The door flung open. Franklin appeared, his brow furrowed, his dark eyes shining with concern. “What was that? What happened? Are you okay?”
Gloria held her limp wrist up so that he could see. “I think I banged your door too hard since you weren’t answering. I might’ve reaggravated the sprain just like the doctor told me not to.”
She could see the war playing out on his face. Franklin was clearly still angry at her for last night, but he also couldn’t stand to see her hurting.
He sighed, throwing his front door open the whole way before stepping in. “Come in. Let me get you some ice before it starts swelling.”
She followed him inside, took a handful of steps, then stopped dead in her tracks when she came face to face with the Frosty the Snowman doll she bought at the gas station weeks ago.
Franklin had propped it on the top of his couch, as if giving it a place of honor.
And that wasn’t the only thing that was different from the last time she was inside of his house.
“What happened to all the brown?” Gloria asked. “Wait— wait a second. I recognize that.. and that. I bought that Frosty toy at the gas station just outside of Hamlet. And the reindeer with the messed up eye.” She spun around, looking at the knick-knacks, toys, wooden soldiers, and the two stuffed animals all placed kind of strategically around Franklin’s living rooms. “I recognize all of these pieces. You… you brought them inside?”
“What was I supposed to do?” he asked gruffly. “Just throw ‘em out?”
“It’s what I thought you did,” she admitted.
His expression closed off. “There a reason you came by, Gloria? Other than to insult me?”
“I didn’t mean it. I just... you always seemed so mad whenever you found one and then they disappeared. I thought maybe you were tossing them or giving them to Bailey, I don’t know. You’re the one who said you didn’t like Christmas.”
Gloria winced the second the last part of her comment slipped out. Whoops. Good going, Gloria. How was she supposed to get him to forgive her when, within minutes of being invited inside, she immediately reminded him why he was mad?
Franklin turned away from her. “Let me get you that ice.”
“It’s fine. My wrist can wait. I came here for a reason.”
“I’m sure you did. But, honestly, I’d rather not hear what it is.”
“So you’re just gonna shut me down? Like that? I want to apologize.”
“No need.”
“I didn’t mean to—”
“I know. I’m not worried about it, either. And, hey, I shouldn’t have taken my bad mood out on you. You didn’t deserve it. If we’re gonna be neighbors for the next year or so, we’ve got to get along, but maybe we got a little too friendly lately. We need our space.”
“Space,” she echoed. Did he actually say what she thought he did? Like, really? Was he trying to break up with her when they weren’t even dating yet?
Seemed so.
He nodded. “Then no one will feel like they have to apologize. It’ll be easier that way.”
Easier? For who?
Frustration got the better of her at that moment. It was like the first day with the ice cream and the decorations all over again. More than a month later and it was like she was right at the beginning with Franklin Carter again.
“You’re such a jerk,” Gloria snapped. “Seriously, Franklin. I don’t even know why I like you so much. I swear, it’s this tiny town. It’s done something to my brain.”
“Hey, don’t
knock Hamlet—”
“I’m not knocking Hamlet! I’m knocking you, you big idiot! I’ve spent weeks trying to get to know you, trying to get you to see that I’m here, that I’m interested in you, and now you want to throw it all away because I showed you that I cared. I’m sorry that I brought up… you know what. I wasn’t my place and I didn’t mean to hurt you. But I don’t just want to be neighbors or, well, even friends. I wanted… ugh. Forget it. You know what, Franklin? You want me to leave you alone? Fine.”
“Gloria. That’s not what I meant.”