Chapter 23

Twenty-Three

The countdown is on, ohana. And not simply the New Year’s Eve countdown. No, we’re counting down the days until school is back in session!

NOLAN

I left Merry and a good chunk of my heart behind on North Shore. That had been my wish, the one I’d refused to tell him, that we could keep this thing between us going forever. However, we were already apart. Merry and the boys were staying on North Shore until New Year’s Eve morning, which meant a whole two days without seeing him. I’d wanted to get back to Honolulu to help Cara with the bored middle schoolers and a continuous stream of holiday break playdates and activities. On the thirty-first, though, I took my time getting ready for the party. If this was going to be one of my last chances to see Merry, I wanted to look my best.

But maybe I’d gone a bit too formal because Athena greeted me with a whistle, immediately shining her phone in my direction.

“Looking good, Uncle Nolan.” Athena did a slow panorama of me using her phone. “That’s some first-class drip. Walk us through your ensemble.”

“Um.” I glanced down at my peach-colored vintage tuxedo shirt, crisp linen Hawaiian-print bow tie, and narrow dress pants. A lifetime ago, when I’d packed for Hawaii, I’d thought this might make the perfect New Year’s Eve outfit with its beachy yet dressy tone. However, for the life of me, I couldn’t remember any of the designers, the careful thrift store bargain, or the sample sale discoveries. I was far too distracted by thoughts of Merry.

“He’s too nervous about seeing his boyfriend. ” Stella was teasing, but she wasn’t wrong. I couldn’t care less what Athena’s audience thought of my outfit, but I wanted Merry to like it, to see beyond the city slicker he’d first met to the guy who cared so much for him. And the guy who was going to miss him like crazy.

“Stella Louise.” Cara swept into the room in a silk robe over a red slip dress. “How about no more teasing Uncle Nolan, either of you?”

Cara steered me toward the living room couch. The Christmas tree was already packed away for next year, making the space seem bigger, though more depressing. Cara spread two baby blankets over me and deposited the baby on my well-covered lap. “Here. Hold the angry dragon and tell me I look hot and not like I had a baby three months ago.”

“You did have a baby three months ago.” I kept my tone patient and upbeat, hoping she wouldn’t lob a throw pillow at me. Said baby was wearing a hooded dragon sleeper someone had gifted him for the holiday and a very pissy expression. Cara shrugged off her robe and slipped on a pair of strappy gold heels before making a slow turn for all of us. I clapped. “And you do look amazing.”

“Good.” She smiled, but her eyes stayed worried. “Craig wants to try for a video chat a little after midnight. He said I should dress up for the party. Maybe he’s tired of seeing me in pajamas on chat.”

“Or maybe he wants you to feel good about yourself.” I gave her a pointed look. Craig always liked when Cara dressed up for special occasions and date nights, but he also appreciated all the hard work Cara did solo parenting while he was deployed. “He sent you the spa day for Christmas.”

Yesterday, Cara and the girls left Noah Craig with me and used the gift certificates Craig had sent to get manicures and pedicures, along with a hot-rock massage and therapeutic pool soak for Cara.

“He did.” Cara took on a dreamy expression. “You Bells are pretty great guys.”

“We try.” I helped her pack up the girls, the baby, and all the baby’s gear, including the stroller for him to hopefully snooze in. We made our way to the neighborhood community center decorated in gold, silver, and white twinkling lights. A buffet was set up along the back wall, and a fair number of families were already there when we arrived. Because the neighborhood was made up almost entirely of base families, there were a lot of moms and a few dads solo parenting through a deployment like Cara. They offered each other commiserating hugs on making it through another holiday season without their partners.

I kept scanning the room, but Merry and the boys weren’t there yet, which put me even more on edge.

Beep. Beep. My phone chirped with an incoming message. Thinking it was likely Merry, I pulled out my phone, but the message was from Principal Alana.

Nolan! Mrs. Crenshaw waited until TODAY to inform us she will not be returning to the school. The recovery from the hip surgery has been too difficult, and she was already vested for retirement. Anyway, I’m going to need a sub for the rest of the school year before we open the position permanently. I wanted to offer it to you first, but I know it’s New Year’s Eve. Call me tomorrow either way, and we can discuss.

Oh. I made a small, almost inaudible noise. Now this was news. I needed to tell someone, talk it over with Cara, something. But Stella snagged me before I could make it over to Cara’s table.

“Dance with me, Uncle Nolan.” She tried to drag me in the direction of the dancefloor, which was mainly populated by kids. However, Athena stopped both of us.

“How about a review of the food table?” Athena asked, camera rolling. Food was the last thing on my mind.

“I…promised Stella we’d dance,” I said weakly.

Athena didn’t look ready to take no for an answer, but a group of girls from seventh grade choir swept me up in a huge group hug.

“Mr. Bell!” I was greeted like a long-lost hero, and getting to hear all the kid gossip from the break was a good distraction for a few moments, at least until Kaitlyn and her equally sour-faced mother showed up.

“Mr. Bell, a word.”

“Yes?” I braced myself for the incoming list of complaints.

“Thank you from the bottom of our family’s hearts for such a wonderful job.” Kaitlyn’s mother had the stiffest smile in the world, even as she held out a small envelope. “The festival was magical.”

“No, thank you.” I pocketed the card for later, and buoyed by my reception from the kids and parents, I resumed my trek toward Cara. Stella had run off, and Athena was filming some friends, so it seemed like a good time to seek advice.

Of course that was when Merry and the boys showed up. Ryder wore a spiffy Versace shirt and shorts combo and needed to tell me the whole story of how a package from their mom had arrived with designer duds. Naturally, Merry looked like a storm cloud at the mention of his ex. Which meant sitting on the news of Principal Alana’s text message in favor of herding the boys toward the food table.

“Mr. Winters!”

However, I wasn’t even able to properly greet Merry before he was swamped by kids from school reporting in on how their families had liked the various presents they’d crafted in his classes. Simply seeing their excitement and proud faces made my own chest swell. Merry was a spectacular teacher, and the school was lucky to have him.

As was I. Was it even a question whether I’d consider Principal Alana’s offer? I might live in a city of millions, but guys like Merry didn’t come along every day, no matter how big the dating pool. Amid all the kid chatter, his gaze caught mine, and he offered a tired smile.

“Sorry,” he said as the kids and their parents finally gave him some breathing room. “You look great, by the way.”

“Thank you.” I wasn’t sure if he’d be open to a quick kiss on the cheek here, so I settled for an awkward stare of longing instead. “I missed you the last two days.”

“Aww.” His face softened, and he lowered his voice. “I missed you too. The bed at my folks has never seemed bigger or emptier than after you left. And we found the most amazing new poke bowl food truck. I was sad you won’t get to try it.”

There it was, my perfect opening. I stepped a little closer. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

Expression going pained, he held up a hand. “Please, no dramatic confessions tonight.”

“It’s not that dramatic.” My tone came out more wounded than I’d intended. The message was big news, however. I felt like Athena, desperate to see Merry’s reaction so I could decide for myself how I felt.

Merry patted my shoulder, already seeming more distant, whatever we’d had slipping away along with the current year. “Let’s enjoy tonight and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.”

“Are you feeling okay?” What I truly wanted to ask was why he was pulling away so abruptly. It wasn’t like him at all to cut me off.

“I’ve got a headache.” He quirked his lips. “That package from Alyssa was drenched in perfume and scented crap. Sorry. You deserve better than my bad mood.”

“I deserve you.” I gave him a pointed look. “And you deserve to feel better. How about some hydration?” Seizing my chance, I grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the buffet. “And let’s get you some food.”

“Mr. Winters!” Athena popped up out of seemingly nowhere, camera rolling. “You have to try the spicy pepper-bite things. I want your reaction.”

Me too, kid. Me too.

“Sorry.” Merry shook his head, dark-blond hair shaking. He’d made some effort to tame it along with wearing the sweater we’d gotten together on North Shore. “I don’t have much appetite.”

I fetched him some water anyway. “I guess dancing is out. Would you want to find a quiet bench outside, maybe?”

My tone must have revealed I hoped to resume our talk because Merry took a deep breath.

“No, let’s dance.” Setting aside his water, he strode purposefully toward the dancefloor. “I want to dance.”

His plan of avoidance worked well while the music was fast, kid-friendly tunes. But then the DJ went deep into his throwback playlist for the first slow song of the night. And I swooped in, grabbing Merry’s hands before he could leave the dancefloor, effectively ensuring he had to slow dance with me.

The tune was one from an old movie soundtrack, a sentimental favorite, and several other couples swayed around us. However, for me, there was only Merry, especially once he relaxed against me and took over leading. He exhaled hard and held me that much more tightly.

Sniff. The sound broke through my happy bubble of being in Merry’s embrace, and I glanced up at him. Merry’s eyes were suspiciously shiny.

“Merry? Are you crying?”

“No.” He executed a nimble turn. “Just caught up in a good song.”

And I was caught up in him and desperate to talk to him. The song shifted to the next tune, another slow one, but Merry stepped away.

“No more dancing?” I asked softly.

“No.” He squished his eyes shut, and I rubbed his arm.

“Your head still hurting?” I followed him off the dancefloor toward the table where Cara was sitting with several other mom friends. They were laughing and chatting, and the last thing I wanted was to join them.

“No.” He gave a pained huff. “My heart. I know I told you to focus on tonight, but I keep thinking too much about tomorrow. And next week.” His voice wavered, and I grabbed his hand and squeezed. “And how much it’s going to suck to walk into school and not see you.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. Principal Alana texted.” I spoke fast before Merry could cut me off again. “She wants me to finish out the year. Mrs. Crenshaw is retiring.”

Merry’s jaw dropped, eyes going wide, the reaction shot I’d been waiting for, but before he could reply, a buzz swept through the whole party room.

“Oh my God!” One of the women at Cara’s table jumped up, and I braced for a medical emergency as more gasps sounded. Merry dropped my hand like hot charcoal. Everyone’s gaze seemed trained on the doors and?—

“Daddy!” Stella crowed louder than anyone else as a line of uniformed army personnel entered the community center. And there was Craig, front and center.