CHAPTER 3
Emmy
My mind refused to let it go.
I never stopped.
He never stopped?
What did that even mean?
As Seaver followed me into the house, I knew he was staring again.Could feel it.It was unsettling and honestly a little thrilling, but I beat that part of me back with a vengeance.Who did he think he was, saying something like that?Making such a bold claim even if it was under his breath?I should pretend it never happened, that I didn't hear a thing.But...
Was this a game to him?
"Want me to put the bags in the kitchen?" Seaver asked.
I scoffed."I don't want or need you to do anything."
"Okay…"
Too much, Emmy.
Dial it back.
"I mean, whatever," I said nonchalantly. "Do what you want."
I froze as he put a hand on my wrist.
When he next spoke, Seaver's lips were beside my ear.
"What I want," he said, "is for you to stop running away from me."
My eyes widened."I'm not—"
"What I want," he repeated, voice going guttural, "is to take you up to your room, lock the door, and talk this out."
"Talk?"
"Yeah.Among other things."
That made my heart jump—and I hated myself for it.
But I hated Seaver so much more.
"There's nothing to talk about," I hissed.
"I disagree."
"And you're not welcome in my room.Not anymore."
I glared at him over my shoulder, but Seaver…he stared into my eyes before they dropped to my mouth then slowly came back up again.His thumb brushed against my wrist, causing me to release a soft gasp, and a knowing smile appeared on his lips.
"Bet I could change your mind," he said.
My jaw dropped.I bet he could too.The thought appeared before I could stop it, then I shook my head.No, I wasn't going there.Before I could say a word, another voice interrupted.
"Hey, can you guys move?"
I looked over to see one of the Wolves baseball players, sitting on the couch.He and two other guys were staring at Seaver and me, and with his next words I realized why.
"We're trying to watch the bake-off," he added.
I jumped back from Seaver, severing the connection, looking at my wrist in surprise.My skin still burned from his touch—but that was nothing compared to his words.They had an undeniable effect on me.He knew it too if the smile on his face was any indication.Jerk.The worst part was I was almost sure I'd leaned closer, desperate for exactly what he was offering, before I remembered who I was talking to.
And what he'd done.
We'd been standing right in front of the TV, so it was no wonder they asked us to move.
"Sorry," I said.
The guy shrugged then went back to watching the show.
Which reminded me…
"Hey!"I clapped to get everyone's attention."It's time to start the games."
"What?" the guy on the couch asked.
I smiled at him."Well, why watch that when you can make a gingerbread house of your own?"
"Nah, too much work."
Seaver tucked his hands into his pockets."I don't know.Could be fun."
I couldn't believe he'd taken my side.I narrowed my eyes.He had to be up to something.Just had to be.
"I'm up for some games," Rose said.
"Me too," Finn agreed even though I knew he'd loathed the gingerbread contest last year.
"Thanks," I said with a roll of my eyes.Then I addressed the room again."Seriously, you guys, it's so fun, and it's tradition.Since you're here, you get to take part in all the O'Brien family Christmas festivities."
Silence.
"You can eat the cookies after," I threw in.
And what do you know?The three baseball players on the couch stood right up.As everyone followed me to the kitchen, I was smiling.
"Just wait," I said."We'll split into pairs, and my mom will choose the winner."
"But you and Finn are her kids," one of the guys argued.
"Yeah, and you're her players.So?"
"Coach will call it fair," another one said."Remember how she was at practice with Baylor and Dex?"
"Ah yeah, you're right.She was always meanest to her kids," the third said with a laugh.
Mom suddenly appeared, stepping out of her office, and sniffed."Sounds like you think I'm not working the team hard enough at practice, Stephens.I'll remember that."
I bit back a laugh as the guy sputtered.
But then I noticed Seaver smiling and frowned.
"What?"
"Just forgot how cute you are when you laugh," he said.
I felt heat flush my cheeks and quickly diverted my attention to the others."Anyway, speaking of pairs, wasn't there one more of you?Another player?Anyway, you're going to love—"
I stopped short two steps into the kitchen.
"What the hell happened here?" I said.
"Emmy, language," Mom said.
"Sorry, but…seriously?"
"Guess we found the other one," Finn said, and I could hear the laughter in his voice.
But this was no laughing matter.
There, at the kitchen table where I'd set up all the things we'd need for the competition, was the missing player.I couldn't remember his name for the life of me.But he'd demolished nearly every piece of gingerbread.He was lying with his head down, and from the snores, I was pretty sure he was fast asleep.
"Hanover," one of the other guys said and nudged his shoulder."Hey man, wake up."
The guy with the buzz cut startled, looking at us through bleary eyes.
"What's going on?" he said.
"That's what I want to know," I said and crossed my arms.
"Huh?"
"What did you do to the gingerbread?"
The guy sat up fully.His eyes were more alert."I didn't do anything."
Rose pointed to his cheek."You've got a piece of cookie stuck on your face.Might want to take care of that before you answer."
"Ah, thanks," he said, peeling the piece away and promptly popping it into his mouth.
Unbelievable.
"Did you eat all the gingerbread?" I asked.
"Yeah."
"Why?"
He shrugged."I was hungry."
I groaned, and Mom put a hand on my shoulder.
"Hanover," she said, "I get that, but…did you have to eat everything?"
"Well, at first, I thought I'd try just one," he said."But then I noticed they were all labeled, like with little numbers.I wanted to see which was the best, so I tried all of them.But I couldn't tell the difference, so I just kinda kept going."
I raised a brow."You couldn't tell the difference because they were all the same.And the numbers were so we could have the gingerbread house competition—which we obviously can't have now since you can't make a gingerbread house without freaking gingerbread."
"That makes sense."
Hanover nodded, then his stomach growled.Loudly.
"I don't feel so hot," he said.
"Because you ate all those sweets," Rose said with a nod."Then you passed out and got caught with your hand literally in the cookie jar—or on your face."
Hanover seemed to be turning green.
I narrowed my gaze."Are you okay?"
He shook his head.
"Do you need the bathroom?"
A nod.
"Okay, it's down the hall, second door on the left."
He was gone like a shot.
Finn shook his head."Poor guy."
"Yeah," I muttered."I hope he's okay, but it took me hours to make those cookies, and now…it's all ruined."
Rose patted me on the back.
"We could do something else," Mom said.
"Like what?" I said.
"I brought those marshmallows," Rose said, nodding at the table."And it looks like you still have chocolate chips."
"And we have graham crackers," Finn put in.
I sniffed."Who ever heard of a marshmallow, chocolate chip, graham cracker house?"
"We'll be the first to make them," Rose said with a smile."Although, obviously, Finn and I will be winning."
"Yeah right," I said.
"But if you're scared"—Finn held his hands out and shrugged—"we can just call it now."
"Please, I am so going to beat you."
"Hmmm, and yet you still need a partner."
Seaver looked like he was going to say something, but I pulled one of the players over to my side.
"Hey," I said, "want to be my partner?"
"Sure," he said with a grin.
"What's your name?"
"Toby.It's nice to—"
"You too," I said, cutting him off and dragging him away."Let's win this thing."
"Whoa," he said."Where are we going?"
Away from Seaver.
"Toby, the only thing you need to know is that I'm very competitive," I said."And we're going to win.Got it?"
"Got it," he replied."Let's do this, O'Brien."
#
I thought we had it.I really did.There wasn't much competition since most of the players seemed more interested in throwing marshmallows at each other or eating the house rather than making it spectacular.But I'd underestimated Rose and Finn.
Instead of a house, they'd made a little baseball stadium and field.
They even included lights and used green sprinkles for the grass.
It wasn't even close.
"Team Rinn for the win," my brother said then turned as Rose gave him a high-five.
"We rock," she said.
"We do."
Toby shrugged."I thought our igloo was good."
"It was," I said with a sigh, "but they really did amazing on that stadium."
"And your mom loves baseball."
"Doesn't everybody here?"
"Good point."Toby took a step closer, and I looked up at him in surprise."Speaking of, when the season starts, would you maybe want to—"
"I don't love baseball," Seaver said, stepping between us.
I shook my head at him."What?"
"I said I don't love baseball," he repeated."Never have.It's too nice.Not enough contact."
"No one asked you."
"Just saying.Hockey's the better sport."
A chorus of boo's followed that statement, and I grinned.
"Seems like you're overruled," I said.
Rose lifted a hand."I like hockey—well, hockey romance.It has everything I want as a reader."
"I would say same"—I shook my head—"but the hockey part kinda kills it for me."
Seaver's brow furrowed."I thought you liked hockey."
"Liked," I said."Emphasis on the past tense."
"When'd that change?"
"I think you know," I said quietly.Then lifting my voice, I added, "Everyone ready for game two?"
"What is it?" Toby asked.
"Feed the Reindeer."I went to the closet, grabbed the set of blow-up antlers, and returned with them in tow."It's an O'Brien family classic."
"The rules are simple," Finn said, taking over."Someone puts on the antlers, and you take these little mints and try to throw as many as you can into the reindeer's mouth.Each one is a point.The one with the most wins."
"Who came up with this?" Rose said as the guys tried to figure out who would be the reindeer.
"Me, Bay and Dex," I said."The game was inspired by Schitt's Creek and that antler ring-toss game."
"Ooh, I love Schitt's Creek ."
"I think anyone with a heart does."
"True," she said.
By the time we turned back around, Toby had been named the reindeer, and the rest of us were forming a line to try our hand at "feeding" him.Unfortunately, Seaver ended up right next to me.
"You hate hockey," he stated.
"Yep," I said, tossing a mint at Toby which went right into his mouth.
"That's funny."
"In what way?"
"Funny how you claim to hate it when you used to love it so much."
Seaver's mint went in as well.
"Things change," I said, sinking another mint.
"Not that much," Seaver retorted.
His next toss was good.
Now, we were tied.
"Two and two," he said.
"You're keeping score?" I laughed.
"Yeah, and I know you are too."
"Was not."
My next mint pinged off one of Toby's teeth, and I frowned.
"That's too bad," Seaver said.
His next one went in.
"The Emilia I used to know was very competitive."
"Well, she's gone now," I said, missing my next throw as well.
"Shame," he said.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Seaver's next mint went in easily."I miss her."
"Well, I don't," I said.
"But you want to know what I think?"
"Not really."
Another miss.
I cursed.
"I think under all this hostility is a woman who still loves hockey," he said.
I scoffed."You would think that."
"She's just angry."
Turning to him, I narrowed my gaze.
"And I think she missed me too," he finished.
Pissed.I was so pissed.
Seaver tilted his head in challenge."If I'm wrong, then prove it by making this shot.But if I'm right and you miss, then we are talking about this."
Turning back around, I pulled my arm back and threw it, harder than I had any of the others, and the mint sailed smack dab into the middle of Toby's mouth.
It was a fantastic throw.
One my baseball-loving family would've been proud of.
But I must've put a little too much heat on it because Toby gagged.The mint must've gotten stuck in the back of his throat because he started choking immediately.
"Oh my gosh," I said as everyone else rushed over to help.
One of his buddies started doing the Heimlich.
"We'll call that one a draw," Seaver said.
When I looked at him in disbelief, he shrugged.
"Always knew you had a better arm than your brothers."
Toby finally dislodged the mint, and it went flying across the room, hitting one of our family pictures and bouncing on the floor.
"Sorry," I said to him weakly."I didn't mean to do that."
"No problem," he rasped.
"Are you okay?"
"Um hm."
Rose turned to me with raised brows."Are there any other games?Because that was semi-hilarious yet dangerous, and I should get going here in a bit."
"Just one more," I said quickly.
Finn's face had fallen when she talked about leaving, and I remembered my other goal.
Mission Get Rose and Finn Together—at least for Christmas—was a go.
Now, I just needed to make everyone else leave.
And to get them to meet under the mistletoe.
Easy.