Page 27

She busied herself with decorating the house with fairy lights and Christmas decorations, but she waited to decorate the tree. Kilean had liked doing it with her, so she wanted to wait in case he showed up again.

And wait she did, but days passed, and no one knocked on her door.

As mid-December approached, Naomi gave up hope seeing him that year. She knew he had some wiggle room to be out in this world, but by now, the time window was more than closed.

Sighing in defeat, Naomi decorated the tree alone, loudly singing along to sad music as she did. She felt a bit a silly—and dramatic—but at least she felt a bit better about the missed encounter.

To not feel lonely, all she could do now was think about the approaching Christmas. Naomi’s close family and her best friend Hayley were going to stay at the chalet with her from the 24th till New Year, so the place would soon be chaotic and lively again. All she had to do was wait—she was getting good at that.

A week before Christmas, her friend video-called her just as Naomi was laying with her e-reader, bundled in the blanket fort she had built in front of the fire.

“Hello, stranger,” Naomi answered, an involuntary smile pulling at her lips at the sight of her best friend doing her makeup, her phone propped up against the mirror.

“Hello, stranger,” Hayley said back in a sing-song voice. “How’s it going over there? Got tired of the snow yet?”

“It’s going well,” Naomi replied, ignoring the second question. “It’s quiet and cozy.”

Naomi turned the camera to show her the fire, then turned it back to herself, showing her setup in the middle of the blankets and pillows.

“Cozy indeed,” Hayley agreed.

Naomi watched as her friend worked on her makeup, the familiarity of the motions bringing her comfort.

“Are you going somewhere nice?” Naomi asked, curious.

Hayley grinned. “I have a date.”

“With who? Anyone I know?”

“You remember the person I met the other night, when I went out on that team dinner? Well, I saw them again yesterday at a coffee shop. We exchanged numbers and I asked them on a date.”

A week before, Hayley had a dinner with some of her colleagues. She was outside on a cigarette break when someone tripped and fell on her. When her friend had recalled the moment, she had gushed about how handsome the stranger had looked. Naomi wasn’t surprised to find out Hayley had immediately scored a date when she saw them again.

“Make sure you tell me all the details once it’s over,” Naomi reminded her.

Hayley grinned, a mischievous look in her eyes. “Of course.”

She immediately went back to her makeup, and as Naomi quietly watched her, she began feeling more and more distant from her. Just a few weeks away from Hayley and she missed her like crazy, despite all the texts and calls.

“You could use a break from city life, you know,” Naomi said.

Hayley narrowed her eyes at her friend. “You don’t need to convince me. I’m already coming, remember?”

“But can’t you come a bit earlier then everyone else?” Naomi asked, pouting for dramatic effect.

“Stop that, you’re a grown woman,” Hayley scolded, but there was no real irritation in her tone.

“Please,” Naomi said, purposely making her voice sweeter. “Honey, sweetheart, my baby boo, can you come keep me company a few days earlier? I miss you.”

“Oh my God!” Hayley threw her hands up, exasperated. “Okay, okay, I’ll see what I can do. I’ll talk to my boss tomorrow and let you know if they let me take a couple more vacation days.”

“Yes, please. Ask and let me know.”

Naomi didn’t want to sound desperate, but she was surely feeling it. If she could just spend some quality time with her best friend, she could forget about Kilean for a few days.

The two of them kept chatting as Hayley finished her makeup, then Naomi helped her choose an outfit.

“Text me when you’re back home,” Naomi reminded her. “Or if you end up going home with your date.”