Giving him a bear hug, I relaxed for the first time today. “Thanks, Dad.”
Ten minutes later, I was walking back through my door, into the peace and quiet I so desperately needed. It didn’t really make me feel any better. In fact, it was a little depressing. But since I was already in a bad mood, it certainly didn’t hurt.
“If you change your mind, give me a call and I’ll pick you up.”
He pressed a kiss to my forehead and left me to my loneliness. Hobbling over to the couch, I sank down and propped up my leg, grabbing the remote before I was too comfortable to move again.
As I flicked through the channels, I decided to go against my instincts and instead put on the least Christmasy movie I could find, which was pretty damn hard to do on Christmas Eve.
I was just getting intoCasino Royalewhen the door opened and Sam walked in. My mood lifted instantly at the sight of him, and when he grinned at me, I knew he was escaping just like I had.
“Thought you’d be spending the night at your parents’ house.”
“I kicked myself out.”
“Why?”
“There was this guest who was crabby and ruining things for everyone.”
“Yeah?” he came over, lifting my leg up onto his lap as he took a seat at the other end of the couch. “Who was that?”
“Me. I was the Grinch.”
“I thought Christmas was your favorite.”
I shrugged, turning my attention back to the movie. “Just wasn’t into it this year.”
“So, all the lights and decorations were for nothing?”
My eyes swept the room, coming to rest on my beautiful tree. It was still a sight to see, but it just didn’t lift my spirits like it usually did. “Maybe.”
Pulling off my sock, he started massaging my foot. He had no idea how much I needed this. I was overcompensating all the time, using my only good leg, and sometimes I got cramps in my foot and calf from overuse.
“Mmm, that’s amazing.”
“I’m an amazing masseuse. You should see what I can do with other areas of your body.”
I playfully thumped my cast on his leg, earning me a chuckle. “I meant your shoulders.”
“Sure you did.”
Still laughing, he nodded to the TV. “No Christmas movies?”
“Not tonight.”
“I bet he’s your favorite.”
“Who? Daniel Craig?”
He nodded. “All the ladies love him. He’s the most fit.”
“Well, he does that thing where he walks out of the water in that tiny bathing suit.”
“That is no bathing suit, and no self-respecting man wears something that small.”
“I think women all around the world would disagree with you.”
“So, if I walked out of the water in a swimsuit that small, you would drool over me and take me home as your lover?”