She laughs. “Anyway, I just wanted to call and tell you how worried we all were about you. And also to apologize for yesterday. I feel fully responsible. We totally freaked you out with all that talk about relationships and true love. Seriously uncalled for, I see that now. Trust me, Parker was so unbelievably pissed at me when I called to tell him we’d scared you off, I’ll be surprised if he ever talks to me again.”
“You don’t need to apologize, Phoebe.” I glance at the man across the loft; he’s fully engrossed in his movie. “And he shouldn’t blame you for a thing. I think he was just…”
“Scared,” she murmurs. “Yeah, I figured that from the way he reamed me out last night.”
I sigh. “I’ll talk to him.”
“You don’t have to. That’s not why I called.” She pauses. I can tell she wants to say more, but is worried how I’ll react.
“Just say it,” I murmur tiredly.
“Say what?”
“The real reason you called. Just tell me. We both know you’re dying to get it out.”
She makes a grumbly sound of protest. “So sassy. Maybe I just called to apologize.”
“Phoebe.”
“Okay! Okay.” She clears her throat. “Is Parker, like, right there hovering over you?”
“No. He’s watching a movie.”
“The boy does love a good Charlie Brown Christmas marathon.”
“I’m getting that.”
“One year, he made us watch it seven times in a row because he said there weren’t enough—”
“Phoebe.”
“Right.” She clears her throat again. “The thing is, I really am sorry that I upset you yesterday. It wasn’t my intention at all. Clearly, all the talk about love and relationships made you bolt faster than Boo when he sees a squirrel in the Public Garden. And that makes me somewhat nervous to say what I have to say.”
I wait, knowing there’s more to come.
“But it’s Christmas Eve, and I think I’d hate myself if I went to sleep tonight without doing everything possible to make the people in my life happy. Because that’s what this whole damn holiday is about, isn’t it? Joy. Love. Togetherness.” Her voice gets lower. “That’s why I have to tell you that, even though it totally freaks you out… I don’t think I’m wrong. About any of it.”
I take a breath.
“You said you’re fucked up. That if Parker sees that, it might make him leave for good. And I just have to flat-out disagree with you on that point, Tink.” Phoebe’s words come out in a rush, as though she expects me to cut her off at any given moment. “The thing is, you’re kind of my hero. Maybe that’s weird for you, but I refuse to hide that fact. You saved my life. Nate says you’re trying to save thousands of other lives, in this case you’re working on with him. Parker says, beneath that tough shell, you’re a big softie who pays for strangers’ groceries and gives money to people on the street who need it more than you do.” She takes a quick pause. “In my book, that makes you a pretty big hero.”
My heart clutches inside my chest.
Wow.
“Thanks, Phoebe,” I whisper when I think I have my voice under control. It shakes anyway.
“Don’t thank me. Just… see yourself. See the woman you are. You’re pretty amazing. And, I won’t apologize if I want someone like you for my big brother.”
My hand tightens around my phone. I have to keep my eyes averted from Parker, afraid if I look at him I’ll start crying again.
“Still there?” Phoebe asks a minute later.
“Yeah,” I say, voice breaking. “I’m here.”
She pauses. “For the record… you’ll always be Tinkerbell to me. And Parker… well, he’s the perpetual man-child. The boy who never grew up. He’s Peter Pan.” I hear the smile in her voice. “That makes you guys Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. A perfect pair, if there ever was one.”
I laugh. “You’re crazy.”
“Peter and Tink were an unstoppable duo. A team. They were totally different… but they somehow completed each other.” She sighs happily. “Just think about it, okay?”
I roll my eyes. “Goodbye, Phoebe.”
Her voice is warm. “Merry Christmas, Tink.”
I swallow and make myself say it. And, surprisingly, it’s not as tough as I thought it would be to get the words past my lips.
“Merry Christmas, Phoebe.”
As soon as she clicks off, I set the phone down and walk across the loft to where Parker is sitting. Pulling the computer from his lap, I straddle his legs, push his headphones off, and wind my arms around his neck. Before he can say a word, I plant a soft kiss on his lips.
“What was that for?” he asks, smiling at me. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“Do I need a reason?” I shrug.
“No.” His eyes narrow. “But you never kiss me first.”
“I don’t?” I ask, genuinely surprised. I hadn’t realized.
He shakes his head. “No. You don’t.”
I stare at him and swallow hard, feeling like a terrible person. “Well… I’ll work on it.”
His brows lift. “Did Phoebe brainwash you during that call?”
I flick him on the forehead. “Oh, shut up, idiot.”
“It’s so sexy when you shower me with compliments.”
I laugh and snuggle into his chest. “It’s sexier when we shower together. Period.”
“Not arguing with that.”
Tilting my head, I meet his eyes. “I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like I don’t want to be with you. This is… new to me.”
“It’s new to me too, darling.” He shrugs. “Just because something’s new doesn’t mean it has to be bad.”