A Cross-Country Christmas(15)

“Spider. Huge. Furry.” The blood seemed to have drained from her cheeks, and there was unmistakable terror on her face. He knew she wouldn’t appreciate it, but he found this out of character terror adorable.

He stood straight up. He so desperately wanted to poke fun, but she was actually scared. Will walked into the bathroom while Lauren cowered, turned a circle in the small bathroom, and announced, “I don’t see anything.”

“No, no, no.” She crept in, and pointed a shaking finger. “It was on the wall of the shower. It was right there, Will. It was huge!”

“Huge?”

“It had fur. It was the size of a small dog.”

Will let out a laugh, then stopped, held up both hands as if to say ‘sorry.’ “I take it you don’t like spiders?”

She shuddered and raced back to the bed, carefully shaking the blankets, tossing the pillows. “You have to find it. I won’t be able to sleep until it’s dead.”

He smiled to himself and started helping. They covered the main part of the room, but still found no trace. “I think it’s gone, Lauren. It probably crawled down the shower drain or something.”

“No.” she said. “It’s in here somewhere.”

He scanned the room, hoping anything black and furry caught his attention so he could go back to sleep.

“I think you’ll be fine,” he said. “The odds of it actually getting into bed with you are really slim.”

She turned, suddenly defensive. “People swallow eight spiders a year in their sleep!”

“Yeah, that’s not a thing.”

“It’s totally a thing!”

Will tried not to find her reaction adorable, but he couldn’t get over how captivating she was right now.

Her eyes locked to his. “You’re not helping.”

“What do you want me to do?” he asked, genuinely. “I’m awake now, so. . .”

She crossed her arms over her chest, as if she’d only just realized she was wearing pajamas, revealing more skin than anything he’d ever seen her wearing.

“You’re kind of cute when you’re freaked out.” He regretted saying it the second the words left his mouth.

She pointed a finger at him. “No. No, sir. Do not even try to be flirty right now. I’m not one of your bimbos.”

“One of my what?” Will repeated. “I have bimbos?”

She gave him a look that seemed to say, “Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about.”

“I don’t think people use the word ‘bimbos’ anymore.” He smiled.

She clearly wasn’t amused by his amusement.

And to be honest, he was faking it. Yes, he found the whole scene humorous, however, he didn’t like that his years-old high school reputation had followed him here. Some days he wondered if he’d ever escape the person he used to be.

Not that it mattered. Sure, he didn’t want Spencer’s little sister to hate him, but if she did, it wasn’t like it had any effect on him.

Except that it did.

Why, he hadn’t quite figured out, but he wanted to prove to her that he was a good guy now. If he could convince her, somehow that would make it true. And some days, he still had trouble believing it for himself.

He pushed the thoughts aside and focused on the problem in front of him: Big, scary spider; Tiny, terrified woman.

“Do you want to switch rooms?”

Another incredulous look.

“I don’t have spiders in mine,” he added.

“You don’t know that. It’s the desert. Maybe you’ve already swallowed one.”

He would laugh if she weren’t so serious. “I guess that’s true, but I didn’t see any when I took a shower, so. . .”

She seemed to be pondering this scenario, and he could tell it made her uncomfortable.

“Or I can just leave my door open in case you see the spider again,” he said. “You can run get me, and I’ll come kill it for you.”

“We. . .can switch rooms,” she said, an air of vulnerability in her tone. “Since you didn’t see a spider in your room, I can maybe convince myself there isn’t one in there.”

He stood. “You sure?”

“Yes, I’ll be right over, I just have to grab a few things.”





Pull yourself together, Lauren.

She shook her arms out and turned in a circle, as if that could get rid of the squeamish feeling and the prospect of sleeping in the bed that Will had just been laying in.

She walked the length of the room, back and forth, trying to convince herself she was strong enough to lay down and go back to sleep.

After all, it wasn’t like she’d be able to sleep anyway knowing she was in Will’s bed. She was in for a sleepless night either way.

She picked up her phone and texted him:

I think I’m okay now. Sorry I woke you.





You sure?





Yeah, I’m just being dramatic <eye roll emoji>





Well, I’ll leave the door unlocked, just in case.





Thanks, but I’m okay. . .