Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
“What traditions did your mom have?” he asked.
“On the first of November all Halloween decorations went down and the Christmas ones went up.”
“The first of November? They’d be up all of November and December?” He gaped at her in shock and she couldn’t help but giggle.
“Yep. My dad used to fuss a bit but he always helped. He insisted on doing the outside stuff. His girls weren’t getting up on ladders or putting themselves at risk.”
“I think I would have liked your dad.”
“Yeah, you remind me a lot of him.”
His face grew soft.
“Mom and I would keep him happy with cookies and hot chocolate. We would always have two trees. A fake one that went up in November and a real one we’d get in December.
We’d decorate the tree together and sing carols and eat more cookies.
Dad used to joke that he would be able to play Santa once he’d finished all the decorating at Christmas because of all the weight he gained.
” She grinned at the memory. “We’d always buy a new decoration each year.
I had to get rid of all the decorations when they died, but I kept a special few. I hid them away from George.”
“You’ve got them with you?” he asked her.
“Yes, I do. I’ve got to find somewhere to put them.”
“Can’t believe Caldwell didn’t get you a tree,” he said with a frown.
“It’s fine. I don’t need a tree to celebrate Christmas.
Oh, I do have to get the ingredients for Mom’s Christmas cookies.
We always decorated a gingerbread house and baked cookies on Christmas Eve morning.
Then we watched a movie and sipped on hot chocolate in the evening before we laid out the cookies for Santa. ” She sighed sadly.
“Baby, I’m sorry they’re gone.”
“Me too. I’d hoped to make my own traditions one day with my children.”
“You’d like children?”
“Yeah. I would.” She cleared her throat. “Sorry. My throat is a bit dry.”
His gaze narrowed. “You’re not getting sick, are you?”
“Who me? This close to Christmas? I think not. But I better go get some dinner and a drink.” She didn’t want to go. She wanted to stay and talk to him for the rest of the night.
However, she was a bit concerned that she would end up begging him to come get her and take her back home with him.
“All right, baby. Remember to text me when you go to bed. I want you to head off early tonight, you look exhausted.”
“I will,” she promised. Although she’d probably be sleeping on the sofa.
After ending the call, she got up and made herself some dinner. Her throat continued to get more scratchy so she ate an orange as well.
There was no getting sick on Christmas. It wasn’t allowed.
After a few hours of work, her phone buzzed. She checked the time to see it was already ten-thirty. No wonder she was tired.
Then she saw the message and her mouth dropped open in shock.
What the hell?
Caldwell:
I have just seen your messages, I was traveling. As it’s the holidays and I have gone away to be with family. I’m sure you understand that I can’t be answering any messages.
This had to be a joke, right?
Alice:
You didn’t say you were going away. I don’t mean to intrude on your holiday, but this is my holiday too. And I’ve rented this cabin from you. It should have working heat and hot water. At the moment, it’s unlivable.
Caldwell:
If you’d arrived when you said you would this would have been avoided.
Anger filled her. This wasn’t on her. And she was tired of people pushing her around.
Alice:
Actually, it doesn’t matter when I arrived. I paid for the entire time even when I wasn’t here. You made no mention of going away. You will need to get someone up here to fix the heat and water.
Caldwell:
At this time of year? Not happening. Don’t bother me again. I won’t be answering messages until after New Year and by then you’ll be gone.
That . . . that asshole!
She was so angry that tears slid down her cheeks. She hated when that happened. People never took her seriously when she cried, no matter how furious she was.
George had just seen it as another sign of her being weak.
Really, Alice. Can you not keep your emotions under control? I’m trying to have a serious conversation with you. Please try to contain yourself.
Urgh.
Asshole.
And so was Caldwell.
Her phone beeped again and a message appeared from Anson.
Anson:
In bed, baby?
Should she say something? But it wasn’t his problem. She needed to be better than this.
Independent and strong.
So she sent a message back to Caldwell.
Alice:
It is unfortunate that you feel this way. You can expect to hear from my lawyer.
Then she brought up his email and sent him written communication of the issues and reiterated back to him his messages to her.
Finally, she sent a message to her lawyer, too. The only problem was that Helena was a divorce lawyer. Still, she also considered her a friend so she hoped she might be able to direct her to another lawyer who could help.
But that didn’t help Alice right now. A shiver ran through her and she sniffled. Getting up, she grabbed a box of tissues and sat down in front of her laptop.
Her head felt stuffy, though. And she didn’t want to work. So she turned on the television and found a Christmas movie. When her phone beeped again, she checked it and realized she hadn’t replied to Anson.
Anson:
Baby? You asleep?
Alice:
No, just watching a movie.
Anson:
You need your sleep. Are you feeling all right? Did you see the weather forecast? There’s more snow due tomorrow.
More snow? That would be amazing if she wasn’t sure that she had enough firewood to get through it. She just wanted to bury herself in his arms and let him deal with all of this.
A small sob escaped.
Don’t be so needy, Alice. It’s not attractive.
Fuck.
Shut up, George!
She wished she’d had the strength to yell that at him. She had to get him out of her head.
Would Anson care if she was needy?
Probably not. Actually, she had the feeling he might want her to need him. How to ask him that?
Alice:
What do you like in a relationship? I mean, what makes you feel good?
Shoot. As soon as she asked him that she kind of wished it back. It was out of left field and he was going to think she’d gone crazy.
Anson:
Well, what I thought I wanted isn’t actually what I need. I thought I wanted to concentrate on my career so I wanted someone independent. Someone who wouldn’t put too many demands on me.
Which wasn’t her. But he’d said he’d been wrong about what he needed.
Anson:
I was a fucking idiot.
Alice:
You had a goal, an important career.
Anson:
Is that what counted though? I wasn’t really happy.
He hadn’t been?
Anson:
What really makes me happy is when I can take care of someone. When I know that they can turn to me for help or support. I guess I want the opposite of what I thought I did. I want to be needed and necessary. And I do like to be in charge.
Alice:
Bossy.
Anson:
Yes, baby. And the boss wants to know why you’re not sleeping.
Alice tapped her finger against the screen of her phone. A creaking noise came from outside and it made her jump.
Anson:
Alice? Answer me, please.
She could hear the sternness in his voice even though it was a text message. And even though he’d said please she knew it was a demand.
Alice:
Sorry, there was a creaky noise outside. I don’t know if the silence or the strange noises are scarier.
Anson:
Are you scared there on your own?
Yes. God, yes.
Scared and cold and worried she was getting sick. She suddenly realized that she had her thumb in her mouth and was sucking on it for comfort.
Anson:
Alice? I don’t want to push you, but I’m fighting my instincts hard. They’re telling me to come up and get you.
Alice held off for all of five minutes.
Alice:
Come get me. Please.