"Okay," I replied.

"Don't fight it," Alice pressed on. "I know you like that Wiley boy, but... wait, what?"

My eyelashes drooped. "I said okay. Introduce us."

After dinner, my old app rang with a call from Ted. I'd switched to a new number, sharing it with only a couple of close friends, but I still logged into the old one occasionally to tie up loose ends before deleting it.

He sounded casual, as if nothing had happened. "Why is your phone not connecting?"

Before I could answer, he continued, "Anyway, I've got the holiday prep all sorted. Anything else you want? I'll have my assistant grab it."

His words triggered a memory: the year Mamie died. I'd gone home, but on Christmas Eve, I video-called him to wish him happy holidays.

It took ages for him to answer; the screen was dark at first, showing only a fading ember from his cigarette.

"Yeah?" he rasped.

As the screen adjusted to the light, I saw he was alone on the balcony, surrounded by scattered bottles and cigarette butts. Outside, the world was alive with lights and fireworks, but that joy seemed worlds away from him.

He sat there in the shadows, smoking in isolation, and my heart broke for him.

I smiled through it. "Merry Christmas early! Got a gift for me?"

He chuckled, and a transfer notification pinged on my phone. He had just sent me 100 thousand dollars, which blew my mind.

After a long pause, he murmured, "Nora, come back soon. I'm really..."

The wind scattered his words; I couldn't make out if it was "lonely" or "missing you".

Worried about him, I faked a work emergency and booked the next flight back to Eldonfield.

At 3 a.m., the city still pulsed with life, but Ted's place was pitch black. I banged on the door, breathless. "Ted, open up!"

I thought he was asleep, but he answered quickly, staring at me in stunned silence. "Y-You're back?"

I beamed. "I'm here to keep you company for the holidays."

He gaped, and as the awkwardness built, he suddenly pulled me into a crushing hug, as if trying to fuse us.

From then on, I'd always spend the holidays with him before heading home. It became our unspoken ritual. Yet this year, with Audrey by his side, I hadn't expected him to reach out.

I glanced out the window. "I'm already home."

Ted paused, caught off guard. After a moment, he hummed, trying to sound natural, "Oh, makes sense. It's been years since you spent the holidays with your family."

"Yep." I clutched my phone.

Silence stretched across the line, broken faintly by Audrey's voice in the background. "Ted, a little help here. The hot water is acting up."

"Coming," Ted replied.

"Gotta go," I said, my lips tightening.

"Yeah," he said flatly.

I hung up, and the screen dimmed.

I'd expected insomnia, but instead, I crashed hard. At 2 a.m., thirst woke me—the dry northern winter air was something I wasn't yet readjusted to after my long absence.

Heading downstairs for water, I was about to go back up when I heard faint rustling from the bathroom.

"A burglar!" My body tensed, my hair standing on end.

My heart pounding, I held my breath and tiptoed toward the stairs for my phone. But as I passed the bathroom, the door flew open.

In a panic, I grabbed a nearby umbrella and swung it wildly. He caught it, yanking me close and clamping a hand over my mouth.

That was when I realized the intruder was shirtless. My tank-exposed back pressed against his warm, verbena-scented chest, still damp from steam.

This guy was breaking in, not even dressed. Terrified he'd suffocate me, I bit down hard on his arm and thrashed wildly.

But he was too strong, holding firm. When I couldn't break free, I dissolved into tears, afraid he'd kill me first and then my parents.

Sobbing into his hand, I pleaded tremulously, "Mercy! My dad's cash is in the window cabinet—maybe two grand. If that's not enough, I can Venmo more, but I only have a few grand left. Take it and go; we'll pretend this never happened. I'm young. I haven't even been in love and haven't married. I don't want to die, please..."

A soft laugh escaped him, and then the living room lights flicked on.

Blinking against the brightness, I saw a young man standing before me, shirtless, with droplets tracing his toned abs down to his waist before pooling on the floor.

He stood at least 6'2", making me feel tiny in comparison.

My tone turned complex as I said, "Buddy, with a face like yours, you could make 30 to 50 grand a night in the city. Why resort to burgling us? We're broke."

His cherry-tinted lips curved into a faint arc, and I noticed his voice was melodic. "You are Alice's daughter, right? I'm the renter next door. My heater broke, so she let me use your shower. Sorry for the scare."

It clicked after a beat. Alice had mentioned the rental on the drive home.

We'd bought the adjacent beach cottages years ago; though cheap in our small town, they offered stunning ocean views from the balconies. With tourism growing, renters had started appearing.

Blushing furiously, I wished the ground would open and swallow me. "Sorry, I..."

He waved it off. "My bad. I got spooked too. Ow!"

On his arm was a bite mark, already starting to bleed. Overcome with guilt, I said, "Let me grab some iodine to clean that."

I never imagined my first night back home would involve sitting on the couch with a stranger, our heads nearly touching as I tended to his wound.

Dabbing the cotton ball on it, I learned his name was Chase Sterling, an artist here to sketch the local landscapes.

"Looks pretty deep," I frowned at the wound. "Think you need a tetanus shot?"

He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Nah, a rabies shot might be more appropriate."

It took a second for the tease to register. I glared at him, though my guilt softened the intensity.

He grinned. "Seriously, that bite's perfectly round. It has a certain artistic flair."

Alice adored Chase, constantly inviting him over for meals. She'd wink at me slyly. "That boy is great, always helping with chores. And so handsome! If you two got together, your kids would be..."

"Mom," I sighed in exasperation.

It wasn't that I had anything against Chase, but I'd once noticed his coat, casually tossed on our sofa. It matched one Ted had worn, from a century-old, Italian custom brand, costing at least six figures.

He was clearly from a wealthy world far removed from mine. Yet he had a knack for charming elders. Since his arrival, he had handled tasks like hauling water buckets, earning praise even from my picky dad.

On Christmas Day, Alice invited him to dinner. I grumbled to her privately, "Why did you drag him over?"

She rolled her eyes. "He is all alone here. You okay with him eating solo, no turkey or anything?"

I conceded, watching as he joined us at the table, his brown eyes sparkling. "Alice, your turkey is incredible."

Her grin stretched wide as she piled more onto his plate. "Eat up, then!"

Conversation flowed, but she inevitably circled back to her favorite topic, glancing at me with a sigh. "Nora, when are you going to bring a guy home?"

With Chase still there, I felt awkward. "Mom, come on."

Chase chimed in, "Nora's so gorgeous. I'm sure she's got suitors lined up. Don't worry, Alice."

Alice gushed, "Worry? She takes after me, cute from the start. I'll show you her childhood photos later."

"Mom!" I protested.

Chase's lips twitched. "I'd love that."

After dinner, Alice pulled out the photo album and flipped through it.

"Here's her at three months, chubby and adorable," she drawled. "Such fair skin and big eyes; the neighbors called her a doll. This is her school play. Oh, that heavy blush is hilarious."

Midway through, my dad called her away. I approached, feeling awkward. "My mom is like that. Don't feel obligated to..."

Chase looked up, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "No issue. She's right. You were really cute as a kid."

His words made me freeze.

After the specials ended, fireworks continued popping outside. Our small town allowed them, and though they were cheap, the bursts lit up the sky in dazzling colors.