Page 80

Today has been a hectic and very stressful Christmas. I should probably call Landon later, but first I want to talk to Hardin about this moving-back-to-England-after-college idea. He’s never mentioned it to me before.
“Here.” Hardin hands me a pile of clothes and leaves me alone in the bathroom to get dressed. I’m amused to find the red lace bra and panties set along with the sweats and a clean black T-shirt. Clean, because the one from today is bloodied.
Chapter forty-nine
TESSA
Our last night with Hardin’s mom consists mostly of drinking tea and her telling embarrassing stories of when Hardin was little. That and about ten reminders that next year Christmas is in England, “No excuses.”
The thought of celebrating Christmas with Hardin a year from now makes my stomach flutter. For the first time since we met, I can see a future with him. Not necessarily having children and getting married, but for once I feel secure enough about his feelings to be able to look a year ahead.
The next morning, when Hardin returns from dropping Trish off at the airport at far too early an hour, I wake up. I hear him drop his clothes onto the floor, and he climbs back into bed wearing only boxers. He wraps his arms around me once more. I’m still a little irritated with him from our earlier conversation, but his arms are cold, and I missed him during his absence from our bed.
“I go back to work tomorrow,” I say after a few minutes, unsure if he’s already fallen asleep or not.
“I know,” he replies.
“I’m excited to get back to Vance.”
“Why?”
“Because I love it there, and I’ve had the week off. I miss working.”
“You’re quite the overachiever,” he mocks, and I know he’s rolling his eyes even though I can’t see his face.
Reflexively, this makes me roll my own eyes. “Sorry that I love my internship and you don’t like your job.”
“I do like my job, and I had the same job you have. I just left it for something better,” he brags.
“Do you only like it more because you get to do it from home?”
“Yeah, that’s the main reason.”
“What’s the other reason?”
“I felt like people thought I only got the job because of Vance.”
This is not a huge revelation, but it’s a much more honest answer than I expected from him. I expected a word or two about how the job sucked or was annoying.
“Do really you think people thought that?” I roll onto my back, and Hardin leans up on his elbow to look down at me.
“I don’t know. No one said it, but I felt like they were thinking it. Especially after he hired me as an actual employee, not just an intern.”
“Do you think he was upset when you left to work for someone else?”
He smiles a smile that appears especially bright in the half-lit bedroom. “No, I don’t think so. His employees were constantly complaining about my supposed attitude anyway.”
“Supposed attitude?” I tease.
He cups my cheek and dips his head down to kiss my forehead. “Yes, supposed. I am very charming. No attitude at all.” He smiles against my skin. I giggle, and he smiles even more, pressing his forehead against mine. “What do you want to do today?” he asks.
“I don’t know; I was thinking of calling Landon and going to the store.”
He draws back a little. “For what?”
“To talk to him and see when he can meet up with me. I’d like to give him those tickets.”
“The gifts are at their house. I’m sure they already opened them.”
“I don’t see them opening them without us being there.”
“I do.”
“My point exactly,” I tease.
But Hardin’s already turned serious with the mention of his family. “Do you think . . . What do you think about me apologizing . . . well, not apologizing . . . but what if I called him—you know, my dad?”
I know that I need to tread lightly when it comes to Hardin and Ken. “I think you should call him. I think you should try to make sure what happened yesterday doesn’t ruin the beginning of the relationship you were forming with him.”
“I guess . . .” He sighs. “After I hit him, I thought for a second that you were going to stay there and make me leave.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, I did. I’m glad you didn’t, but that’s what I thought.”
I lift my head off the mattress and plant a small kiss on his jawline instead of answering. I have to admit that I probably would have done just that had he not already come clean about his past. That changed everything for me. It changed the way I look at Hardin—not in a negative way, or a positive one, just a more understanding way.
Hardin looks past me toward the window. “I can call him today, I guess.”
“Do you think that we could go to their house? I really want to give them their gifts.”
Blinking back to me, he says, “We could just tell them to open them while you’re on the phone. That’s basically the same, only you won’t have to see their fake smiles at your terrible presents.”
“Hardin!” I whine.
He chuckles and lays his head on my chest. “I’m teasing; you give the best gifts. That key chain with the wrong sports team was killer.” He laughs.
“Go back to bed.” I swat at his messy hair.
“What did you need from the store?” he asks as he lies back down.
I forgot that I had mentioned that. “Nothing.”