Page 79 of Have a Bear-y Little Christmas

“Just thinkin’,” I said quickly, not wanting to make it awkward. Although, I feared that window might have already passed. “Maybe just having a personal revelation or two.”

Jeannie’s face softened, and she reached across the table, her palm so incredibly soft as it slid over my hand. “Anything you’d like to share?”

I shook my head. “They’re not fully cooked yet, so I’d like to keep them to myself if that’s all right.”

I didn’t know why I was so nervous. It wasn’t the first time I had expressed a new idea to Jeannie, a sort of half-baked philosophy that I hadn’t really had time to sit on yet. But for some reason, I was a little too vulnerable. Like I was about to fall into something I hadn’t thought enough about yet.

“That’s okay,” she said, eyes so kind as she patted the top of my hand. “I’m here if you ever want to share.”

“Thank you.”

Normally, that would be the moment when someone withdrew their hand and the conversation moved on. Except Jeannie didn’t withdraw her hand, and neither of us said anything.

It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence, but tension bubbled up my spine and spread throughout my brain, in anticipation forsomethingto happen even if neither of us were sure exactly what that something was yet.

“So, the sleeping arrangements?” I said eventually, when it felt like the tension was coiling so tightly that it would explode at any moment.

“Right, right. To see if our kids expected us to spend the night or not.”

“Yeah, that’s why.”

We walked to the partition that separated the two halves of the cabin, and sure enough, it had been made up for people to spend the night. Looked like Jeannie was right, which didn’t surprise me in the least.

A small table stood in front of one of the windows, with books and a vase of flowers arranged on it. Next to it was a tall, wing-backed chair and a threadbare couch with a thick comforter thrown over it to make it a little less worn. And finally…

…a bed.

WELP.

Suddenly everything was way too much, way too quickly. Because not only was I surprised that my kids and my sister-in-law would pull such a ballsy move, but I was also surprised that I was tempted to go with it.

What the fuck?

A few weeks ago, I hadn’t even so much as considered looking at another woman, let alone kissing one. But now? Now I would be full of shit if I denied that part of me wanted to get on that bed, invite Jeannie into my arms, and see if the two of us were ready for… anything.

That part, however, was smaller and more foolhardy than the rest of me. Or perhaps braver. Either way, I knew that was a bridge I was close to being able to cross, but I just wasn’t there yet.

“I’ll take the couch,” I said quickly.

“Are you sure? It’s a queen-sized bed, so there’s room for the both of us without us being too much in each other’s face.”

“No, it’s okay. I tend to toss and turn a lot, so it would be easier if I took the couch.”

“Well, I’m more than a foot shorter than you, so shouldn’t it be me on the couch?”

I swore, if one of us said “couch” one more time, it was going to stop sounding like a word.

“Look, I know my accent may be weak, but I’m still a Southern gentleman, so the lady gets the couch.”

“And I’m a Southern lady, and I say I don’t need to be coddled when it would be the most sensible option given my height.”

It appeared we were having our first argument. It probably should have been frustrating, but I found myself grinning despite myself.

“Why do I get the feeling that this is kind of when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?”

“Oh, it’s cute that you think we’re the same level of stubborn,” Jeannie said with a smile. “I’ll have you know?—”

Apparently, it was my fate to never learn the knowledge she was about to drop on me, because a strange noise came from outside, and all my senses were on high alert.