wait for our Christmas dinner.”
Chapter 19
CHARLIE
I had the rest of the week off work, since Krista was going away for the holidays and she had decided to close the office a few days early. Tonight was Mica’s last game, and then he had four days off.
Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, and Yelena and I had secretly decided we would make a traditional Russian meal together for Mica. On Christmas Day we would cook the turkey.
I had already bought a gift for Mica and one for his mom, and they were wrapped and under the tree. This morning, I had driven Mica to practice, so I could take the car to get groceries for our meals.
I watched as Mica walked across the parking lot. His eye had opened, and the bandage was off his cheek. His bruised black eye and the row of angry stitches below his eye gave him a badass appearance.
I moved to the passenger seat, and he got in beside me. Only he didn’t drive. He just sat there, looking out the windshield.
“What’s wrong?”
He looked at me as if debating how to tell me his news. “So, I was talking to Logan. He’s one of the rookies and he’s from out east. He’s not going home for Christmas, so I invited him over for Christmas dinner.”
My breath came out with relief. “That’s nice of you.”
He hesitated. “He was telling some of the other guys about my invite, and then I was getting hints that they didn’t have any place to go for Christmas.”
I started to laugh. “How many are coming over?”
He rubbed his neck. “It started at eight guys.”
“Okay, that’s fine.” I tried to reassure him.
“Plus someone is bringing his sister and his mom.”
“So ten.”
“And someone is bringing his girlfriend.”
“Okay, eleven guests.”
“And then it snowballed from there.”
I spoke slowly. “What does snowballed mean?”
He winced. “Maybe twenty guests.”
I tried but failed to keep the shock off my face. “Twenty guests?”
“Tops, twenty-five. Worst case, thirty.”
“Mica,” I breathed, unsure how I would possibly cook for that many people.
“I know.” He sounded sad. “They kept hinting, and I kept inviting.”
I started to laugh. “Holy shit.”
“I can help cook.” His eyes searched my expression. “How pissed are you?”
I loved his generous spirit. I loved that he would invite people who didn’t have a place to go into his home. “Not pissed at all.”
He looked skeptical. “Really?”
“It will be fine.” I thought about the eight-pound turkey in the trunk. “But we will need to buy more food.”
He started the car and threw me one of those smiles I seemed to live for. “Okay, let’s go shopping.”
Two grocery carts of food later, we were at the till. I unpacked food onto the conveyor belt while on the other side, Mica bagged the groceries like a boss. My phone rang.
“Hey, Jasper.” I held my phone under my ear while I continued to unload our last cart.
“Charlie?” His voice wobbled.
I stood up straight and held the phone to my ear. “What’s wrong?”
His voice broke. “I left Mark. And I didn’t know what to do, so I went to the airport and I’m such a mess. I think he’s cheating on me.”
“You’re at the airport?” I made eye contact with Mica, who listened but kept on packing. “Are you flying here?”
“I’m already at the Vancouver airport.” He sucked in his breath. “I didn’t know where else to go.”
“I’m on my way. I’ll get there as soon as possible.”
“Thanks, Charlie.”
I hung up my phone. “Jasper just flew into Vancouver. He broke up with his boyfriend.”
Mica didn’t even bat an eye. “We can go pick him up.”
I looked at my watch. It was already 2:00 p.m. Usually, Mica liked to have a nap before he played a game. “You have your game tonight. Want me to take a cab to go get him?”
“I’m rested. We can go get him.”
Jasper, to put it plainly, was a mess. He had obviously been crying for most of the flight. We squished him in the back seat with his carry-on suitcase on his lap, surrounded by bags of groceries and the two cases of wine that Mica had bought.
I twisted in my seat, looking back at him while holding his hand. He sat, his face scrunched up as he worked not to cry.
“I’m sorry for showing up like this,” he wheezed.
I squeezed his hand. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“I didn’t know where else to go.”
“We’re here for each other, remember? Always.”
He nodded and his face crumpled. “Yeah.”
Jasper sniffed hard and swallowed, looking at Mica for the