Her phone pings, and she pulls back quickly to look at the screen. A goofy grin lights up her face. The kind of grin that can only mean a text from one person.
“Is he done for the semester too?”
“Yeah. He finished yesterday and flew home today.”
Stella met a guy last month at the airport. She’s a diver and was traveling with the Valley U Swim and Dive Team. Serendipitously, she ended up sitting next to Beau at the gate before her flight. He goes to college out of state, but is originally from the Phoenix area like us. Even so, I didn’t really think anything would come of their happenstance meeting, but they’ve been talking all day, every day ever since.
“When do I get to meet this guy?”
“I don’t know,” she says. “He’s only home for two weeks, and he has plans with his family.”
Stella gets lost in her phone, and I go back to watching the guys. Felix throws the football to Lucas and calls, “I’m out. My nipples could cut glass.”
He jogs up the front porch steps and heads inside. I follow after him.
“Beer?” he asks.
“No, but will you grab me a soda?”
He does and then cracks open his beer and starts toward the master bedroom.
“Wait.” I walk with him, entering the messy room. It’s decorated exactly as you’d expect from grandparents. Elementary school pictures of Felix, Stella, and me in all the awkward phases are framed on the dresser, and it has a smell that’s a mixture of Icy Hot and floral potpourri.
“Stella and I are going to stay.”
“Awesome.”
“You’re really not pissed we’re crashing your entire week of partying?”
His blue eyes crinkle at the corners as he smiles. “Nah, but I hope you’re prepared to sleep on the living room floor. At least until Sunday. Lucas is leaving then. After that, you are welcome to the lumpy couch.”
He sets his beer on the dresser and pulls out clean clothes from his bag on the floor.
“Not necessary. Teddy already gave up his room.” I smile smugly as I sit on the edge of his unmade bed.
“That Teddy.” He shakes his head as his voice takes on a taunting edge. “I’m going to have to talk to him about being so nice to my annoying sisters.”
“Teddy is nice to everyone.”
“True,” he says and then flicks on the bathroom light.
“What’s the plan for tonight anyway?”
“Lots of drinking, then who knows. Wherever the night takes us.”
Felix takes his beer and disappears into the bathroom. A second later, the shower turns on. I get up to leave, but pause in the doorway and say, “We should get a tree.”
“A tree?” he calls over the running water.
“Yeah. You know, those things you decorate at Christmastime.”
“Uh, yeah, maybe. I’m not sure how much room we have for that.”
He’s right. The cabin is not spacious, but our parents already said the only tree we’re doing at home this year is the small artificial one mom puts up in the kitchen and decorates with Santa ornaments. She usually puts up at least five artificial trees throughout the house—ranging in size and color and theme, butmy favorite is always the real one that goes up in the living room. I love going to pick it out, the way it smells and the way it looks all lit up at night. Stella and I planned to get one this weekend and surprise everyone, but then we decided to come here instead. All the good ones will be picked over before we get back.
“We’ll make room,” I tell him.
I only get a grunt in acceptance, but it’s good enough for me. One small, Christmassy win.