The Holiday Switch(26)
“All right.” I don’t push it. As far as I’m concerned, we’re even. The switch is complete. Time to move on.
He breathes out a sigh. “God, I was getting myself ready. I thought I was going to need to bring out the big guns.”
“The big guns?” Warning bells sound off in my head. “Wait…When you said ‘I know’…”
Teddy changes positions, leaning back and steepling his fingers. His previously working jaw muscle relaxes into a mischievous grin.
My heart speeds up in turn. “Teddy?”
“I was just going to say…I’m glad that I didn’t have to resort to bringing up your anonymous blog to convince you to keep my secret quiet.”
It’s a plot twist that brings me to the edge of my seat, and I accidentally nudge the table. Water sloshes out of my cup. “I…I don’t—”
Teddy raises a hand, and he’s smiling—the gall of him. “Before you deny it, I have my own sleuthing skills, and it was easy enough to find you, Ms. Tinsel and Tropes. I thought I’d read enough book blogs, but you…God, you have hundreds of posts. I didn’t realize there were so many holiday books. How many do you read a week?”
My shock at being caught runs headlong into my pride. I shake my head. “It’s not important. And I’m not sure why you’re bringing my blog into it, because I don’t even care about your so-called secret. Why does it matter if people know? It’s climbing. It’s a sport.”
“It’s not just a sport. It is the perfect combination of being free and also taking control.” The way he talks about it brings a light to his face, so unlike what he shows at the Inn. But his expression crashes down with his next words. “But all that matters is that you stay quiet. You don’t spill my secret, and I won’t spill yours. Got it?”
Teddy isn’t asking me now; he’s telling me. The leftover taste of that fried marshmallow goes sour. I slide my phone into my back pocket and retrieve my wallet. I throw down a ten on the table with an obnoxious flourish. “Whatever. Like I care. Got it.”
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21
It’s complicated.
Teddy’s words echo in my mind as I enter the gift shop’s back doors and head right into the break room, to the set of lockers for part-time staff. Today is my and Teddy’s second training day together, and after yesterday’s disastrous meal at Scrooge’s, I’m dreading seeing him.
And when I open my usual locker, it’s already in use. A sweatshirt is balled up on the bottom, and atop is a key ring with at least five carabiners. Obviously Teddy’s things.
“Really?” I grumble. It’s not enough that he blackmailed me?
“Lila.” KC walks in with a surprised look on his face. “You’re working today?”
“Yeah, it’s my second day with Teddy. His shift started earlier with Ms. Velasco, and I’m taking over to train. But look! He took my locker. Everyone, everyone, everyone knows this is my locker.” But as soon as I say the words, I deflate a little. “Sorry, I know I sound like a brat.”
“No sweat. I’m off now, so you can take my locker.” KC fiddles with his lock and pulls it open. He grabs his backpack and gives me a side-eye. “Are you okay? I wasn’t sure after your last text.”
He’s referencing my text update after my breakfast with Teddy yesterday: It went okay. I have my phone.
“It’s fine. Everything’s fine.” I repeat what I told Carm when she followed up yesterday at school. She gave me a hard time about having fried marshmallows without her.
“You don’t sound fine.”
I sigh. Explaining everything would just open a can of worms—secret worms—so I regroup. “I am, really, I swear.” I offer a smile.
“Well.” He winces. “You might find a couple of things amiss out there.”
“Okay.” I stuff my things in KC’s locker, and his foreboding tone catches up to me. Teddy saw not only me, but also KC and Carm at the climbing gym last night. And now he holds my deepest secret. “Teddy—has he, um, said anything to you?”
“About what?” An eyebrow lifts.
The moment is saved by buzzing and KC fishes his phone out. My shoulders drop with relief. This is becoming complicated, all right.
He beams. “It’s Seb. His flight’s early. I’ve got to head out.”
“I’m glad he’s coming back for the holidays.”
“Me too.” A smile melts onto his face. “But anyway, I’ve got to run. Just…” He heads to the doorway. “Just breathe, okay?”
“Okay?” I half laugh. “Have fun with Seb.”
“Oh, and…” He points to a new corkboard display on the wall before he disappears around the doorway. “New info.”
I gaze up at the corkboard, now labeled New Year’s Eve at the Lake. Tacked below it are sheets of paper, all labeled with necessary tasks and assignments. I take a quick pic of them to review later.
Also posted is a copy of the flyer that I saw at Scrooge’s that will be used to advertise on our social media. There’s a Post-it stuck in front of it that says, Tickets went on sale this morning, now twenty-five percent full. Detailed schedule will go up soon.