Chapter 30 Ripley
Ripley
‘Hey,’ Imogen says, poking her head into the break room. ‘What are you doing tonight?’
I glance down at the homework I was supposed to be working on but have not been paying attention to.
The contestants had dinner in here a little bit ago, all of them gushing over their experiences with their knight in shining armor, while Garrick finished his date with Riya.
The chatter had been all consuming, which is why said homework has not been touched.
‘I’m not sure. Why?’
Imogen runs a hand through her red hair, bright green earrings sparkling in the fluorescent lights.
‘So, I have an extra set of tickets because my friend Divya and her boyfriend were supposed to come with me, but she had to cancel. And I was wondering if you would like to go with me? You and Garrick?’
I frown, confused by her spitfire words. ‘Come with you where?’
‘Oh, ha, sorry. It’s a Christmas train. They do this whole like Polar Express vibe – desserts, hot chocolate, no Tom Hanks though. It’s supposed to be really fun, and I would hate for the tickets to go to waste.’
I shove my hands under my legs to stop from biting my nails – my cuticles need a break after today.
‘Did you already ask Garrick?’ I mean, I want to go.
But I don’t know if it’s the best idea. And what if it’s super awkward after our kiss this morning?
Garrick was his usual self when we briefly chatted earlier, but that was with the safety net of the show.
‘I did. He was thrilled. He loves a good theme. But he said he wouldn’t go if you didn’t want to. So, the ball is in your court.’
I could imagine his face when Imogen suggested it, those bright-blue eyes lighting up like a Christmas tree. But I appreciate that he’s leaving the ultimate decision to me.
‘Yeah, I guess it could be fun. I don’t do a lot of Christmassy things usually.’
Imogen does a little cheer in the air. ‘Great! You might want to dress warm, cos baby, it’s cold outside!’
By the time we get to the train station, it’s already dark.
It’s just as magical as promised, with crackling lanterns and realistic steam train sounds, along with festive music.
Written on the side of the train with accents of blue and gold is Polar Express.
The staff’s classic uniforms are pressed long jackets and blue hats trimmed in red and green.
We get on board and are seated in a section in the back. The cushions are deep twilight blue with rich mahogany wood tables, and spray around the windows makes them look snow-covered along the edges.
Garrick flips open the menu. ‘OK, I am having one of everything. It’s included right?’ He turns to Tristian.
‘Yep,’ Tristian says. ‘But please don’t. I don’t want you hurling all over this interior.’
Garrick scoffs. ‘Tristian, you know I don’t get sick. I’m basically ninety per cent sugar.’
I laugh, more at ease than I thought I would be – but Garrick wouldn’t have it any other way.
He’ll go above and beyond to make sure everyone is comfortable.
I look over the menu and the different drink and dessert options.
This feels like a real double date. Snuggling together, Tristian and Imogen are the epitome of what Beeloved is trying to present to the world.
If only we had captured their love story for audiences, I’m sure the public would have eaten it up.
Garrick leans into me and whispers conspiratorially, ‘Maybe we can split the desserts? That way we can try one of everything. For market research purposes, obviously. I need to see what the competition is up to.’
‘That is a very well thought-out plan, Mr Walton.’
‘Oh, Juliet, be still my heart when you speak to me like that.’ He kisses me on my cheek and everything I’d been worried about after this morning melts away.
I try to hide my flushed cheeks by holding up the menu.
The waiter takes our orders, not surprised when we ask for everything.
It’s such a common request that they have a cute little tiered tray they bring things out on.
The desserts are crafted into marvelous winter- and Christmas-themed displays.
The hot chocolate is served in a silver pitcher with delicate white tea cups.
‘OK, favorite present ever?’ Imogen asks, dipping her cookie into the hot chocolate.
‘Easy.’ Tristian leans back, his mannerisms reminding me so much of Garrick I finally start to see the twin resemblance. ‘When I was ten, I got a world globe.’
Imogen beams, tugging him closer. ‘Of course, that’s your all-time favorite gift. I love that.’ She kisses him on the cheek, leaving a chocolatey lip mark when she pulls away.
‘Let me guess.’ Tristian wipes it off with a napkin, a tiny smile accenting his blush. ‘Yours was a Winthrop doll you slept with every night and carried around until it fell to pieces, and you were devastated.’
Her lips quirk up. ‘Actually, it was a Kendrick the Kind figurine, and I still have it on my shelf.’ There’s a challenge in her eyes, and Tristian looks more than ready to conquer.
‘What a coincidence,’ Garrick chimes in. ‘That was also the best gift I ever got too. Wait – no, it was actually the year I got strep throat and stayed home basically the whole month of December.’
I frown. ‘How was getting sick your best gift?’
He uses his spoon to draw a reindeer in his strawberry sauce. ‘Because my brothers had to go to school, and I got to stay with Mom. We watched Christmas movies and never got out of our PJs.’
Tears prickle my eyes, and I focus on my desserts so he doesn’t see. After all this time, I shouldn’t be surprised Garrick would choose something like that.
‘That was the year you made me share a room with Aldrich for three weeks straight because you insisted that, to heal and not infect me, you needed to be alone.’ Tristian air quotes the last word.
Garrick shrugs. ‘I know, I’m such a good brother, protecting you from certain death.’ He nudges me in the shoulder. ‘What about you, Juliet? You finished creating that numbered list in your head with your ranking of best to worst gifts?’
I blush. ‘I wasn’t doing that.’
I was so doing that.
‘Don’t mind them, Ripley, we’re all ears. But please let it be something better than a viral infection. No offense, Garrick.’ Imogen cringes.
If we’re ranking a list of gifts, logically, my car should be at the top. It’s certainly the most valuable. But bribery feels like it disqualifies it from the running.
I do know what my best gift was, but I’m afraid it’ll sound dumb to them. But when I look at Garrick’s waiting smile, I forget about being embarrassed. ‘I got a super-detailed planner last year from my mom.’
‘Do tell me more.’ Garrick rests his chin in his hands, leaning on the table. ‘Dated or undated? Did it come with stickers?’ It could sound like he’s making fun of me, but his expression is genuine. ‘Wait, please tell me it came with a matching pen set?’
‘Unfortunately not, I’m afraid.’
Something mischievous sparks in his eyes. ‘That is a very helpful nugget of info to have. Thank you, Juliet.’
‘Oh, Tristian, that reminds me, what are your thoughts on matching Christmas PJs? And remember, there is only one correct answer …’ Imogen claps her hands, chatting to him about their upcoming holiday plans.
Garrick brushes a lock of hair behind my ear, then whispers, ‘Want to know my other favorite gift?’
‘What?’ I turn, lips brushing his cheek.
‘Beeloved.’
‘The app?’ I study his face, trying to figure out what joke he’s going to make, but then, like always, Garrick Walton surprises me.
‘No, the company, because they brought you to me.’
I bite my smile back. ‘So cheesy.’
He leans in and his lips brush mine. ‘Cheese is one of my favorite foods.’
It’s so easy for us to fall back into this when we’re together. I always thought being with someone was nothing but tedious work until it broke you into submission. But not with Garrick. It’s the simplest thing in the world.
Garrick holds up his fork. ‘Here, try this one.’
I take a bite of the peppermint cake. ‘Oh, wow, that’s delicious.’ I cover my mouth as I chew the soft, chocolatey sponge.
‘This is the best by far though.’ Garrick reaches over to grab some ice cream, but he knocks into his teacup, spilling hot chocolate all over the white tablecloth. ‘Crap.’ He jumps up, using a few napkins to wipe it. ‘Hold on. I’ll get some more towels.’
As he’s walking toward the waiter, a girl stops him with a shy smile. ‘Are you Garrick from the Beeloved reality show?’
Garrick’s eyes flash to me, then quickly glance away. He hesitates only briefly before donning that screen-worthy smile. ‘Yeah, I am, as a matter of fact.’
‘Oh my gosh, I’m loving the show so much.’ The girl’s face lights up. ‘My friends and I cannot wait to see how it plays out. Are you on a date now?’
As she tries to peek at our table, I realize how scandalizing this situation is about to become. Imogen must catch on at that exact moment because she grabs my hand and stands, quickly blocking me from the fan’s eyeline.
‘We need to use the restroom,’ she says to no one in particular.
‘I don’t think there’s one on here,’ Tristian says.
‘We’re making a covert escape,’ Imogen hisses, then leads me through the back door into a different train car. This is the observation deck, according to the map at the train station. It’s empty at the moment while people are still eating.
‘Thank you,’ I say, my heart racing so fast that I’m afraid it’s about to leap out of my body.
‘I don’t know what I was thinking.’ I collapse into a wooden chair, resting my face in my hands.
I spent extra time getting ready for tonight.
Applying the make-up Ellie gave me – which felt sort of wrong, but it’s all I had – and now I’m ruining it.
‘If somebody sees Garrick and I together, they will know the show is a scam. How could I screw up so badly?’
For the first time, Imogen’s face doesn’t hold its usual sunshine.
‘Are you kidding? This is all my fault. I tend not to think things through, and I really should’ve known this was a bad idea.
The optics of it for viewers of the show.
I just wanted to go on a double date. I thought it would be nice for Tristian and Garrick. ’
‘No, it was my responsibility, and I made the choice. If I screw this up, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I know how much Fairytale Gardens and Beeloved need this to work.’ I wrap my arms around my stomach.
Imogen leans against the frosted window. ‘Trust me, I know how that feels. I basically nose-dived FTG into oblivion last summer.’
‘Oh, right.’ I don’t know how to respond to that. I know what happened from various sources, and I read the article myself because I wanted to be fully informed about the scandal before we got into business with them.
‘All I’m saying –’ Imogen takes a seat next to me – ‘is I know it feels like we have the weight of it all on our shoulders, and maybe we do, but in my totally biased opinion, having a Walton by your side kinda makes it all worthwhile.’
I shake my head. ‘I don’t have a Walton.’
Imogen raises an eyebrow, looking through the glass to where Garrick has escaped from the fan and is cleaning up the table. ‘Hmm, seems like you do to me.’
‘Is this where the real party is?’ Garrick slides open the door, stepping into the observation car a few minutes later.
‘I think my work here is done.’ Imogen stands, dusting invisible dirt off her hands before she heads back to Tristian.
‘You OK?’ Garrick takes Imogen’s empty spot beside me.
I release a long breath. ‘We could have got caught.’
‘By Gina?’ Garrick points a thumb over his shoulder. ‘Nah, she’s cool.’
‘Already on a first-name basis, huh? You really do make friends fast.’ I try to keep it light, but my stomach is still in knots.
‘I have lots of friends, but I only have one Juliet.’
Stupid, stupid, heart, stop doing that excitable puppy thing when he looks at me.
‘Still …’
‘Still.’ He slings an arm over my shoulder and pulls me into him. ‘Let’s watch the world go by for a night and forget about all that, OK?’
‘We’re stuck on this train. So, I guess we don’t really have a choice.’
His body shakes with laughter against my cheek. ‘Always looking on that bright side.’