Stitches of Life

Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer

Chapter Eighteen: Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer

"Let me get this straight, you hooked up with a guy you met at a bar?" George whispered as we watched Joel and Izzie decorate the Christmas tree as we sat on the couch.

"We did not hook up." I shook my head. "He asked me out on a date and I said yes. We went out, had dinner, it was nice and we've gone on a few more dates since then. He's a nice guy, not all men think with their little heads, George."

"Does he know about you know who yet?" Izzie asked from where she stood by the tree, her eyes darting down at Joel before returning to me.

"Not yet." I admitted. "I'm telling him tomorrow, we're meeting up for breakfast before work."

"He's willing to get up at dawn to have breakfast with you?" Izzie looked impressed by this.

"He's a cop." I informed them both as we heard the front door opening and closing, signaling that Meredith was back from taking Doc, her new dog, on a walk. I watched as George got up and made his way over to Meredith.

"It looks like Santa threw up in here." George whispered to her, though I could still hear him.

"Just go with it." Meredith whispered back. "We're being supportive."

"Oh, hey." Izzie smiled at Meredith. "What do you think? Did I go too overboard? Oh, I know. I know sometimes I can go a little overboard."

"No, it's great." Meredith shook her head.

"We love it." I added, looking at Joel as he put another ornament on the tree. "Don't we, Joel?"

"It's awesome." He nodded in agreement.

"Oh, yay!" Izzie smiled in relief. "I love Christmas."

"Clearly." George muttered.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Hey, good morning." Lucas smiled at me the next morning when we met up at a small coffee shop down the street from the hospital. He was already sitting at a table by the front window, a coffee and muffin set at the place across from him, having remembered my order from the last time we got breakfast.

"Good morning." I returned his smile as I sat down across from him, happily taking a sip of the warm coffee to thaw myself from the cold outside. "Thanks for the coffee, and the muffin."

"No problem." He assured me. "How has work been?"

"Stressfull, but nothing I can't handle." I shrugged. "How has your work been?"

"Surprisingly slow for this time of year." He said. "So, from the way you sounded on the phone the other day, it seemed like you had something important that you needed to talk about. Is everything all right?"

"Yeah, everything's fine." I nodded. "There are just a few things I needed to tell you, well there's one thing and it's probably something I should have told you before, but I was worried how you'd react. I mean, you're a really nice guy, but I'm afraid that after I tell you this you'll go running for the hills."

"Beth, I promise, I'm not going running towards any hills." He chuckled at my clear nervousness. "Believe it or not, I tend to only continue asking out girls if I like them and want to keep seeing them."

"I know," I sighed. "But things can change, things that I really don't want to change, in just the blink of an eye."

"It can't be that bad." He rolled his eyes. "Just tell me."