The loft was a chaotic flurry of red velvet and tangled tinsel. Jess was in her element, vibrating with enough holiday cheer to power all of Los Angeles, while Nick looked like he’d rather be anywhere—preferably a place where "Wonderful Christmastime" wasn’t playing on a loop.
The night became a blur of eggnog and awkward encounters. At party number three, Schmidt tried to "accidentally" show off his fitness by doing pull-ups on a doorframe, only to have it nearly collapse. At party number five, Winston became convinced that a department store Santa was actually a master criminal in disguise, leading to a very intense and entirely unnecessary interrogation by the buffet table. [S2E11] Santa
She took a breath, the smell of pine and expensive cologne filling the air. "Okay," she said softly. "No more running." The loft was a chaotic flurry of red
"If I stay moving, he can't catch me," she whispered to a skeptical Nick as they entered the first party. At party number three, Schmidt tried to "accidentally"
Jess smiled, finally feeling a bit of that genuine holiday peace. "Yeah. And I think I'm ready to take the antlers off now."
As the gang piled into the car, the tension wasn't just coming from Schmidt. Jess was feeling the weight of her own complicated romantic life. Her ex, Sam, had been blowing up her phone. He wanted to talk, but Jess, fearful of getting her heart broken again, was determined to hide behind a mask of festive franticness.
"Jess, stop running," he said, his voice quiet. He didn't look angry; he looked exhausted. "I don't want to play games. I want to be with you. For real."