Page 46 of Jingle Bell Jilt
“Okay, this is quite a story—”
“That you have now been stringing me along with for, like, three minutes. Get on with it, Maryeshayne!”
Eeek, she used my full name. She’s tired and grouchy.
“Okay. It all started the night I arrived here. The landlord who owns the place is staying in the townhouse next door. And he came out to greet us. Except, there was no us.”
“You better be leading up to tell me this guy is gorgeous and available or I’m flying to Orlando and kicking your butt for dragging this story out longer.”
“Maybe I should call you back tomorrow when you aren’t so grumpy.” I chuckle.
“No. Sorry. It’s just been a long day between early morning presents and then going to my parents’ house and then Dean’s parents’ house. I’m just tired.”
“Yeah, I hadn’t figured that out.” I sigh. “I mean it. I can call you tomorrow.”
“No. I want to hear about this hot guy. Heishot, right Shay?”
“Isn’t everyone in Florida hot? It’s December and it’s like seventy degrees.”
Maggie growls. “I swear, Shay. I’m pulling up the airline app right now. I’m coming there. Get ready for a throwdown.”
“Okay, okay. Just let me tell you the whole story first.” I tell her about the broken water line. “And there were no other rooms except for some seedy no-tell motel. So I’m staying in his guest room.”
I hold the phone away from my ear as a loud piercing yell sounds through the line. “Mags, watch it or you’ll wake the baby.”
“It’s okay, Dean can deal with him. This is more important. So you’re living with him?” I can hear the excitement humming in her voice.
“Technically, yes. But it’s more like just staying a few nights with a friend.”
“A friend with kissing benefits?” I hear crying in the background and Maggie covers the phone with her hand, but I can still hear her as she calls for Dean to get the baby.
“There have been no benefits,” I say plainly.
“Well, that’s boring.” Her voice becomes louder like she’s cupping her hand around her mouth and the phone. “Do you want to have benefits?”
“I don’t know. Maybe?” I sound so wishy-washy.
“Oh, my heck, Shay. That’s the best. I’m so excited that you’re moving on from loser Nathan.”
“He’s not a loser, Mags.” I sigh. “I think he may have done us both a favor.”
“He abandoned you at the church with not so much as a text message to say he had changed his mind. He’s a complete loser.”
“Well, maybe. He just handled the situation poorly,” I say. “But that’s not to say I’m ready to jump back into a relationship. I don’t need a rebound guy.”
“What? Why? I say totally go for the rebound.”
“You also told me to come on my honeymoon without the groom.”
“And you should be thanking me for advising it,” she has her superior tone on. “Go. For. The. Rebound, Shay.” She totally sounds like a cheerleader.
“But Evan is nice. And he’s like the complete opposite of Nathan.”
“How do you mean?” She’s letting me ignore the whole rebound conversation, but I know she’ll circle back to it.
“I mean he’s just so easygoing. Like he actually participated in an ugly sweater contest.”
“Oh, you did not,” Maggie says. “Please don’t tell me you made that man buy and receive an ugly sweater.”
