Can't Love Christmas

Twenty Three

Ash walked into the Thai restaurant on autopilot to pick up her order after work, looking forward to a relaxed evening at home.

"Ash! I didn't expect to see you here. How are you?"

She spun around with wide eyes and spotted Laura in the corner. "I'm good! Been keeping busy. How are you?"

"So good. Getting ready for Christmas. Dimitri is going to be home and I am so excited! We have so much planned." Laura's grin took over her whole face.

"That's awesome!"

"Yeah, so I feel like I have to get the rest of my life stuff done before he gets back so I can just enjoy myself, you know?"

"Yeah. I'm staying here so my holidays will be a lot more relaxed than they usually are."

Laura's face fell. "Oh, so you won't get to see your family?"

"I'll see them plenty through my phone screen. We've got lots of video chat and virtual game night plans."

"Oh. I've never thought of doing a virtual game night before. That would be fun with Dimitri and some of our other friends."

"Yeah they work pretty well for us."

"Are you busy tonight?"

"Nope, I was just going to take this food home and flop on the couch."

"I have given myself the night off. Don't feel obligated by any means, but do you want to hang out with me tonight? Devin and Larissa cancelled on me, and Devin was acting weird when I talked to him, so I think they're breaking up. We can do something or watch something or hang out. My place is just down the street."

Ash couldn't remember the last time she had a girls night. "Sure. That sounds fun. What time do you want me to come over?"

"No time like the present. This afternoon was my crazy cleaning day so it will literally never be more ready for guests than right this moment."

Laura's name was called and the girls walked out together and down the street to her place.

The apartment was big and bright. Everything was white, grey, yellow and teal, and Ash felt like she'd stepped into a magazine spread.

"Wow, Laura, your place is amazing."

"Thanks. Dimitri basically let me decorate it all."

"Wow." Even renting her current place, Ash felt no one had ever given her that much freedom to decorate before.

"So, what would you like to do? Movie? Game? Hang out?"

"Let's start with dinner and then maybe a movie?"

"Awesome. Do you want some wine?"

"Sure."

They sat down at the table which was set into a nook with a window. Ash took her first sip of wine when she noticed the mischievous glint in Laura's eye.

"So. I heard you've been spending time with Rowan."

"Just a bit."

"Mandy said she's never seen him change his schedule around so much before, and it's always because the two of you have plans."

Ash took a hesitant bite of her dinner. "Really?"

"Oh yeah. Mandy doesn't mind because she could use the extra money this time of year, but the girls are wondering what's going on."

Ash felt sweat prickle the middle of her back. "There's nothing going on really. We just agreed to do some Christmas stuff together." She wasn't lying, but her body betrayed her anxiety.

"Christmas stuff with Rowan?" Laura started laughing and snorted before stopping. "Girl you don't have to lie to me, you can just say you're hooking up."

"What?! No, I'm serious. I made a bet with him that I could make him fall in love with Christmas."

Laura looked doubtful. "What's the bet?"

"Polar bear dip."

"Oof. Girl, you are the one going swimming."

"I know. Everything has gone so badly. It appears I am a magnet for catastrophe."

"There's a reason Rowan doesn't do Christmas. Not for himself at least. He gives everything he has to others though."

"Are you saying he did this out of pity?" Ash was horrified by the implication.

"Of course not."

Ash turned her red face down to her food, and they ate in silence for a few minutes before Laura continued her questions. "Why'd you pick Rowan anyways?"

Ash shrugged. "We had a misunderstanding and when we settled it things just snowballed from there. Also, Christmas is the most magical time of the year, and I wanted to share that with someone. Didn't have many friends yet so pickings were slim and it just sorta happened."

"Huh. Well, from what I've heard, you've got him all shook up."

"What are you talking about?"

Laura just smirked and picked up her phone. "So what movie are we watching tonight? Do you like holiday romcoms?"

"Of course I do."

"Excellent. A new one just came out today and I'm dying to watch it. It's about a princess who falls in love with a common carpenter."

"Sounds perfectly predictable."

They moved to the couch and Ash tried to forget what Laura said about Rowan being all shook up. She didn't think things had gone that poorly between them, but everything had gone wrong so far.

She still had nine days to turn it around.