Eachtra

All the Jingle Ladies

 After stuffing myself with a dish so delicious that I'm tempted to buy myself a ticket to Ireland, I smile at Liam. "Thanks. That was ridiculously good. Where'd you learn to cook?"

Liam smiles and lounges back in his chair, stretching his legs under the table. "My da. He used to be a chef in Dublin. He makes the best food I've tasted--your cafeteria doesn't even come close to comparin'."

"You miss him?" I ask.

Warmth gleams in Liam's pale eyes--perhaps a reflection of the lights on his Charlie Brown Christmas trees--and he nods. "All the time. It won't be the greatest Christmas without him."

"Well, at least I'll be here." Heat rushes to my face. What did I do? Invite myself to spend Christmas with this guy? You're an imbecile. "I mean, if you want to do something on Christmas. Or not. Either's fine. Crap, it's getting late. Uh, I should go."

A deep laugh rumbles from Liam's chest and he watches me as I squirm in my seat. It is after midnight, but I'm a night owl and way too wired to sleep right now. Liam says, "I suppose we could find something to do over the rest of Christmas Break."

My eyes widen as Liam winks, and my face goes from pink to tomato red. "Or we could, uh, just do our own things. I need to go look for more trees, and..."

"Let me help you!" he exclaims. Even though Liam seems like a confident guy with a super hot accent, there's something about him that's hungry or empty or lonely, something that I recognize. Maybe it's a yearning loneliness or a lack of belonging. I might have a home and a family, but I detest them, and Liam is far from his. We're both missing something and maybe we want to find it in each other.

"You want to help me? With what?"
"You need to find some tree samples, right? I'll go tree hunting with you if you wouldn't mind some company?"

I lean back in my chair and cross my arms over my chest. Maybe that will keep the warmth inside from overflowing. "What makes you think I need company?"

Liam shrugs his ridiculously broad shoulders. "Well, you could have used some help earlier tonight. And I'd be happy to chop down a tree if you need me to or pluck pine needles or whatever it is you need."

An image of Liam as a lumberjack pops into my mind and that's almost enough to make me agree, but ration triumphs at the last section. "Some of the pines aren't native to this area so I'm probably going to have to drive a ways. Thanks, but I'd better do this solo."

"You have car, then?" he asks, leaning closer to me across the table. His fingers thrum on the scratched wood.

"Yeah."
"I'm a wonderful copilot," he says, a corner of his mouth tugging up. "I know all the best Irish indie bands. What do you say to a road trip?"

I scrunch up my nose and tilt my head. "How do I know you're not going to lure me into the woods and chop my head off with your ax?"
"It's a little late to question whether I'm a murderer, Keidy." He gives me another infuriating grin. "I swear, I'm safe."

"A road trip?" I repeat skeptically. My next few days are as empty as my savings account, but I'm not sure I can handle a road trip with a stranger. Then again, that stranger just so happens to be an adorable Irish guy. He doesn't exactly feel like a stranger.

"Yes, a road trip. We'll get you your tree samples. My only demand is we see a few holiday sights as we go. I'll even drive if you'd like. I haven't seen much of the States and you have a car. I'll be the best navigator y've ever had. What do y'say?" Liam leans closer and takes my hand where it perches on the edge of the table. He squeezes it and my resolve melts like butter. "C'mon, Keidy. Live a little."