Silver Linings (Collier’s Creek Christmas)

6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Greg

I grip the tile cutter in my hand as I watch Simon meticulously measure and score the gleaming white square. He’s crouched, brow furrowed in concentration.

“See, you want to make sure it’s lined up just right before you mark it,” he explains, glancing up at me. “Then a firm press with the snap cutter… like this.”

The tile makes a crisp cracking sound as he breaks it cleanly along the scored line. I nod, trying to absorb his instructions, but based on my last effort, I’m out of my depth.

Simon stands. “Now for the fun part,” he says, grabbing a tub of tile adhesive. “You want to use the notched trowel to spread an even layer. But be careful, not too thick.”

I watch as he demonstrates the technique, impressed by his precise, fluid motions. He makes it look so easy.

“Your turn.” He hands me the trowel with an encouraging smile. “Remember, slow and steady, and keep the layer smooth.”

I take a deep breath, hoping I get it right. I want to make this bathroom perfect, and I want to do as much of it myself as I can. Plus I don’t want to give Simon the satisfaction of teasing me mercilessly if I screw it up.

Doing my best to mimic Simon’s actions, I carefully spread the gluey mixture onto the cement board, trying to keep my lines straight and even.

Mine doesn’t look anywhere near as even as Simon’s, however he doesn’t call me out on it. “Not bad,” he says. “Now for the tile. Line it up and press into the adhesive.”

As he peers over my shoulder, I position the tile, holding my breath as I push it into place. It adheres with a satisfying squish, excess adhesive oozing from the sides.

“Hey, look at that—you’re a natural!” Simon claps me on the back, ignoring the fact I’ve used too much product, and dabbing at the overflow with a damp cloth.

“Maybe I’ll use a little less next time.” I grin despite my mistake. It’s great to learn something new and I’m one step closer to getting the bathroom finished. I tap the tile with my knuckle and chuckle. “Take that, force of gravity.”

I reach for the next tile and huff a laugh. I don’t think I can give Simon a run for his money, but I’ll give it my best shot. By the time I have a row under my belt, I feel a lot more confident. Of course, then a big blob of adhesive drops from the trowel onto the floor.

Simon chuckles as he looks at the blob. “Remember that time in high school when we did the blood splatter experiment for the science fair?”

The memory comes flooding back, and I laugh as I bend to scoop the mess from the floor. “Oh man! Who’d have thought correlating the size of blood stains to the distance they fell would end up being such a disaster?”

“We were young and optimistic,” Simon says, shaking his head.

“And apparently, one of us thought it was a good idea not to share the fact they had a blood phobia,” I add.

Simon snorts. “Hey, I was a teenager. As if I was going to admit to that.”

“You didn’t think the fact you nearly passed out at the first splattering of the blood was going to give it away?”

“Hey! In my defense, I didn’t think the fake blood was going to look so realistic!”

I snort, recalling the sight of Simon wobbling at the knees and turning green. “You—”

He holds out a hand. “Don’t you say it. I heard enough blood jokes to last a lifetime.”

“I wouldn’t dare.”

We laugh as we get back to work, falling into a comfortable rhythm, applying adhesive and positioning tiles. I master the simple snap while Simon works on the more intricate cuts. It’s nice to spend time with him and the memories and laughter make the job speed by.

“Remember how you used to tutor me in math?” Simon asks, as he passes me the tile he’s just cut to fit the corner.

I nod. “How could I forget? You were always more interested in goofing off than solving equations.”

“Yeah, I’m the first to admit I preferred football and girls to hitting the books.” Simon grins, his eyes creasing at the corners. “I guess you didn’t have that problem, huh?”

I chuckle. “Hey, I liked football.”

“Yeah, yeah. But seriously, I don’t think I would have gotten through my final year without your help, man. Your tutoring skills were top-notch. You had a real knack for making even the most complex problems seem manageable.”

My chest warms at the compliment. I loved every moment spent tutoring, so it wasn’t exactly a hardship. Still, it’s nice to hear my efforts were appreciated. “Well, you’re getting a chance to pay me back now.”

Simon grins. “I know, right? Total role reversal. Who’d have thought I’d be the one teaching you anything?”

I laugh, shaking my head as I pick up another tile. “Well, I guess it just goes to show that we never stop learning, huh?”

Simon nods and tilts his head. “Speaking of learning, I think it’s time for a little refresher on some of the basics.”

He gestures to the tile I’ve just placed, and I realize with a sinking feeling that it’s slightly crooked despite using spacers. “Damn.”

“And perhaps a little more practice,” Simon teases, his voice laced with good-natured humor.

I groan, rolling my eyes. “It’s not as easy as it looks.”

He pats me on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Greg. You’ve got a great teacher. I’ll have you tiling like a pro in no time.”

We continue to work, Simon patiently offering guidance. I make a few more mistakes, but by the time one wall is finished, I feel a sense of pride.

The bathroom is slowly taking shape. We’ll tackle grouting tomorrow, but for now, we turn our focus to the floor.

“So, if we want this pattern to flow seamlessly, we need to make sure the angles on the cuts are just right,” Simon explains. “It’s all about precision.”

I nod, studying the intricate design we’ve laid out. “Who knew bathroom tiling could be so mathematical and rely on geometry?”

He laughs. “Luckily I had a good teacher.”

Just as I’m about to make a witty comeback, I hear the front door open and Cam call out. “Greg? I’m home. And I brought pizza!”

I shoot Simon a panicked look. “Quick, he can’t see the bathroom yet! It’s supposed to be a surprise!”

Simon’s eyes widen and he scrambles to his feet, hastily gathering tools and materials from the doorway. I hear Cam’s footsteps getting closer, and my heart races as I picture him seeing the half-finished project.

“Just a second, babe!” I call and bolt out the door.

Cam rounds the corner as I step into the hall.

“What are you two up to?” he asks, his eyes narrowing in suspicion as his gaze falls on Simon, who’s now standing at my shoulder.

I plaster on my most innocent smile. “Nothing for you to worry about.”

“Hmm.” Cam glances at the now-closed bathroom door and raises an eyebrow. “Anyway, pizza’s getting cold, and I’m starving. There’s enough for you too, Simon.”

He grins and heads to the living room and as we follow, the aroma of melted cheese and pepperoni wafts through the air making my stomach rumble. I’ve definitely built up an appetite. We settle around the coffee table, the pizza box open between us as Cam hands out paper plates and napkins he’s snagged from the kitchen, before disappearing again to return with glasses and a large bottle of water. He gives us the once over, taking in our appearance—dirty clothes and smears of adhesive.

“I assume the bathroom is now looking like the kitchen?”

“And how’s that?” Simon asks.

“Like a bomb’s gone off,” Cam says before grabbing a slice of pizza and taking a hearty bite.

“I’ll have you know that I run an orderly job site, thank you very much,” Simon replies with mock indignation.

Cam chuckles. “I hope you got some work done, instead of gas bagging all day. I can’t wait to see it.”

Simon and I exchange a quick glance.

“Sorry, man,” Simon says, “sworn to secrecy, but you’ll be reassured to know that everything is coming along nicely, and your hubby is a quick learner. Although I’ll admit it was fun catching up on old times too.”

Cam nods, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Speaking of old times, do you remember that day in high school when we put the principal’s office phone number on the flyer pretending to be a giveaway hotline?”

I nearly choke on my pizza, the memory coming back in vivid detail. “Oh my god, yes. The principal’s office was flooded with calls from students wanting free concert tickets. I can’t believe we thought we wouldn’t be caught!”

Simon laughs as he reaches for another slice. “We were so sure we had it all figured out. But then Greg produced the pamphlets using the school printer under the guise of printing something for the student council.”

“Hey, it wasn’t my fault! How was I to know they’d check the printer log?” I say.

Simon clutches his stomach as he howls with laughter. “You could have changed the file name. I think ‘Prank Call’ was probably what gave it away.”

Cam reaches over, his hand finding mine and giving it a squeeze. “Yeah, babe, you were never destined for a life of crime.”

I huff a laugh and roll my eyes.

Cam takes a sip of his water and turns to Simon. “So, Simon, any lucky lady in your life these days? Or guy, perhaps?”

Simon chuckles, shaking his head. “Nah, man. I’m living the bachelor life, enjoying my freedom. I’m not ready to be tied down like you two lovebirds.”

“Well, I’ve gotta say, being ‘tied down’ has its perks,” Cam says, nudging my shoulder with his own. “I get this guy here.”

“Yeah. You’re so lucky to have me and my handyman skills.”

Cam laughs. “I guess I’m just a sucker for a man who knows his way around a toolbox.”

“Hey, I’m amazing with the tools,” Simon says with a wink. “Does that mean—”

“Hey! Don’t even think about it, buddy!” I wrap an arm around Cam’s shoulders and throw Simon a pointed stare. Cam leans into my embrace, placing a kiss to my cheek.

Simon groans, rolling his eyes dramatically. “Ugh, you two are sickeningly cute. I think I’m getting cavities just watching you.”

But beneath his teasing, I can see the genuine affection in his eyes. He’s happy for us, even if he’s not ready for that kind of commitment himself. And I respect that—everyone’s path is different, and Simon’s living life on his own terms. As I sit there in my disheveled work clothes, eating pizza from a paper plate, and listening to the easy banter that flows between us, I’m happy. This is where I belong—with Cam by my side, and our friends, like Simon, who have been with us through thick and thin.

“Want the last slice?” I shove the box toward Simon.

He shakes his head, stretches, and lets out a satisfied sigh. “Couldn’t eat another bit, and as much as I hate to break up this love fest, I should probably head out. Early day tomorrow.”

We climb to our feet and walk Simon to the door. “Same time tomorrow afternoon?” he asks.

I nod. “Sounds good, and thanks for all your help, man. I really appreciate you giving me your time.”

“What are friends for?” he grins. “Plus you paid me in pizza so it was a win-win. Night, guys.”

He heads down the path, and I close the door, smiling as I turn. Cam’s already a few steps away, hightailing it down the hall. It takes a second for me to realize his destination.

“Oh no you don’t!” I sprint after him, grabbing the back of his T-shirt at the bathroom door and spinning him to face me.

“Just teasing, babe. I’d never ruin your surprise.”

He leans in to deliver a kiss that knocks my socks off. And when we come up for air, I’m sure my smile is as bright as his is.