Chapter 12
Parker
When I get back to the cabin with all the best movie snacks, Elf is queued up on the TV.
“Is it okay if we watch this one first? Then The Muppet Christmas Carol?” Juliet asks.
“Of course.” I’m not about to tell her that we could be sitting here watching paint dry and I’d be down. “But I should warn you, we’re not going to make it through even one movie sitting on that couch.”
Her face scrunches in concern. “What do you mean?”
“Have you not tried sitting on it?” I ask, putting the bag of goodies on the small table.
“Yes, but I guess I blocked it from my memory.” She sits on the couch, adjusting trying to get comfortable. But I know she won’t be able to.
“Did you get any sleep last night?” she asks.
“A little.”
She stands, her eyes lighting up. “I’ve got an idea, but you’ll have to help me.”
I follow her down the hall and into the room she’s staying in. It smells like her: pure vanilla. She must use a vanilla lotion or something. “What’s the plan?”
“Help me move the mattress. We can put it on the floor in front of the TV and sit on it with our backs against the couch.”
“I like the way you think,” I say. I notice a faint blush on her cheeks, and I want to comment on it—tease her about it—but I don’t want to be weird.
There’s no point in pretending right now since her ex isn’t around, and after my confession this morning and her not saying anything at all about my old crush, I don’t want to make her uncomfortable.
So we move the mattress in silence, minus a few grunts from both of us as we shift it off the bedframe and into the hall, then slide it along the ground into the front room.
“What are the two of you doing?” Blair’s door opens and she appears, looking the same as she did last night.
“We’re going to have a movie marathon,” Juliet explains. “And the couch is like the bed in my first dorm in college, which means sitting on it for even more than a minute is excruciating on your bones and body.”
Blair snorts. “I forgot your first bed sucked until your mom got you that mattress topper.”
“That was heaven-sent. The only reason I got any sleep that year.” Juliet gives the mattress another push, and I angle it so we can set it down on the floor. “Want to join us?”
“Maybe,” Blair says. “I’m gonna try to shower and see how I feel after that. You do not want me snuggled up by you smelling like I do.” She raises her arm and sniffs her armpit, then grimaces.
Juliet laughs. “All right, you go shower, but we’re not waiting for you to start.”
“I would never ask you to. I haven’t showered since we got here, so I’m going to enjoy it. I might even soak in the tub for a bit instead. So if you need to use the bathroom, now is the time to do so.”
“I’m good.” Juliet laughs again. “Thanks though. Enjoy your bath.”
“Enjoy your movie,” Blair says. Juliet turns to grab blankets, and Blair wiggles her eyebrows at me.
“What?” I mouth at her.
“Go get your girl,” she mouths back.
I shake my head. That’s not what is happening right now.
I hate that Blair now knows about my old crush on Juliet and that we’re fake dating.
She’s always been like this when she knows I like someone, teasing me endlessly and trying to get me to make a fool of myself.
Just so she can see me fall flat on my face.
She loves me, I know that, but I think nothing brings her more joy than seeing me embarrass myself.
It’s exactly what would happen if I tried to make a move on Jules.
So, it’s not going to happen. We’re going to go watch a movie together, but that’s all.
“I’m going to make some popcorn,” I declare loudly to the cabin. “And I got M her breath hitches and I know she’s awake.