Teo was thrilled.

Even though Rick had listed multiple reasons why nothing should happen between them, he never once said he didn’t want it. He wanted Teo just as much as Teo wanted him. That was all that mattered.

Teo didn’t care that Rick was Orion’s best friend. Orion surely had plenty of other friends in Brassford. The perfect son had to be the perfect friend too.

His dreamy smile quickly soured into a grimace.

He needed to clear his head and probably spend less time at home. He had already been there two days in a row, which was definitely suspicious, and he was surprised no one had commented on it yet. Especially his mother.

Even though it was Christmas Day, he had never wanted to spend less time with his family than today.

Luckily, Teo had an excuse: his band needed to rehearse for their performance. So in the morning, he skipped the family breakfast and went straight to Macy’s house. Her mom was at work and Fred still had his drums there, so it was the perfect place to meet.

“So, how’s the plan going?” The short-haired girl greeted him with the question. The tips of her hair weren't blue like the last time he’d seen her, but deep purple. And like every color she’d ever had on her head, this one suited her too.

“Hard to say.”

He shrugged, trying to sound like he didn't care, though he had spent the whole night thinking about how to convince Rick to be his. Someone might call it pathetic, but Teo believed he was simply determined.

“You didn't just crawl straight into his bed?”

Macy raised an eyebrow, amused, as she picked up her bass guitar and started fiddling with the strings. As usual, she was sitting on a large speaker.

“He’s sharing a bed with Orion’s friend.”

“Ouch.”

“With a female friend,” he added the detail.

Although Teo didn’t know much about Rick, he knew the important part. Three years ago, when they met at the cabin, the older man had shared his secret—or rather, his struggle—with him. How no one knew about his sexuality, and how he never felt fully himself around anyone.

“I see all of you,” Teo had told him back then, and he had never forgotten the look Rick gave him.

That night, more happened between them than they were willing to admit at the time. Both knew they probably wouldn’t see each other again, or at least they assumed so. When Teo discovered Rick was Orion’s friend, he considered reaching out but something always stopped him. He doubted Rick had decided to tell his family the truth, and Teo didn’t want to jeopardize either him or his own hope. He couldn't bear rejection. Not when he’d had years to idealize him.

Teo knew Rick wasn’t perfect. Just the fact that he was friends with his brother suggested poor taste—but even so, he wanted to know him better. Truly know him. He might have been the first to learn Rick’s biggest secret, but that wasn’t enough.

“If I didn’t know you, I’d think you’re in love.”

Macy’s voice pulled him out of his memories, and the dark-haired man automatically smiled to hide how close to the truth she had come.

“Me, in love? Are you crazy?”

He wasn't in love, but for some reason, he thought that if he ever could fall in love with someone, it would be the man currently occupying the guest room in his house.

“I was just hoping,” Macy shrugged, “maybe then you could write a decent song.”

Teo had Fred’s drumsticks at hand and didn’t hesitate to toss one at her in response to her remark. It wasn’t the first time, so she expected it—and managed to catch it.

“Nice try.”

In response, the dark-haired man flipped her off.

“Where’s Eljay, by the way?”

Their guitarist wasn't a man of many words, but he was usually at least punctual, unlike Fred. Today, however, neither of them had arrived on time. The dark-haired man doubted it was because it was Christmas Eve. Neither of them was exactly a Christmas enthusiast, and besides, their parents were at work while they were on break.

“No idea,” Macy assured him. She didn’t look worried or bothered at all, despite the fact that it was just the two of them.

“Do you want to work on that Christmas song in the meantime?”

“The one you were supposed to have finished ages ago?”

Teo rolled his eyes, but despite her comment, he pulled a notebook out of his jacket and grabbed a pencil from the nearest shelf. Macy always kept a stash for him, and wherever he looked, he could find a spare writing utensil in case inspiration struck. Not that it happened often.

He moved closer to her and sat down on the floor by her feet, crossing his legs into a comfortable position.

“What if we shock everyone and present them with the bloodiest, most gore-filled Christmas song they’ve ever heard?” he suggested after a moment of silence, staring at the empty notebook with no other ideas in sight.

“In Hollybrook?” Macy’s tone made it clear she thought he was an idiot, even if she didn’t say it outright. “Half of our population is seniors. Do you want someone to have a heart attack?”

“Maybe it’s time to reduce the population.” He shrugged.

“You’re hopeless.”

Teo shot her an accusatory look. “It’s not like you’re helping.”

“I don't know how to write songs; I just admit it, unlike you.” She returned his gaze without hesitation and held it longer, as he was the first to look away and shift his focus back to the notebook in his hands.

“I’m too smart to be creative.”

Maybe he hadn’t had the best attendance in high school, but his grades were never a problem. The fact that he was now at a community college instead of a university wasn’t because he couldn’t get into one. On the one hand, he didn’t need a fancy university degree to do what he wanted, and on the other, he knew that after two years of barely seeing him, his mom would have had a heart attack if he’d decided to go far away for school. So he had settled for Eastwood.

“That’s definitely not the adjective I’d use to describe you.”

Teo didn’t give her any more attention. Instead, he focused on the blank page in front of him. He didn’t need to prove anything to anyone, but for some reason, he wanted to finish this song. Or rather, write it.

Most Christmas songs he knew had a romantic undertone. Teo was definitely not a romantic. Even though he was twenty-two, he had only been in a relationship once. Everything else had just been about satisfying basic needs. He didn’t promise anyone anything, and no one promised anything to him. That wasn’t exactly songwriting material.

Maybe…

“I’ve been waiting all this year, just to have you finally near—”

He flinched when his friend started reading over his shoulder the line he had just finished writing.

“Macy!”

“What? It’s decent. Keep going.” She waved her hand and was the first to break their eye contact.

Teo didn’t know how to continue. Especially if it was supposed to rhyme. Still, he decided not to focus on that right now and simply wrote whatever came to mind.

Everyone’s happy, the streets are snowy, but my thoughts don’t feel so holy.

It definitely wasn't perfect, but it expressed his thoughts over the last few days. Every time he was around Rick, he had to think about that night they spent together. About his hands on his body. About his eyes watching him intently. About his hands in his hair. The older man was the only one he had allowed to touch them… at least during the time when they were his greatest insecurity.

I might buy some mistletoe, just so I could be your hoe.

“You’ve completely lost your mind.”

“Macy! You’re ruining my creative process,” he accused her, though he didn’t mean it seriously. If people in their small town would get heart attacks from gore, his sexual Christmas song would send them straight to hell.

“I’m ruining your sexual fantasies,” she corrected him. “Which, by the way, you definitely shouldn’t be having while I’m here.”

“What if you’re my sexual fantasy?”

He looked up at her with a mischievous grin. Even though Macy was attractive, Teo never mixed pleasure with business. She was his friend, and on top of that, they played together. Any other kind of relationship would only complicate things unnecessarily.

“In that case, it’d be pretty sad, since you’d be rejected not only in real life, but also in your own fantasy.”

“You’re cruel,” he accused her. “And on Christmas Eve, too.”

The bassist rolled her eyes and stood up. “Do you want some punch? Mom made it this morning.”

Without waiting for Teo’s answer, she headed toward the door leading into the house. The singer quickly got up and followed her. Writing a stupid song could wait.

Macy was the daughter of a single mom who worked two jobs. During the day, she was the local florist at the town’s only flower shop, and two evenings a week she helped out at a pizzeria. Macy had a part-time job too, to help with the bills, but her mom wanted her to focus on school, so she only worked a few hours a week.

Unlike Teo and his mom, Macy had a very close relationship with hers. If Teo was honest, sometimes he envied it. The two of them often ate pizza Laurel got for free after work and watched movies together. They borrowed clothes from each other, Laurel helped Macy dye her hair, and whenever their band—Hollygans—had a gig, she was there. Teo had no doubt she’d make time to see them play the day after Christmas, too.

“This is even better than last year,” he declared after taking a sip from the mug Macy handed him.

“You say that every year,” she reminded him.

“Because Laurel outdoes herself every year.”

Laurel was Laurel to everyone—to Teo, Fred, and Eljay. Teo’s mom, on the other hand, was Mrs. Stein to his friends. Supposedly a sign of respect, but Teo hated it. It only emphasized the fact that no one in his family shared the same last name. As if they weren’t a real family. Teo was Quinn after his father, Orion was Mercer after his, and their mom kept her maiden name, Stein, since she’d never married either of their fathers.

“I almost forgot.”

The dark-haired guy was deep in thought as he sipped the hot liquid that smelled of cinnamon and oranges, but his friend's voice brought him back to Earth.

Macy disappeared around the corner and, before Teo could follow her, reappeared carrying plants that even someone as clueless as Teo immediately recognized.

“Mom said you should give these to your mom.”

She set both the poinsettia and the mistletoe on the counter beside the singer, then returned to her original spot across from him and picked up her favorite purple mug.

“Tell your mom thanks.”

Although he wasn't thrilled about being a messenger boy, Laurel was counting on him to bring it home, and so he planned to do just that. He liked Macy’s mom and, unlike his own, he respected her because she respected him back.

“You look annoyed, like she didn’t just give you the perfect opportunity to kiss him.”

Macy nodded toward the plants on the counter, and Teo mirrored the movement, his gaze landing on the green branches tied with a red ribbon.

Mistletoe…

“Macy, you’re a genius.”