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Irritation trickled through him.
She wiped her hands on her apron and turned off the heat. “I’ll be right back.”
He grabbed her by the apron strings and led her back to the stove. “Focus on the noodles. I’ll get the door.”
“Okay,” she said, brightly. “I’m good with that.”
He wasn’t sure who creeper-Collin was, but he wasn’t making Holly kiss just any guy. He opened the door with a flair and found a guy with his eyes closed and his lips puckered.
The guy was the one who always hung out in the parking lot, talking to girls and following them home. Anger boiled in the pit of Eric’s stomach. “Uh, come a little closer, and let’s make use of that mistletoe.”
The guy’s eyes flashed open before Eric could finish his sentence. “What are you—who are you?” He leaned around Eric, but Eric blocked his view. “Holly, why don’t you come to the door?”
Eric stood in the doorway and crossed his arms over his chest. He was scrawny, but not weak. When he needed to, he could pack a punch. “Get lost, dude.”
Collin’s face soured. “You get lost. I need to talk to—
Eric backed up and slammed the door in Collin’s face.
“Nice job,” Holly said. She’d come up to his side, her hip brushing his. “You should stick around. He always follows me home from class at the end of the day.”
“Really?” The anger boiled higher to the surface. Who did this guy think he was? In a few seconds’ time, he could be caught and kicked out of school. And Holly didn’t deserve a stalker. “Where’s your last class?”
“The Family Life building. I have a parenting class there.”
“Parenting?”
She laughed and led him back to the table by the arm. His arm tingled from her cold touch. “It’s for my Family Counseling major. It’s one of the last classes I take before I'm able to visit a school or office. I’m excited.”
He smiled at her enthusiasm and took a seat next to her. “What time does your class end?”
“Four.”
“That’s perfect. My last class gets out then, too, and I’ll be in the Old Main building. Should we walk home together so this guy gets the message?”
“Sure.” Her cheeks glowed as she took a bite of her soup. “Mmm. What do you think?”
He noticed the bowl of steaming-hot soup. It was even decorated nicely with small green onions, a shake of pepper, and a half-boiled egg on the side. “This is elaborate.”
“It’s my favorite to make. I’ve been making it since seventh grade when my adopted Asian grandma down the street taught me.”
He shoved in a bite and moaned. “Yep, it’s a fact. You and I need to get to know each other more.”
She laughed and slapped his arm. “Whatever.”
“You two look cozy,” Aimee said, joining them in the room. She and Diane had just come in from the cold, and their faces were cherry red.
“Hey, you guys,” Holly said, looking back at the burner. “I didn’t make enough soup, but I have some more—”
“No thanks,” Aimee said, and Eric caught the extra bite in her voice. “We already ate.”
Eric gobbled down the soup in a few bites and took his bowl to the sink. As he started to wash it, Holly took the bowl from his hands, tingles passing between them. It was just the water.
“I can do it,” she said.
He backed away. “Right, I should get studying anyway. Thanks for the walk and for the soup. You’re an amazing cook.”
“You bet.”
