Deck the Halls

Roman, my brother’s best friend, pretty much vanished into thin air right after my brother died. After believing him gone for good, he pops back up, working closely with my best friend, of all people. And suddenly, he’s all about giving “us” a try, as if stepping out of a time machine and expecting no hard feelings.

Living in a small town means running into him more often than I check my mail. And despite my best efforts to keep him at arm’s length, I try hard and fail to ignore some feelings I never wanted to admit to before.

Now, with Christmas right around the corner and the town getting all cozy and cheerful, I’m stuck wondering what’s more likely to happen: finding myself under the sheets with Roman or finally getting the closure I need to move on.

Is it possible to start anew with someone who left without saying goodbye, or is it best to keep the past where it belongs, wrapped up and placed under the tree as a memory?