With a deep breath, admits defeat. “My birthday is the beginning of the holiday season,” she mumbles with a grimace.

“You don’t like the holidays?” Hannah asks after a few seconds, incredulity written all over her voice. “How did I not know this? And why?”

“Because I sound like a crazy person whenever I talk about it.” She deadpans, but well – she’s also serious. The one time she’d rambled about her feelings toward the upcoming season to an ex, she’d been on the receiving end of a you’re being dramatic look that she did not appreciate.

“Try me.”

Caroline presses her lips together, keeping in the words for just one second. But Hannah continues to give her a steady, encouraging look and then it’s all over.

“It’s the day before Veteran’s Day, right?” She arches an eyebrow, leaning forward in her chair as Hannah nods in amusement. “Places are already playing Christmas music, Christmas candy is all over the shelves, and it’s not even Thanksgiving! And speaking of, Thanksgiving starts with all of the forced togetherness. Then comes the spending a ton of money on people for things most people don’t even really want. Plus! The hours putting up decorations even though they’re only really good for one day?”

She turns to look at Hannah, sitting up straight, ready to make her final point. “And the holidays also don’t like me. Every serious relationship I’ve ever had – granted, there are only three of them – have all ended around the holidays, somehow. It’s mutual,” she ends her rant, huffing out a breath, feeling a kernel of embarrassment in her stomach.

But Hannah is only regarding her with a look of pure affection, her eyes sparkling with it as she takes a sip of her water again. “I see.”

“You will see,” she narrows her eyes playfully, still meaning her words. “Just wait, the closer we get, something is going to happen.”

“I bet this year it won’t be so bad. Deal?” Hannah sets her glass on the table, offering Caroline her hand.

She doesn’t hesitate to take the bet, sliding her hand against Hannah’s, shaking on it. She only realizes a moment later that she’s offered the hand that’s in the brace. Unfortunate for her, since she doesn’t get to feel Hannah’s actual hand on hers. Hannah doesn’t immediately release her, though, instead she turns Caroline’s hand in her grasp, tracing her fingers up and down the brace. “Only a week and a half left?”

“Uh, yeah. Next Friday’s the lucky day.” Caroline has to actively remind herself that she can’t actually feel Hannah’s light touch on her skin. Mayday. She shivers, anyway and tugs her arm back into her lap. “Unfortunately, I really do have to go get some work done.”