The Holiday Switch(20)

“And won’t the glitter just clump up?”

“If you sprinkle it around, like this”—she does this with a flourish to demonstrate, all in a soprano tone—“you’ll do just fine.”

I raise my hand for another question, but Mrs. Delaney turns ever so slightly and takes someone else’s question.

“We know what you need, Lila,” KC whispers, loud enough for the table to hear. “A checklist.”

“Har-har. Just because you and Carm are so artistic and I’m not. I’ve never decorated inside an ornament, only the outside. I need directions to a destination.”

“What I really want is the star glitter. Did you see that being passed around?” Carm glances at the table behind us, at a family wearing matching hoodies that say MEET ME AT HOLLY.

    “We can’t just take someone else’s glitter,” I say.

“Why not?” A grin escapes her lips. Then she stands and meanders between the small square tables. “Got it.” Carm sits, plopping the bottle of star glitter on the table.

“I like how you work,” KC says.

“Same,” Carm says. “Why haven’t we hung out before?”

“Because high school,” KC says.

Our conversation quiets with that thought. We attended preschool to senior year together, but it’s only in the last year of working at the Inn that I got to know KC. It’s weird to think that, even in our tiny town, there are still people to know and things to do. Like create ornaments.

I settle into my chair, then squeeze paint into my Christmas ball. From the get-go, it’s a mess. The paint glops to the bottom of the ball with a large splat. “Son of a snowman,” I mutter.

The table erupts into giggles. Meanwhile, my friends treat their project like they’re Santa’s elves themselves, handcrafting every toy for every good girl and boy with artistic magic. Soon, we settle into banter and teasing (I overanalyze every step, KC has hogged all the silver paint, and Carm has “borrowed” two other tables’ star glitter) as we craft, and everything is right in the world. The money I spent becomes a distant memory, because this moment is priceless.

“Thank you for reminding me about Mission: Holly,” I say, holding up my ornament. “Even if my ball is fugly.”

“It’s not fugly. It’s…,” KC starts. “Interesting,” he says as Carm chimes in with, “Full of personality.”

    They crack up.

“Uh-huh.” I roll my eyes. Though inside, I feel lighter than marshmallows in hot chocolate.

“Let’s make it a twofer,” Carm says. “Number five on the top ten list is apple cider doughnuts at Comet’s Cider.”

“Ooooh.” KC rests a hand on his belly. “My tummy just growled. I’m in.”

Which makes me regret what I have to say next. “I can’t.”

Carm frowns. “Are you working again?”

“No, but I’ve got homework. And I’ve got to meet Teddy for breakfast first thing tomorrow morning.”

The table falls into silence. KC’s jaw drops.

“Excuuuuse me?” Carm stretches the word. “This is all levels confusing. This is Teddy, right? As in the one who took your hours?”

I wince. “It’s a whole thing. He asked me to meet at Scrooge’s.”

Her eyes widen. “So, wait. You’re going to ditch us tonight so you can meet Teddy tomorrow at Scrooge’s Shack, which is number three on our Mission: Holly list?”

A part of me wishes I hadn’t mentioned it. “I’ve got no choice,” I insist. “We accidentally switched phones.”

KC’s eyes brighten. “Mmm. You switched phones? And that’s all this is?”

I eye both my friends. “I swear it’s nothing!”

“Ooooh, you’re freakin’ out. That just confirms there’s something going on,” KC says. Carm nods emphatically. “I see those shifty eyes. Tell us everything.”

Double-teamed, I give in. I catch them up on the phone switch, Teddy’s quirks, and the texts that popped up in his notifications. About his secret, and me, his nemesis.

    “I can’t imagine you being anyone’s nemesis,” KC says as he cleans up his workspace. Across the room, Mrs. Delaney announces that she’ll be passing around velvet boxes for the Christmas ornaments.

“You haven’t seen her with her sister,” Carm retorts. “So why aren’t you switching phones tonight?”

“He says he’s busy until midnight, and there’s no way I’m meeting him then.”

I can see Carm’s next comment coming like December twenty-five on the calendar.

“We should go find him!” she exclaims.

“No. No way.”

“Way,” KC agrees. He all but shoves his phone to me. “Find your phone.”

“I…No. It’s no big deal.”

“Here, let me.” Carm gets on her phone. “I know her login and password.”

“I gave that to you just in case.” I try to snatch her phone away. We’re making such a ruckus that Mrs. Delaney clears her throat. I revert to my Goody Two-Shoes self and back down.

“This is one of those ‘just in case’ moments. Don’t worry. We’re going to be stealthy. Don’t you want to know what Teddy is up to?”