"Hi," I say, walking over to Nik.
I drag him a little way away, making sure my mother and Stella are out of ear shot.
"Hello Noe," he says, picking a rogue wood chip from his shirt. "I wasn't expecting to see you here until tonight."
"Neither was I," I whisper up at him. We are standing so close I can smell the forest and the outside air lingering on his skin.
"Don't sound so disappointed." Nik furrows his brows. I melt at his dark chocolate eyes, deep and pensive. It's like he's talking to me with them.
"Stop. You know it's not like that! I was –am –just surprised, is all." I shake my head.
"You've had a lot of surprises lately." Nik smiles softly.
I know he doesn't mean it at a jab, but it does sort of sting. I blink and see Preston standing in the snow outside my parents' house.
"You're telling me." I chew on my lip.
My eyes fall on the open guitar case center stage. Two musicians are carrying a drum set up onto the platform.
"Nik, last night was –I mean," I begin.
"Noelle, hun?" The gold pine trees block my mother's disembodied voice.
"I know," Nik says, nodding. "We can discuss it later."
I nod, knowing that this is not a dismissal but a raincheck.
"Noelle? Where did you disappear to?" My mother has emerged, and she's holding up three large bundles of silver-painted pinecones.
"I didn't disappear," I sigh.
Her stern expression is quickly replaced with a new, coy one when she spots my company. "Oh, hello Nik."
"Hi, Mrs. Manger," Nik says.
"Oh, don't let me interrupt you two kids," my mother says, smirking. Her eyes flick to mine and I swear she couldn't be more obvious.
"There is nothing to interrupt," I say, shrugging.
I start to walk towards her, my arm outstretched for a pinecone bundle, when she stops me.
"Oh, would you look at that." My mom's eyes float upward to the beam above the stage. My gut does a somersault as I see the beam is infested with mistletoe.
"Mom," I whine, rolling my eyes.
"Come on, Noelle. I don't make the traditions." She folds her arms.
I turn to face Nik, still standing sheepishly beside me and with the look of defeat plastered all over his face.
"Ugh," I mumble more to myself than to my mother.
Nik shrugs and takes a small step towards me. I place my palm against his unbuttoned flannel, resting it on the thermal beneath.
We share a short, very PG rated kiss before breaking apart quicker than I'd really like. As if my mom's satisfied face was mortifying enough, I see that Stella and my aunt have joined the viewing party.
"I'm so sorry." I mouth to Nik, frowning, before yanking the pinecones out of my mother's hands and stalking off over to the golden Christmas trees.
"Tough break," Stella jokes.
"They seem to be going around," I sneer.
"Uh-oh." Stella gasps beside me.
"What?" I look at her hands, making sure I didn't jab her with the sharp end of the pinecone stake. I crane my neck around, praying not to find Nik in deep conversation with my mother.
"I think it's another tough break." Stella's eyes are glued to the open door of the barn.
I follow her line of sight, wondering but knowing at the same time.
Framed in the snowy doorway is Preston.
It must be immediately obvious to everyone in the vicinity that he is an outsider –not a rumbling Greaser, but most definitely not from around here. His demanding presence has already caught the eyes of my aunt and mother. They are now ravenously ogling the doorway.
"Tell me why," I say to Stella.
I cross the room in a matter of seconds, and hope my running is not misconstrued as panicking.
"Hi. Hey," I pant, breathless. "Preston, what are you doing here?"
I look behind me, making sure no one followed me over to the edge of the barn.
"Hi, Noelle. I walked around a bit after lunch, but there wasn't much to do. I just wanted to see you, so I thought I'd come here early," Preston answers diplomatically. His eyes shift slightly to the space beyond my shoulder.
"How long have you been standing here?" I ask. The cold wind from the open door is already biting my little nose.
"A bit," Preston answers.
Ugh, I can't win!
Why does Preston always show up when I am mid-kiss with Nik? What a horrible habit of his!
"I had no idea you were coming –again. I mean, I knew you were coming tonight," I say, jumbling my words.
"Noe, it's alright. Calm down," Preston says, placing a hand on each of my shoulders.
"I'm calm," I nod.
"You don't need to babysit me. I will," Preston says, looking around the barn. "Just have a look around. Unless there's any way I can help with anything?"
Preston is tall, abnormally so, and he's always the go-to guy for star-topping or when you need someone to hang lights on the rafters.
"I think we should be fine for now."
"How about to take this down?" Preston asks, glancing directly above us.
"Oh no." I whisper almost inside my head.
More damn mistletoe! It's going to give me actual nightmares.
This particular mistletoe ball hangs from a velvet emerald ribbon that looks like it's been cut from the curtain at the Pear Tree Pageant.
"I–" I start.
Preston has already lowered his head to mine, and I feel his lips grazing mine. It is also short and PG, but it doesn't stop my face from blazing bright red. It's so strange how strange it feels kissing Preston again. We've hardly been broken up 10 days, yet my lips have already forgotten his.
They've already grown used to another's.
"Sorry." He smiles through his smooth voice. "I just wanted to even the playing field."
Stella's mouth is wide open when I return to the group alone. I left Preston to explore the baked goods and cider refreshment tables.
"Dayum," Stella whistles, somehow making the word two syllables.
I feel my face turn an even darker shade of red.
"I mean, I saw the picture of him on your phone, but really. You're screwed."
"Thanks, Stel. Love the unsolicited advice. Useless, but love it."
I'd like to retire from the Barn Benefit. Retire from Christmas altogether. Running away on Trotter sounds really good right about now!