Gavin scowled but started over on his package anyway.
Soon, Pickle joined the group and promptly settled on top of Mack’s unrolled paper. Mack reeled back as if she had something contagious.
“What’re you getting Gretchen for Christmas?” Del suddenly asked.
“I don’t even know. I’m not even sure if we’ll still be dating then.” And wasn’t that a cat turd of a thought?
“So you are dating?” Noah asked. “Like, for real? Or are you still pretending this is just some business negotiation?”
Colton scowled, mostly because he didn’t know the answer to the question.
“Have you kissed?” Yan asked breathlessly.
“Fuck off. I’m not going to kiss and tell. We’re allowed some privacy, aren’t we?”
Yan stuck out his lip. “You’re no fun.”
“But you have kissed.” Vlad looked at Colton sideways. “I mean, you obviously kissed before and did other stuff.” Vlad’s face flamed, and he shut up.
“You’re obviously falling for her,” Noah said.
Heat rose on Colton’s neck, and he shrugged half-heartedly to cover it. He knew how he felt, but he couldn’t say how Gretchen felt. All he knew for sure was that everything had changed last night. Not just because of how she kissed him but because of everything she’d revealed about her life growing up. Malcolm was right. There was a difference between hating Christmas and simply hating your own experiences with it.
“Do your teeth tingle when you’re around her?” Gavin asked.
“What?”
“Thea used to make my teeth feel funny.” Gavin tapped his top teeth with his finger. “Like there was just electricity racing through my body whenever I thought about her.”
Colton fought a smile. “She makes me feel like I can’t breathe normal.”
Mack laughed. “I still can’t breathe around Liv sometimes.”
“It’s a wonder I haven’t passed out yet around Alexis,” Noah said.
“What else?” Del asked, clapping his hands. “This is the good stuff. The romantic stuff.”
“Is she the reason you were so inspired to write last night?” Malcolm asked.
“I don’t know. But I think they’re the best songs I’ve ever written.” Colton’s mouth went dry at the admission.
“In what way?” Mack prodded.
“They’re honest, serious. Like I’m telling stories I was too afraid to tell before.”
A reverent silence descended on the group.
“Damn,” Malcolm said. “This is the real thing, isn’t it?”
Colton’s stomach clenched. “It is for me. I’m not sure about her.”
“What makes you think that?” Mack asked.
“She still won’t tell me why she ditched me last year. I’ve asked her twice, and she either dodges the question or gives me some vague non-answer.”
“Maybe you’re just not used to having to work for it,” Mack said.
“What the hell does that mean?”
Mack shrugged. “You’re a celebrity. When was the last time you had to worry that someone didn’t want to go out with you?”
The pointed accuracy was a sharp stick in his side, especially since she’d all but accused him of the very same thing. But then she’d kissed him last night as if she couldn’t help herself. He shook his head. “It’s more than that. She likes me, but it’s as if she doesn’t want to like me.”
Noah clapped his hands. “Oh, I love this trope.”
Colton glowered. “It’s not a trope. It’s my life.”
“Noah is right,” Malcolm said. “This is a classic storyline. One character resists their attraction to the other for some unknown reason. But there’s always a reason. You just have to dig into her—”
The group spoke in unison. “Backstory.”
“It never fails, brother,” Malcolm said. “Backstory is everything.”
The guys were right, as always. Colton had gotten a small glimpse into her past at his house, but it wasn’t enough. “I think she had a pretty messed-up childhood. She’d never even decorated a Christmas tree until last night.”
“Ever?” Noah’s stunned tone of voice matched everyone else’s expressions.
“How is that possible?” Del asked.
“I think her parents had some pretty shallow priorities.”
Malcolm pointed emphatically. “That’s where your answer lies. You find out more about that, and you’ll find out why she’s holding back with you.”