The Holiday Switch(65)

    My super fangirl status emerges in what surely looks like a manic grin. And yet, the only thing that leaves my mouth is, “Hi.”

Apparently I’ve lost the ability to form words, because when Remy says something indiscernible—I only know that her lips are moving and what is that shade of red because it’s perfect for her skin, never mind I don’t wear red lipstick—I answer with, “Uh-huh.”

There’s a little more small talk between Mom, Ms. Velasco, Kira, and the actors, but my brain descends into a fog.

“This was so much fun,” Mom says to me after Ms. Velasco leads the stars to their break room. “I’m going to be on cloud nine for days. To have them here makes the movie come alive.”

Teddy comes to mind. He’s going to freak when I tell him what just happened. “Mom, I have some friends I want to say hi to. Can I—”

“Oh, no worries, Iha. Go see them while I grab a drink and catch up with Lou. I’ll look for you closer to midnight.”

It takes what feels like a herculean effort to weave through the crowd, and the chilly air outside is sweet relief. I shoot a quick text to Carm: I met them!

Carm isn’t a fan of Holiday by the Lake, but she sends me three rows of random emojis and exclamation points.

Then I take the short, de-iced path to the pier. Teddy is already there.

And he’s laughing at me.

“What?”

    “You’ve got this wild look on your face. You must have met them.”

“I did!” I do a little dance, right into his arms, and breathe him in. Somehow, I’m not a bit cold. “It was amazing.” I squeal one more time, and he laughs.

“Hey, so…I got you a present.” The rumble of his voice against my skin makes me tremble.

A present?

“But I don’t have a present for you,” I manage to say.

“I didn’t do it so we’d have a gift exchange,” he whispers. “After you climbed the other day, I just thought…It’s something small.” He straightens and pulls a wrapped rectangular box from his back pocket.

“Thank you.” I accept the gift, then peel the wrapping paper off, revealing a craft box. I open it to find a thin, light brown leather bookmark with a tassel. On one side, embossed, is my name. “Oh, Teddy.”

“Do you like it?”

“I do. It’s so pretty.” I run a finger over the embossed area, the letters distinct. “Is this from—”

“Holly Paperie. But the embossing was done by Blizzard Bags. They were nice enough to do it for me last minute. It’s to say thank you, for listening. It means a lot to me.”

The thought and care—it’s overwhelming. So I just squeeze him tight against me. “You got me that one time, so it only makes sense that I’ve got you too.”

“Belay,” he whispers, understanding my reference. He lifts my chin with a finger, and with a heartfelt expression, kisses me. “Happy New Year. And guess what?”

    I’m basking in this moment, in what will become one of the most memorable nights of my life. “What?”

“We’re currently doing the number one thing on the Mission: Holly list.”

Kiss on the Bookworm Inn Pier. “Oh my God. You’re right!”

He peers at me. “Think Carm will be pissed?”

“Nope. I bet she wants to experience this one with someone else.”

We fall into silence, and it’s as if he’s run out of steam. I study his face and realize he looks exhausted. “You okay?”

“Not really…I just got off the phone with my parents. It was supposed to be a simple New Year’s Eve phone call that turned into them harping on me about school. They gave me a guilt trip for not spending the holiday with them. And I guess they checked my registration at Syracuse, and they know…”

“Oh, shoot.”

“Yeah…I’m deep in it.”

“Did you tell them about your competition in a few days?”

He shakes his head. “I didn’t. I wanted to tell Tita Lou first, which I was going to do today. But I didn’t gauge how busy it was going to be around here.”

“You can tell her after the fireworks. It’s a good way to start the new year.”

He nods solemnly. “How about you? Have you decided what to do about the internship?”

I shake my head.

“Did you respond back to schedule the interview?”

“No.” I look away. “I know, I know. What’s an interview? But it feels so big. What’s the point of going through with the interview if I’m not going to do it at all?”

    He catches my gaze. His hands rest gently on my shoulders. “It’s okay to be scared.”

“It’s not fear. It’s uncertainty.”

But as I say the words, I wonder. Am I scared? And why? This isn’t like climbing up a wall. There’s no risk of falling or getting a concussion. But somehow the potential for getting hurt still feels real.

“I’ll figure things out. Soon. But tonight,” I remind him, resting my hands on his chest. He pulls me closer to him. “Tonight, we celebrate.”

“All right.” He presses a kiss on my nose, then inhales deeply. “Lila, I also have to tell you something.”