20. Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

“ Triiiisssstttaaannn .”

Smiling, I place the tray of mince pies on the snack table for everyone to enjoy. I recognise that sing-song voice instantly. Trixy.

I turn as I watch her walk across the mess hall, the smell of food and the sound of music filling the air as the shelter family celebrates the new year. Trixy wears one of her own knitted hats, the grey of her hair just visible at the bottom, like a hint of the wisdom within. Her long, black winter coat, a gift from me last Christmas, is unbuttoned and flapping in the air as she walks towards me. Underneath is a bright red cardigan, buttoned up to her neck, matching the rosy flush on her cheeks. She has on green trousers paired with purple boots that have seen better days. She’s truly a sight to behold! But my favourite part of Trixy is her beaming smile. It lights up her entire face.

When I open my arms out to her, she comes barrelling into me and squeezes me tightly in a hug. “I missed you. I’m so glad you stopped by!” I tell her.

She steps back, her hands resting lightly on my arms, eyes filled with curiosity. “You look different. Spin around, I wanna see you!”

I dutifully spin, my elf hat whirling with me, and it lands over my shoulder as I come to a stop. I decided to hold on to the Christmas cheer a little longer and put on my festive green velour elf outfit, complete with the matching hat. I’m decked out in my red-and-white striped shorts, green knee-high socks that reach just below my knees, and a pair of matching green gloves. My trusty buffalo boots complete the look. As she assesses me, hands on her hips, I hold my breath, anticipating her verdict. After a minute, she tilts her head to the side and smiles knowingly. “You’ve met someone.”

Shit! How does she do that? Her predictions are always spot on; it’s almost like she has a sixth sense. I feel my cheeks burning, giving me away completely. A nervous cough escapes my lips as I try to change the subject. “How’ve you been?”

“Don’t ‘ how’ve you been ?’ me. Answer the question. We’re staying put until you give me an answer.“ With her hands on her hips, she adds a foot tap. There’s no way I’m getting out of this.

“Fine. Yes, I met someone, but it didn’t work out and I’d rather not talk about it. Sit down, I’ll get you something to eat.” My voice takes on a sing-songy tone, a playful attempt to divert her attention. “Your favourite item is on their menu. Rhubarb crumble and custard.”

“Nice try, kid. Not buying it. But I’ll take the pudding. I’m Hank Marvin, and when you get back, you better tell me all about this person.”

“Yeah, but...”

“No buts, go get my food. And load it up with custard! The new server guy was so stingy with his portions, you’d think the food was coming straight out of his own pocket!”

I try to hold back a laugh, but a smile tugs at my lips. I’d rather not be on the receiving end of Trixy’s wrath, so I do as she says. In the kitchen, I sneak her double portions and then collect the gifts I have for her.

The room buzzes with familiar faces, but a handful of new arrivals also strike me. Their presence always brings a smile to my face—it’s heartwarming to see people taking advantage of the shelter. This year, the donations have been truly generous.

Some dance to Jeb’s pop playlist on his laptop, but most are just sitting down and eating. I take a seat across from Trixy, pushing the bowl towards her. She eagerly dives into the rhubarb, groaning with pleasure at each mouthful.

“Now, I know you hate getting presents, but I’m gonna give you some, anyway. So here, these are for you.” Ignoring her frown, I place the bag on the table. “Whether you open them now or keep them for later is up to you.”

She mutters under her breath, but a small flicker of anticipation lights up her eyes as she opens the first gift. Spending money on her makes me happy, even if she doesn’t seem thrilled about it. I never had a grandmother, so I think Trixy has become that special person in my life, someone who provides the kind of love and guidance a grandmother would.

“What’s this?” she says, pulling out the heat pad from the box.

“It’s a heat pad you can rest on your lap, perfect for keeping you warm while you’re crafting. Keep those hands of yours nice and warm as well. We need more of your creations,” I wink.

She huffs. “Don’t butter me up, kid. I’m well aware my work is shit, but it gives me something to do. So, how’s this supposed to work? It’s not like I can just plug it in.”

“It’s rechargeable, see?” I show her the charging cable. “You better be in here plugging that in every day, or no double servings for you.”

“Spoilsport,” she grumbles, but I know she’ll do it. “All right, let’s get down to business. Tell me all about this new fella you’re smitten with.”

“What about the rest of your gifts?” She waves me off, her mouth full of crumble, cheeks puffed out. “I’ll open those up later. Tell me about your guy. It is a guy, right?”

Ha! He’s not my anything. I haven’t heard from him since the string of frantic messages he left on my phone after I left the cabin. I could have responded to them, but my stupid insecurities held me back, leaving me just rereading them before bed. It was the small reward I gave myself every night for getting through the day. I read them again and again, holding onto the faint hope that he truly cared about me.

I let out a quiet sigh. “Yeah, it’s a guy, Miss Nosy.” She fixes me with a look that says, I haven’t got all day, get on with it . “I went to stay at his cabin. By myself,” I add as her grin gets wider. “The pipes burst, forcing me to call him for repairs.” She wiggles her brows at me, and I can’t help but laugh. “A snowstorm hit, making the roads impassable. So, he was stuck there with me.”

She leans her head in her hand, completely engrossed in my story. “That’s so romantic. Keep going… but skip the steamy stuff. Some of us haven’t got lucky in years,” she jokes. Eww , not a thought I want in my head.

“And then...” she prods.

“And then... nothing. The snow melted, I left, and I’ve not heard from him since.” I don’t mention the ache in my heart, the feeling of being utterly shattered, and the way I truly believed I had found my person.

“Hmm. Well, he’s either a moron for letting you go, or he’s plotting something. I have a good feeling about this, Tris. A little faith goes a long way.”

I highly doubt he’s planning anything, but as for being a moron, that’s on me. Technically speaking, it wasn’t him who let me go; I was the one who left. Trixy has a good track record, but she doesn’t even know Dax, so I’m pretty sure she’s missing the mark this time.

Just then, Jake and Lewis catch my eye as they walk in. I wave them over.

“Who you wavin’ at?” Trixy asks, turning in her chair.

“My best friend Jake and his fiancé. Be nice,” I warn her.

“I’m always nice, you cheeky sod.” The smirk on her face tells me she knows just what I’m talking about.

“Mhm,” I say, narrowing my eyes at her as I stand to give Jake a hug. “You made it!” I let him go and then hug Lewis.

“Of course we made it. I said we’d be here. You look cute, by the way.” He nudges me, giving me a once-over. “Now, who’s this pretty lady?” Jake says.

“Oh, he’s one of them sweet talkers,” Trixy says.

Chuckling, I introduce them all. “Trixy, this is Jake and his partner, Lewis.”

“Nice to meet you boys. I hear you’re good friends of my Tristan,” she says, standing up to shake their hands.

“We sure are,” Lewis tells her.

“Well, don’t just stand there. You can take me to the food table. I’m starving.” I huff as she takes Lewis by the arm and all but drags him to the far end of the hall.

“She seems nice,” Jake says.

“Trixy? Yeah, she’s a hoot. You might’ve lost Lewis to her, though.” I laugh.

We watch Trixy give Lewis two plates to hold as she stacks them up with food.

“Yeah, you might be right about that.” He turns to me. “So, you heard from my dad?”

Shaking my head and crossing my arms, I sigh, “No. But I didn’t expect to. It’s over, Jake. But I’ll survive.” I tilt my head up, meeting his gaze, and offer him a half-assed smile. “Honestly, I’m fine. It was fun while it lasted. We were just not meant to be. And that’s okay. You don’t need to worry about me. Get rid of this.” I poke at the frown on his face. “And tell me all about the fiancé life .”

Jake playfully bats my hand away, chuckling and glancing over to Lewis, making sure his man is okay. It’s sweet. When he turns back to me, his eyes are twinkling, and a slow smile spreads across his face. Curiosity sparks in me and I turn to see what’s caught his attention.

And... my heart skips a beat.

Dax .