distance between us, break things off now, so that neither one of us got hurt.
But I was enjoying him too much, and our time together, so I wasn’t going to. I’d deal with the heartbreak later.
“Sounds good. Do you have lunch stuff here or should I pick something up?” There, that sounded normal and not like my thoughts had taken a turn.
The way Harris smiled at me and touched my cheek didn’t help anything though.
“I have sandwich stuff. But if you want something particular for dinner, you might want to grab it.”
I nodded. “How do you feel about spaghetti? I can make sauce and leave it simmering, then we can make the pasta when we’re ready to eat. Barrett and Morgan would probably appreciate that too.”
Something passed over his face, but his smile never faltered. He hummed. “I love spaghetti. See you later. Have fun today, baby.”
And then he was gone. Cheddar let out a single bark as they walked out the door as if he, too, were saying goodbye.
I had to sit there for a minute to get my bearings.
I was sure of it now. He didn’t even realize he was using the endearment, but again, he wasn’t saying like it was something he said to everyone.
I’d heard him talking to other folks and he wasn’t big on endearments in general.
Nicknames, sure, but not endearments. To him, right now, I was his baby.
For now. For the moment. He knew I was leaving. I’d made that clear. And there went those thoughts again. I should probably have a talk with him. We shouldn’t leave this unsaid. I had to make sure we were on the same page about things.
But not today. Today, I could enjoy it and focus on my current mission.
First I shot a text to Barrett and Morgan, letting them know I was baking here and that they were welcome when the Market closed, for dinner and for what cookie stuff was left. I didn’t expect a quick response, knowing they were both busy, but Barrett texted back a few minutes later.
Copy that
Well all right then. Looked like dinner was a go. Next up was my mom.
She answered the video call on the first ring.
“Tyler, dear! How lovely to hear from you!”
I knew mom-guilt when I heard it. I rolled my eyes and she laughed. “It hasn’t been twenty-four hours, Mother. I’m still within specs.”
She chuckled. “You look good, Ty. Happy. Hickory Hollow must be treating you right.”
The town wasn’t the only thing. “It is. Listen, Mama, I’m on a cookie mission.” I quickly explained about the swap and how I was being a cookie hero. She grinned the whole time and nodded along.
“So you need my gingersnap recipe then, hm?”
“Please and thank you.”
Mom giggled, sounding like a kid. I loved it, because it didn’t happen often, but when she felt like she was getting away with something, it tended to come out.
Usually it was when she was working on a surprise for my dad, and even though there was nothing secretive about this except maybe who made the cookies, she felt like she was a part of something.
“I’ll text you a picture of it as soon as we’re off the phone. This recipe makes four dozen, so either five times it and make them smaller, or do it six, and make them bigger. If you go that route they might need an extra couple of minutes in the oven.”
I shook my head, fighting a laugh. “How long have I baked at your side, woman? I know what I’m doing. You taught me well.”
“Well, it’s been a while so I thought I should remind you.” Her smile faded and she got serious. “Listen, your dad and I were thinking…”
“Mo-om.” Great, now I sounded like a little kid.
She tutted. “It’s not that bad. But we were going to leave on the twentieth to head to your brother’s. Instead, we were thinking we’d come see you first, on the nineteenth and then leave from there the next day.”
I squinted at her. “Wouldn’t it be faster and more efficient to just drive directly to E’s in New Hampshire?”
Mom narrowed her gaze. “We want to see you, Tyler Michael. Even if it’s just for a day. You’re only five hours away, And it’s only a four-hour drive, or so, from you to Ethan and Lainey’s. So what if it takes us out of the way and back again?”
“I want to see you too. We can do presents in person,” I said, giving in easily.
“I already shipped most of it to E’s house, but I have a few things that I was going to mail tomorrow.
I’ll hang on to them. But Mom, with everything going on here, the Winter Festival, I’m not sure there’s a place to stay. Everything’s been booked for a while.”
She nodded and put her chin in her hand. “We are aware. Dad tried all the local inns and hotels and motels and everything. But he found a Vrbo in a sweet little town about ten minutes away. It’s a tiny house! That’ll be fun, don’t you think?”
I sighed and laughed at the same time which made my mom giggle again. Oh she was on it today.
“You already booked it didn’t you?”
Her eyes sparkled. “We can cancel as late as the seventeenth with no consequences.”
“All right. I’d love to see you. We can do all the fun stuff here together and then have breakfast together at Mirabelle’s before you go. I want Dad to try the frittata challenge, I bet he can’t do it.”
Mom harrumphed. “I talked him out of it last year, but you’re a bad influence. I’m the one that has to ride in a car with him, you know?”
I waggled my eyebrows at her and mouthed, “Payback.”
“It’s a good thing I love you. Oh, I can’t wait to see you.
And Hickory Hollow again. Next year, I’m going to book something earlier.
We did enjoy it so much last year, even though we didn’t stay long.
That sweet Morgan pulled strings to get us a place to stay.
” Her eyes went wide. “I don’t think we were supposed to know that so don’t tell him we figured it out. ”
“I won’t,” I promised.
“Okay, good. Now, I’ll let you go because you have a busy day ahead of you. Let me send you that recipe. Make sure you get the good molasses. It makes a difference.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Then a thought struck me and I bolted upright. “Hey Mom, since you’re coming here, can you do me a favor?”