Catch Yourself a Snowmance (Have Yourself a Merry Little #2)

11. Carson

Chapter 11

Carson

At Christmas, all roads lead home.

~ A Christmas Story

L iam and I stand in the kitchen after everyone’s in bed, each holding a mug of the cider he warmed up. He’s grilling me about Alyssa, and I don’t mind. This is the very conversation I dreaded—the one that nearly held me back from pursuing Alyssa at all.

“So, how serious are you?” Liam asks. “I know it’s only been a few days. But I’ve never seen you so into a woman before.”

Alyssa was just in here, grabbing a cup of water and scurrying back down the hall as if she could tell Liam and I were having a man to man about her.

“I don’t have anything to really compare this to since I’ve been intentionally single for so long. And part of the reason I declared myself the perpetual bachelor was because I wasn’t meeting women like her. You know. You had front row seats to those events.”

“I did.” Liam sips his drink and nods once.

“But, to answer your question,” I say. “I could see this getting serious. That depends on what she wants. I really like her. I feel like she and I had a crash course in getting to know one another, being cooped up for so many hours together, and then on the slopes. She’s fun, funny, kind, and thoughtful. We’ve talked about our families, our goals, our histories … Yeah. I really like her.”

Liam smiles. “I like her for you. There’s an ease between you that you can’t just manufacture. You two seem to really hit it off.”

“Yeah.” I smile into my mug. “I’m going to miss having her so close by.”

“As in the next few bedrooms in the same house?” Liam chuckles.

“Exactly.”

“Here’s where you learn how to work for it. Once we’re back in Waterford, you’re going to have to make an effort. If you want a woman, you pursue her. Don’t make her wonder where you stand. No games. We’re too old for that. You two are either going to make a go of this or not. If you aren’t, you can’t do anything to change that fact. And if you are, pursuing her hard won’t mess it up. She already likes you. Make sure she doesn’t have to guess whether you feel the same. You know how basic guys are? Like Mitch and Gage?”

“Feed them, they’re happy?”

“Pretty much,” Liam laughs. “Women are not simple.”

“I’ve got four sisters. I know.”

“Okay, but you haven’t dated your sisters. Trust me. A woman’s mind can go in one thousand directions, concocting ten thousand alternative stories about one situation in the length of time it takes you to tie your shoes.”

“Is this the part where you scare me to death?”

“This is the part where I save you from yourself. Always text her back. Always return her calls. Initiate. Reach out. Tell her how you feel, and don’t wait for her to ask you. Listen when she talks—especially if she seems upset or confused about something. And never take her for granted. This isn’t just a recipe for the period of time when you’re trying to win her heart. This is your recipe for life. Do you see Noelle complaining?”

“Does she ever complain? About anything?”

“Fair. But she doesn’t have to wonder what I think about us or how I feel about her. Make sure you do the same for Alyssa. It will pay off big time. Women need communication way more than men. They use ten times the words we do daily. That’s how they’re wired. Respect that difference and you’ll save yourself a lot of heartache.”

“And if this doesn’t work out between me and her?”

“Then I’ll miss you.” Liam laughs loudly and then subdues himself as if he momentarily forgot that most of the house is asleep.

“Seriously?”

“No. Not at all. You two are grown ups. If you try this and it doesn’t work out, we’ll all still be friends. Say she gets married to someone else down the road …”

My hand involuntarily clenches my mug. I don’t like the idea of Alyssa in another man’s bed or life at all. Not one bit.

“Easy there, tiger,” Liam smiles with amusement. “Just say you both are with other people down the road. I’m sure you’ll be civil. We don’t have to make it weird.”

“That’s not the end game I’m shooting for. I didn’t come off the bench to lose.”

“That’s the spirit.” He smiles at me and then lightly shakes his head. “To think, you declared yourself a bachelor.”

“I had reasons.”

“For sure. It’s crazy how fast things change when the right woman comes along.” He smiles over at me, and just like that, I fully understand the changes I’ve seen in him over the past year since he met Noelle.

“I’m going to hit the sack.” Liam walks to the sink and dumps the rest of his drink down the drain and rinses his cup.

“Thanks, man.” I follow behind him, pouring out my drink.

“Anytime. I’ve got a good feeling about the two of you.”

“Yeah?”

He hits the light and we both step into the hallway.

“Yeah.”

I do too. I’ve got the best feeling I’ve had in a really long time.

I wake to the sound of men laughing and talking loudly in the kitchen. None of the women’s voices sound through the house. I roll over and look at the clock on the nightstand. Eight fifteen. Wow. I slept in. I roll over and smile to myself thinking of that kiss with Alyssa.

Liam’s words from last night roll through my mind in the lazy way thoughts do before my feet hit the floor. He’s right. I need to make sure she knows I’m interested in seeing her more than once. I was pretty vague on our walk. I think I was blown away by our kiss and the fact that a woman like her seems as into me as I am into her. Today, I’ll make sure she knows everything I’m thinking and feeling about us.

As soon as I’m dressed, I make my way to the kitchen .

Mitch, Gage and Liam are standing around laughing and talking. They each have a bowl of oatmeal in their hands.

“Hey! He’s up!” Mitch says.

“Hibernation is over,” Gage adds.

“Where are the girls?” I ask.

“Alyssa’s neighbor texted her early this morning,” Liam says. “She was taking in the mail and keeping an eye on Alyssa’s house for the week. Apparently the storm here hit Waterford in a combination of rain and snow with some wind. A branch broke off a tree in Alyssa’s yard and went through the roof over her guest room. The girls packed up and drove Alyssa home about an hour ago. We’re going to close up here after breakfast and turn in the key when the main rental office opens. I’ll go take a look at it as soon as we’re back.”

I’m stunned.

“Shouldn’t we leave now?”

Liam smiles at me. He knows. I’m hooked. I feel this as if it happened to my own house and my skin crawls with the need to get to her—to be there for her through this.

“We just need to throw out the perishables and take out the trash, turn off the heater and check the rooms,” Liam says. “We can’t leave before nine since that’s when the office opens. Once we drop the key there, we’re good to go.”

“Have some oatmeal,” Gage tells me. “We’ll get started packing up.”

“Are you two a thing now?” Mitch asks.

Alyssa and Me. I sure hope so.

“Maybe,” I say, absentmindedly.

I’m still in shock. I had thought this morning would involve another walk with Alyssa. This time I was going to make it more clear to her what I feel and tell her I hope we can start seeing one another regularly once we’re back.

“Here,” Gage says, handing me a cup of hot coffee. “ Sit at the island. I’ll make you oatmeal.” He turns to Liam and Mitch. “Start going through the upstairs to make sure no one left anything behind and the lights are all off.”

“My stuff is still up there,” I tell Gage.

“No problem, man. We’ll toss everything in your bag for you. Just eat so we can all be ready to go.”

I sit at the island and take a sip of coffee. “Hey, Liam?” I ask.

“Yeah?”

“Do you have Alyssa’s number?”

“No. But Noelle does. I’ll ask her for it.”

“Thanks.”

I don’t even have her number. Is this what Prince Charming felt like when Cinderella ran off and left nothing but a glass slipper? I’ll comb the kingdom to find her, that’s for sure.