The Holiday Switch

by Tif Marcelo

  He brightens, and with the curl of his lips, I can’t help but smile too. “You did?”

  “Yeah. But, you see, nothing can come out of it. Even if I got in, which is a long shot, I can’t accept. What am I going to do? Tell my parents that I’ve been lying to them for two years? It’s a mess. I’m a mess.”

  He rests a hand on my wrist. “Don’t say that. You’re far from it. You…You’re someone I admire.”

  I peer at him, though inside, my heart has swelled three sizes. “What do you really want, Rivera? Are you asking me for another shift switch?”

  “No, I mean it.” He laughs. “I ran away from home just so I could climb. And you—”

  “I’m hiding things too.”

  “But you’re still doing what you need to do with your family, with work. And you’re so loyal to this town. To this Inn, to my tita, And even to that freaking movie.” He gestures to the television.

  I blush. “Well…thanks.”

  The bells of the back door ring, halting our conversation. I exhale. It’s as if I’ve unloaded bricks off my shoulders. Like writing a blog post times one hundred, where I don’t realize I had so much to say until it’s all on the screen.

  “Lila?” Ms. Velasco enters, then stops short. “Teddy, you’ve been here all this time?”

  “Kept her company like you asked,” he answers.

  “We were watching Holiday by the Lake,” I proudly say.

  She smiles, though it doesn’t quite make it to her eyes; she’s exhausted. “That’s great. Clyde…He’s cleared the path, so you’re safe to get down the hill.”

  “Yeah, I saw. I’ll clean up here and be on my way.”

  Her gaze slides over to Teddy. “I have to get back to the Inn, but—”

  “I’ll help clean up,” Teddy supplies.

  “Lila, I’ll see you at the event, right?”

  “Yes. Mom’s got the tickets in our safe.”

  Ms. Velasco laughs.

  “You’ll see her before then, because she’s working for me on the thirtieth. Remember, Lila?” Teddy says.

  “That’s right, I am.”

  “Why can’t you take your shift, Teddy?” Ms. Velasco’s forehead crinkles.

  “I’m meeting up with some friends.”

  “Again?”

  “Yep.” Teddy looks away.

  The conversation trails to an awkward silence, but finally Ms. Velasco bids us goodbye. As soon as the door closes behind her, I comment, “She seemed upset.”

  He puts away the movie. “It’s not you, it’s me. You’re right about what you said earlier. I haven’t been easy to live with, and she’s probably worried that I’m corrupting you. But if she only knew.” He heads to the back door.

  I turn out the lights so the only things on are the twinkle lights on the window. “Knew what?”

  “That, if anything, being with you has changed me, for the better.”

  Stunned by Teddy’s comment, I step outside without my coat. “Oh, wait I—”

  “I’ll get it.” He pops back into the gift shop and with a gush of warm air, reappears with my coat. He holds it open for me. “Here, you’ve got your hands full.”

  I slip into my coat one arm at a time, mulling over his words; then, he helps me hike up my backpack. But as we step off the curb, the cold slams into me like a wall of ice and I shiver, wishing I’d taken the time to button up. The keys in my hand fall to the ground as I attempt to pull up my hood.

  “Got it,” Teddy says, bending down. He must have thick skin because he’s only wearing a windbreaker and thin knit gloves.

  As he stands and hands me my keys, he frowns. “Your teeth are chattering. Here. Can I—” He gestures to my open coat, and I nod.

  But before he buttons me up, he takes the two sides of my coat and tugs them closed. A silent gasp escapes my lips. The act is like having his arms wrap tightly around me.

  His gaze is unflinching and I cannot look away.

  “I liked getting to know you, Lila,” he says as he buttons my coat. The deftness of his fingers ratchets up the heat inside me. I am a marshmallow melting over fire.

  I’ve always been risk-averse. But in this moment, in this cold, snowy night, I want to take a chance.

  So I reach out and rest my hands on his waist, bravery surging through me. In the nonchalant tone he’s so good at, I say, “I guess you haven’t been so bad to hang out with, either.”

  Teddy stills. The last button slips through the buttonhole. He steps in and cocoons me in his arms, for real. “Is that right?”

  “Has anyone ever told you that you talk a lot while watching movies?”

  He barks out a laugh. “No.”

  “Well, you do. Next time I’m going to make sure you have popcorn from the start.” I bite my lip.

  “Next time?” he whispers.

  I nod.

  He fingers a flyaway strand of hair and tucks it behind my ear. At this sweet gesture, I draw closer to him, just as he trails a thumb down the side of my cheek. The moment settles into an easy silence.

  It’s like every romance I ever read. It’s Holiday by the Lake but better because this is real, and Teddy is…Teddy is completely different than I had ever expected.

  “Can I kiss you?” His voice is raspy, and the question is like tinsel on a perfectly decorated tree. Like plump berries hanging from mistletoe. Tempting.

  “Yes,” I whisper.

  I rise up to my tiptoes and shut my eyes.

  When his lips feather against mine, I’m infused with energy and thrill. My hands climb his back, his cup my face, and he kisses me as if I’m another puzzle he has to explore.

  I’ve never been kissed like this before.

  Teddy pulls away first, gently, and I land back on my heels, breathing heavily.

  I’m catching up to my brain when I hear the town square’s bell ringing. It’s one in the morning.

  “I’d better go,” I say.

  “I’ll walk you.” He keeps his arms around me as we trudge to my car. I don’t feel the cold, just his body against mine.

  He opens the car door for me, and I slip inside and turn on the engine. I’ve got so many questions bubbling in the back of my mind—like, what will tomorrow bring?—but I push them all away. I’m almost always thinking about the consequences of the past as well as preparing for the future. Right now, I want to stay in the present.

  “This was a great night,” he says, bending down at my car door.

  “Even the movie?”

  “Yeah, even the movie.”

  “I thought for sure you were going to cry at the end.” I gaze up at him. Despite my tummy twisting and turning at his closeness, there’s no awkwardness between us.

  “I almost did. That scene with her dog—that was rough. But the movie was completely eclipsed by you.”

  I bite my lip.

  “And that. That is so dang cute.” He bends down and catches my lips in his. “I want to kiss you every time you bite your lip.” Then, in a smooth move, he pulls the seat belt around me and locks me in.

  My breath leaves my body. “You and your belts and straps.”

  “You know it,” he says with a laugh. “I’ll text you. Good night.”

  By the time I pull into my driveway, there’s already a text from Teddy: Hang out with me today?

  I don’t think twice: Yes

  TINSEL AND TROPES

  A HOLIDAY BOOK BLOG

  Title: The Christmas Dare by Dahlia Nguyen

  GENRE/CATEGORY: ADULT PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

  What aren’t you willing to do?

  In this holiday thriller set during a hostage situation—replete with candy canes, Christmas cookies, and a comical main character with an addiction to gingerbread lattes—our main character is dared to sabota
ge Christmas in her town, or else her secret is revealed. The book spans twenty-four hours, and with every strike of the clock, she must decide if the dare is worth keeping her secret—before time runs out.

  What a mind game of a book, for us and for the main character! This combination of holiday joy with literal bombs, stalking, and impending death (By the way, the author posts content warnings here. Thank you, author!) was, at times, difficult to figure out how I felt about it. But when I say that this book is tropetastic, I’m not kidding. There is kidnapping, a secret identity, and an antihero whose goodness emerges through the magic of the holiday spirit. The pace doesn’t let up, and I did not take a breath until The End.

  It makes me wonder what I’m willing to risk for a secret. And, here’s the thing, since secrets come out anyway, were any of the main characters’ sacrifices worth it in the end?

  Pros: Perfect with a gingerbread latte.

  Cons: It’s quite dark! Just saying.

  Recommended for: Those who are willing to forgo bedtime. This was a page-turner!

  Rating: 4 stars

  TUESDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 28

  “Earth to Ate Lila. Hellooo.” Irene’s voice cuts through the fog of my thoughts. I shake myself and resume flipping pancakes. After getting home after one in the morning and writing up a quick blog post, I took what was basically just a short nap, then woke to the house in a flurry.

  My entire family is here: Us kids are still on break, Mom is off the clock for the next twenty-four hours (which means she’s determined to spend the day with us), and Dad’s not due at work until 10:00 a.m. “Lean on Me,” the karaoke version, echoes through the house—because Christmas lasts the full twelve days here—and behind the instrumental is Dad’s voice and my brothers’ yelps.

  For some people, this would be considered chaos, but for me, usually, it’s white noise.

  Except when you’ve only gotten what feels like four hours of sleep; then it is plain old annoying.

  From the kitchen island, Irene scrunches her nose.

  I scrunch my nose. Then I pick up the scent of something burning. Belatedly, I remember. “Oh crap. The bacon.”

  A plume of smoke escapes the oven door when I open it. Irene, a whiz in the kitchen, rushes to the window above the sink and pries it open. I slap the vent fan on.

  The bacon is just shy of charred. “Oh, thank goodness.”

  “I’ll eat any kind of bacon, but that was close,” Irene says as she picks up a piece, gingerly crunching into it. “Next year, you won’t be home to make breakfast like this.” Our parents are lunch and dinner cooks. Breakfast on the other hand? Bagels, cereal, oatmeal, and fruit—the kids take our pick. Until Mom taught me how to cook.

  “That means you’ll have to take my place, Irene.”

  “You won’t mind if I use your apron?”

  “No, I won’t mind.” I look down at the threadbare canvas apron I’ve used since I was little. It was from the holiday cookie decorating party for Carm’s tenth birthday. “Hold that thought,” I say, then reach for my phone. Sure enough, after checking the calendar, Carm and I have cookie decorating planned for tomorrow—number seven on our Mission: Holly list.

  A notification flies in. A text from Teddy. My breath hitches.

  Teddy: What are you doing right now?

  Lila: Cooking breakfast

  Teddy: Still up to hang out?

  Lila: Half hour?

  Teddy: Great! Come to the climbing gym

  I’ve got to practice for the competition

  Wanna show you why I love it

  Lila: Okay.

  A mixture of thrill and relief courses through me. That he doesn’t think last night was a mistake.

  I sure don’t.

  I press my fingers against my lips, relishing the gentle and sure way he kissed me.

  “Ate!”

  I look up from my phone as Irene grabs the ladle and flips the pancakes. The bottoms are burned.

  “Maybe I should take over even before you leave,” she quips.

  “You know what?” An idea rushes through me. I untie my apron and slip it over her head. “Maybe you’re right.”

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’ve got to go. You finish up. There’s only a couple more to make from the batter.”

  “Oh…okay.”

  I rush to my closet and sort through my hanging clothes. Am I really going to see Teddy for the first time post-kiss in workout gear? What is a spectator supposed to wear at a climbing gym?

  Lila: What should I wear

  Teddy: Something comfortable

  Blue leggings or black leggings?

  Short sleeve or long sleeve?

  I settle for blue leggings and a short-sleeve T-shirt.

  Hair in a braid or a ponytail or a bun? I twist my hair around my hand.

  “Where are you going?”

  I startle at the question. Irene’s leaning against the doorway.

  “Is this even my room? And who’s watching the stove?” I stall, knowing full well that whatever I say to Irene will be repeated to my mother. I’m not ready to talk about Teddy and me yet, because I don’t even know what we are. Especially because Ms. Velasco and Mom are such close friends.

  “I turned the burner off. So?”

  A growl escapes my lips. “I’m going to work out.”

  Irene frowns. “When have you ever worked out?”

  “When I decided that I should start working out. Are you my keeper or something?”

  “No, I guess not.” She sighs. “Oh. Can I inherit your old laptop now? I have to turn in an assignment, and my Chromebook is acting up again.”

  “First of all, fastest change of subject of all time. Second, why do you have an assignment due?”

  “It’s extra credit.” She scowls. “I need all the points I can get.”

  I think through the programs and documents I have up, and whether there’s anything important she might come across or delete in the process. “Yes, you can have it early, but I’ve got to back it up before you can take it permanently.”

  She nods. “Can I use it while you’re out, at least?”

  “That’s fine.”

  “Thank you,” she says, then stills.

  I huff. “What?”

  “Where are you working out?”

  “At the gym.”

  “Which gym and do you even have a membership? Do you even know what to do at a gym?”

  “Irene!” I throw my hands up, exasperated.

  “Geez, Ate, I’m just asking a question. I’m out.” She flashes me the peace sign; though, as usual, speaking to my sister has left me without a lick of peace.

  * * *

  I arrive at Climb Holly about a half hour later to a fairly empty parking lot. Inside, music blares, and the gym is a ghost town, with only two climbers on the walls.

  “Welcome back,” Sarah, the party planner, says. “You’re here to meet Teddy, right?”

  I nod, warmth flooding my cheeks.

  “He took care of your entrance fee. Since you’re in the system, you can go on ahead and meet him. Do you need a locker for your backpack? Or shoes?”

  Shoes? “Oh no. I’m not climbing today. I’ll probably do some reading.”

  Confusion passes across her face. “All right. Have a good morning. He’s on wall number one.”

  I spot Teddy when I turn the corner. He’s standing with two guys, both climbers, already in harnesses and colorful climbing shoes. He’s animated as he speaks, hands joining in with his storytelling.

  This is Teddy at his happiest. His body is relaxed, and his smile is so contagious that I feel my lips spread out into their own g
rin.

  My grin is so bodacious that I realize, once and for all, that I want that. I want to feel that about whatever I do in the future. I want that now.

  Carm’s words filter back: Writing is what you do.

  And Teddy’s statement last night: You’re so good at it.

  Is writing that?

  Then Teddy spots me, and his smile, if possible, widens. It pulls me out of my thoughts.

  That smile is for me.

  I glide toward him and take his outstretched hand. When he leans down and plants a kiss on my cheek, and introduces me to the other two climbers, Jared and Matt, it’s as if I’ve been dropped into my favorite contemporary romance. His sure grip, the way he includes me in their conversation, and the glances he gives me, as if he and I were always a thing, is so romantic.

  I don’t fully understand what Teddy’s mission is until I’m in front of a wall, and he’s holding up a harness.

  “Whoa. Wait a second.” I step back.

  He gestures upward. “This is the beginner wall. All the holds are jugs, which are easy to grab on to and easy to stand on. Wanna try it?”

  “Not really.”

  He laughs. “What were you going to do this whole time? Watch me?”

  “Yeah! And read.”

  He rests a hand on the wall and relaxes his stance. “What’s on the reading docket?”

  “Holiday by the Lake.”

  “Back-to-back movie and book. Isn’t that redundant?”

  “I guess I’m in the mood since…” Since we kissed.

  His cheeks darken in a blush as if reading my thoughts. “How about another negotiation?”

  “Okay.” I brace myself. “Go ahead.”

  “What if, in exchange for you climbing this wall, I’ll read Holiday by the Lake.”

  “Now that is interesting.” Imagining Teddy with Holiday by the Lake is as enticing as a hot cocoa bomb. But then I think of something better. “How about a buddy read? Like a book club with the two of us.”