Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
FREYA
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come down there?” Elsie asks down the phone. “Or you could come stay with me?”
“Honestly, Els, I really am fine.” I hold the phone with my shoulder as I finish my closing routine.
“Okay,” she draws out, “but it’s an open offer.”
“I know.”
“And hey, it sounds like things are going well with Oscar?”
I roll my eyes, even as warmth spreads through my chest. “I can’t believe that gossip made it all the way to you.”
“You’ll get used to it,” she says good-naturedly. “But it’s good, he’s treating you well?”
“He is.” I think back to a few nights ago and grin. He’s been working since, so we haven’t been able to spend the night together again, but we try to make time to see each other whenever we can. “I really like him.”
“I’m so happy for you, Little Peach.”
“Thank you.”
“Alright, I’ll let you go, but we’ll speak soon okay? I want all the details.”
I scoff. “Absolutely not.”
“We’ll see,” she says, her voice sly. The line clicks off and I pocket the phone just as I step out the front door.
Across the street, I see Becca wiping down tables in the diner.
I cross over and give the door a knock before pushing it open.
We haven’t had a chance to chat since the workshop and I’m finding I really miss her.
“Hi!” She grins at me, stacking a chair onto the now-clean table. I grab the one opposite and do the same.
“Hey, is it just you closing up?”
“It was pretty quiet, so I let my servers head home early.”
“You need a hand?”
She laughs. “I will not say no to that.”
I follow her as she cleans tables, stacking the chairs and slotting menus back into their holders.
“It seems like tourist season’s starting early,” I say.
She scoffs. “It’s crazy in here. I think that resort a couple miles north is still open for spring skiing. Everyone’s trying to make the most of it before it closes.”
“It’s nice though, kind of feels like the town’s waking up.”
“It’s my favorite time of year. And not just because business is good.” She smirks. “Hey, are you going to run another one of those classes?”
“Oh, definitely!”
She clears the last table and goes behind the counter to start closing down the register. I slide into a seat nearby. “Good, I need your wisdom.”
“What are you working on?”
“I thought that I could make some of those little toys for my nephew, but they’ve turned out looking like demons.” She slides her phone out of her apron and pulls up a picture. As she holds it up towards me, I have to stifle a laugh in my hand.
“Oh, yeah, that’s not ideal.”
“I can’t give him that! My sister would kill me!”
“What’s it supposed to be?”
“A lion.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes,” she groans.
“I mean, I guess I can see a mane?” Or something like it, but honestly it looks more like a misshapen donkey with a mullet.
“It’s a disaster,” she groans.
“I’m sure we can salvage it.” She raises a self-deprecating eyebrow and I have an idea.
I straighten my shoulders. “You know, if you have time this week we could always have a little craft night, just the two of us?” I knot my fingers together, feeling like a nervous kid asking someone for a playdate.
“For real?” she asks brightly.
“Yeah, you could come to my apartment if you want?”
“I would love that!”
My stomach swoops with relief. “Awesome.” I grab my phone out of my pocket. “Here, why don’t you give me your number and I’ll text you to make a plan.”
She takes the device with a smile and puts her number in. “Sounds perfect.”
I wave off Becca as she drives away. She had to get home as soon as she was done at the diner. I can’t stop smiling as I look at her contact. I can’t remember the last time I really made a new friend, it’s always just been me and Luci.
Shit, Luci’s going to be so excited when I tell her.
A hand snakes around my waist and I almost jump out of my skin, before one inhale of Oscar’s clean scent gives him away. I can’t stop the grin that spreads over my face as he presses a kiss to my cheek, his happy little hum vibrating against my skin.
I spin in his arms and he leans in for another kiss, but at the last second I twist my face to the side, dodging him.
“You’re gonna mess up my lipstick.” I giggle as he buries his face in my neck.
“I don’t care,” he growls.
“We’ll both end up looking like clowns.”
“I’ll buy us some rubber noses, just let me kiss you, dammit.”
“I’m not making out with you on the street! Anyone could see us!”
He pulls back with a final nip to my earlobe. “You have a good day?”
“Yeah.” I smile. “Busy, though. I’m ready for pajama time.”
I start to walk back to my apartment, expecting him to follow, but he stops me with a tug. I turn and frown up at him in question.
“I actually wondered if you wanted to do something else tonight?”
“Oh?” I can’t help the nervous energy that zaps through me.
“I know we were planning to order takeout, but Mack’s actually having a party?”
“A party?” With Oscar’s friends? Oscar wants me to meet his friends?
“Party’s the wrong word. He’s firing up the grill and having some people over.”
“Which people?”
“Just some folks from the station, they’re all really cool.”
I chew the inside of my lip. It’s not that I don’t want to go, I just don’t know if I have the energy to meet a whole bunch of new people, especially after talking to customers all day. Going over to see Becca was enough of a stretch.
“If you hate it, then we can leave, I promise.” He takes hold of my elbows, rubbing slow circles against the fabric of my duffel coat. “But I think it’ll be fun.”
“You really want me to go? I don’t mind if you need to bail on dinner…”
“I’d like you to meet some of my friends. If you want to.”
“Are you sure?”
He nods, brow furrowed. “Please?”
I take a deep breath, trying to ground myself.
It feels like a big step, meeting the people in Oscar’s life.
But I guess I already know his mom, and I’ve run into a few of the crew already.
It’s hard not to, in a town like this. This would just be more…
official. Which is scary. But he looks so excited, I don’t want to ruin that.
“It’ll be casual, promise.”
“And we can go early if I need to?”
“I swear.”
“Okay,” I sigh out, trying to muster a smile. I’m sure I’ll have fun when I get there, it’s just thinking about it that feels a bit daunting.
Oscar grins, giving my arms a happy shake. “Awesome!” He snags my handbag and loops it over his shoulder before lacing his fingers with mine, steering us down the sidewalk toward the opposite end of town. “You’re going to love them, and Joni’s going to be so happy to meet you.”
“That’s Mack’s wife?” I think Oscar’s mentioned her a few times.
“Yeah, and she’s been trying to get me to start dating for years.”
I almost stumble at his words. “And that’s what we’re doing?”
“What, dating?”
“Umm, yeah?” I know we’ve been headed that way, but it’s not as if either of us has said anything. I don’t know if I’m ready for that yet. The last week has made it so easy to fall into a routine with Oscar, but this is a lot.
“Have I not been obvious enough?” He arches a brow.
“Oh, no, I just, well I didn’t want to assume anything.” I feel my cheeks burn red.
Oscar just gives me a gentle smile. “I guess I’ll have to be a lot clearer from now on.”
He moves so fast that I squeal in surprise, his arms coming around my waist as he twists, dipping me low. I start laughing at the absurdity of the action, but get silenced when his mouth comes down on mine, kissing me thoroughly until we both have to come up for air.
“Oh my goodness, look at you!” The woman who I assume to be Joni gasps when she opens the door.
The house is a large two-story on the edge of town, wooden steps leading to a front porch decorated with hanging bulbs.
Oscar palms the small of my back and I lean into the touch, flexing the tension out of my hands as anxiety climbs up my spine.
One, two, three, four, thumb. Thumb, four, three, two, one.
“Hey, Joni.” He hands her the bottle of wine we picked up on the walk over. “This is Freya.”
“Oh, I’m so happy to meet you! I’ve heard a lot about you.
” She ignores the offered bottle and pulls me into a tight hug.
I’d usually shy away from being touched by a stranger, but there’s an openness to her that reassures me.
“Come on, I’ll show you to the yard.” She loops an arm through mine, pulling me away from Oscar and into the house.
I look back, bewildered, but Oscar’s just grinning and shaking his head.
“You can put that in the fridge!” she calls.
He nods and walks in the opposite direction to put the wine away.
The house is decorated with wooden paneling, and trinkets on every available surface. It’s stylish, but lived-in, with mismatched rugs covering nearly every inch of the hardwood floor.
I start to hear voices as we near the back doors and my earlier nerves return in full force. Where’s Oscar? I don’t want to meet all these people without him here. Just as Joni goes to open them, I hear footsteps hurrying toward us.
“Hey, Jo?” My breath hitches as Oscar’s voice gets louder, almost like I conjured him here with a wish. “You mind helping Birdie in the kitchen? I tried to make her chocolate milk but she says I’m doing it ‘weird.’” He mimes air quotes.
“Oh, jeez.” She sighs. “I’ll be back in a second.” She gives my arm a final squeeze before hurrying down the hall. Oscar moves to take her place, his arm coming around my waist.
“Alright?” he says next to my ear.
“Uh-huh.” I smile up at him. “Joni’s nice.”
“She’s a menace.” He chuckles. “But yeah, she’s great. And it’s good that Mack’s got her to keep him in line.”
I nod again, trying not to let myself get swept up by what awaits us beyond these doors. Oscar pulls me into a quick hug against his side and I take a second to relax into him.
With one last breath, I pull away, steeling myself for a night of socializing. “Okay.” I paste on a confident expression. “Let’s do this.”