Havoc for the Holidays (Home for the Holidays)

16. Ezechiel

Chapter sixteen

Ezechiel

I reread the text message on my screen five times in a row and still couldn't believe what I was seeing. The mixture of emotions swirling through my mind were too numerous to list, but the predominant ones were anger and frustration. Rationally, I knew he had to have a very good reason for canceling at the last minute, but I wasn't yet at a place where rationality was easy. No, my gut reaction was that I was pissed off. Finally deciding that what I was reading was in fact the truth, I scoffed and tossed my phone into the blankets pooled around my legs and flopped backward with a dramatic grunt.

I laid like that for another fifteen minutes as my thoughts swirled in panic mode. My chief worry was the showcase, but I couldn't help but be concerned about what had prompted his decision. In all likelihood, it was a mix of different things. My instincts told me I could likely find the answer among the gossip of the town, but that felt too invasive. Hell, all the noise around town was already invasive enough. I didn't need to take advantage of it or fan the flames any higher asking around.

Once I dragged myself out of bed, I tried calling Ollie directly. While I wasn't surprised that he refused to answer, I still found myself growing even more frustrated with each and every call, text, and voicemail that went ignored. I wanted to smack him silly and then kiss him stupid, but neither of those options were likely the best choice when it came to the shy redhead who dominated most of my waking thoughts and all of my nightly dreams. I had to meet him where he was at, but that was going to necessitate some planning.

My pacing came to an abrupt halt as I recalled Mom’s advice. The lightbulb in my head lit up as I scrolled through my contacts and found the name I was looking for. My smile was downright devious as I pushed the call button and brought the phone to my ear.

“Hello?”

“Lincoln, hi. This is a huge ask, but I need your help. Can you do me a favor?”

“Okay… maybe. It depends.”

“I have a feeling Oliver won't be coming to the studio this afternoon, which means he’ll be asking you to drop Becs off. Can you offer to keep her for a little while afterward? I just need an hour.”

“Shit… he pulled out, didn't he?” A heavy sigh passed through the phone. “I had a suspicion he would.”

“Just this morning. I want to talk to him privately, but I don't want to corner him about it with Becs there.” I glanced at the microwave clock and calculated how many hours I had left to orchestrate my master plan. “So, can you help me?”

“I'm sure Laney would love to have a sleepover. Let me call him and then I'll get back to you.”

“You're an absolute lifesaver, Linc. I honestly can't thank you enough.” I stuffed my feet into my boots, not caring one bit that I was still in satin sleep pants and a singlet.

“Don't thank me until you figure out if this will work or not.” Linc audibly inhaled and released the breath before continuing. “Don't push too hard, Ez. I think we all might have been pushing a bit too much.”

“I agree. But I have a plan.”

“Good luck. You've got me curious at the very least.”

We shared a laugh and a genial parting before I disconnected the call and grabbed my coat and keys. The show must go on and my show needed quite a few props and extras to be worthy of my standards. Thank God for Ollie’s tour of the town. It was the only reason I had a clear idea of where to go and who to see. Frankly, my actions were very likely to cause an even bigger buzz among the gossips, but I couldn't care less. The closer I got to town, the more determined I was to see this through. It was a full scale holiday miracle intervention in the making.

After making a complete fool of myself at damn near every single store along Windhaven’s Main Street, I returned home with a lot more determination to see this plan to fruition despite still not having heard from Lincoln or Ollie. My well-practiced performer side was in full swing, and my plan had grown in size and scale as a result. This was either going to be the greatest show of my life or an epic clusterfuck of a failure, but I wasn't a quitter.

It took another three hours to put the finishing touches on everything and get it loaded back into my car. Switching gears to instructor mode immediately afterward was a test of my skills, but I somehow managed to get through the rehearsals and lessons on my schedule with at least a small amount of professionalism intact. As I suspected, Oliver did not show up for the last class of the day. As soon as I spied Laney and Becs entering the studio together, I knew.

Instead of Lincoln trailing behind them, it was his partner Chip. My heart went into a freefall as the wind disappeared from my sails. Evidently, my expression conveyed my distress because Chip strode across the distance with a determined scowl.

“I was asked to deliver a message.” His serious expression had all my hopes sputtering. “You have the whole night. The gears have been oiled with sauvignon blanc and sweets. This will help.”

I blinked as the stern older man held out a grocery bag. Inside was a collection of candy bars and a bottle of wine. “Thank you?”

“I have no idea what is going on.” Chip shrugged and surprised me with a devastatingly handsome grin. “Linc said it was an intervention? He seems particularly invested in ensuring you two work out, so good luck.”

“I'll need it. He's a slippery one.” I set the bag against the wall and straightened to hold out my hand.

“That he is. Speaking from experience, the harder they are to catch, the more rewarding it is in the end.” Chip shook my hand and turned toward the exit. “We’ll be back after rehearsal. I have a date with my own slippery one to get to.”

It took a monumental effort to not let my thoughts wander during the practice session with the kids. To be honest, it helped ease the lingering anxiety over how rough the routines still were. I probably just had to laugh it off. Six weeks ago, I would have been shocked and horrified, but my priorities had shifted and I suddenly found it easier to not be so worked up over every step and twirl and mark. Was this show going to be perfect? Not at all. But as I watched the little girls and boys excitedly practice their bows and curtsies at the end of the class, I realized it didn't need to be perfect. It just had to be fun.

Lincoln and Chip arrived alongside all the other parents, waving from across the room with smiles and thumbs up gestures. I couldn't help but laugh. Once all was said and done, I hoped I had not only a boyfriend, but friends, too. Were they meddlesome? Absolutely. But only because they cared. Most of the people in this strange town did, I'd realized. Hell, it was their infinite eagerness to help that had made my plan possible. All that was left to do was execute it. I sent up a prayer for a holiday miracle as I locked up the studio and glanced toward the star-strewn night sky before climbing into my car.

Knowing I had the whole night instead of just a few hours, I took my time driving to Ollie's apartment as I rehearsed everything I needed to say. Just like every opening night for every show I had ever danced in or choreographed, my focus grew laser-like and the nerves evaporated. Just like the showcase, it was the point of no return. It was what it was and I just had to put my best effort into it. Unlike the showcase, the stakes for this felt considerably higher.

I worried that I might have gone a little overboard with the showmanship when it took three trips up and down the creaky staircase of Ollie's apartment building to empty all my things from the car, but again, I wasn't a quitter. On the final trip, I took a deep breath and prepared myself for showtime. My knocking sounded far too loud in the narrow hallway. The lack of answer rang out even louder. It only made sense to knock harder as a result. I held my breath for what felt like eons before the door opened an inch to reveal a wary greenish-grey eye.

“Ez?” The door opened further to reveal Ollie's befuddled expression. He grew even more adorably confused as he glanced at the bags and boxes around my feet. He flushed a brilliant shade of red as his gaze returned to the giant bouquet of red roses and evergreen sprigs in my arms. The flush darkened even more as I jerked my chin toward the mistletoe I'd literally taped above the wall.

“Merry Christmas, Oliver.”

“Oh… what… how?” He pushed the door completely open and stammered even more. “Why? Ez?”

“You love the holidays. You love this town, your daughter, the holidays. God, you just love so much and it's the best thing ever. I'm sorry we all ruined it for you. I'm here to fix it.”

“You didn't… Ezechiel, I'm the one who ruined it. If this is about the showcase—”

“Screw the showcase! This is about you. And maybe us, if I'm being honest. But it's for you. This is all for you.” I held the bouquet out and he took it with shaky hands. “Everyone talks too much and never says what you need to hear. So I'll say it for them. Ollie, you're priceless. Ollie, I appreciate everything you've done. Ollie, you're so strong. Ollie… you’re absolutely the most wonderful man I've ever met and you're the entire reason why I've fallen in love with this town, these people…”

“Ez… please—”

“Fuck it.” I invaded his space and pulled him into my arms. “I’ve fallen in love with you.”

He gasped and his eyes went wide. “You can't… it’s… oh.”

“Oh. Maybe it's too fast, maybe it's crazy, but I mean it. I think I started falling the day I met you. I think maybe you're the entire reason I was meant to move here. Please tell me we have a chance?”

“Oh, God.” He melted into my arms with a shaky exhale and brought his lips to mine. “Just kiss me.”

And kiss him I did. I kissed him with every fear, every uncertainty, and every reckless wish for us I possessed in a tiny hallway cluttered with holiday decorations, presents, treats, and trinkets. I kissed him as if it were the last kiss I would ever experience and I kissed him with all the hope and fervor of needing it to be the first of countless more. He returned the kiss with just as much earnestness and as he shifted our bodies until I was pressed against the door jamb, everything fell into place. The way we fit together, the way our mouths moved together, the way our tongues spoke soundless words of understanding as they tangled together all felt so profoundly like coming home.

Ollie pulled away with a gasp and searched my face with a mixture of awe and uncertainty. His tongue slipped out to run over the kiss-swollen sweep of his lower lip before a shy smile broke out over his face. God, I wanted to taste it, to savor the flavor of every smile he possessed.

“Is that a yes, Ollie? Do we have a chance?”

“Yes. I'm so sorry—”

“No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I pushed too hard with the showcase or made your life harder here in—”

“Stop. It's me. Can we just… can we just go inside?” His eyes darted over my face as his shy smile turned into a wicked thing. “Please?”

My smile turned into a grin that mirrored his own as I nodded. “Yes, Mr. Branson. I'd very much like you to take me inside.”

His flirtatious demeanor shifted into nervous laughter and a flustered expression as he stepped back and glanced toward the bags and boxes around us. “Um, what is all this?”

“I brought Christmas to you.”

“Oh…” He exhaled a shaky breath. “No one’s ever—”

“I know. That’s why I did it.” I jerked my chin toward the interior of his apartment. “Go on. I'll bring this in.”

Of all the smiles I had seen on his face, this one was the most beautiful. It was pure joy. Perhaps it was far too early, perhaps it was too fast, but I knew in my heart that my earlier declaration was the most honest thing I'd ever uttered. Somehow, I'd gone and fallen head over heels for him. My holiday miracle had come true. Now, to give him his.