Page 32 of OMG Christmas Tree
Checkers grew fuller by the minute with familiar faces home for the holidays. The faces were getting younger, which weirded me out. I didn’t buy that these kids were old enough to drink.
Austin elbowed me. “Look. That’s Darrin’s sister.”
I blinked. I’d only drunk half a beer so my vision wasn’t the problem. “Isn’t she twelve?”
“Dude. She’s at least a junior in college. University of Chicago, I think. Go say hi.”
Chicago, like Megan. No thanks. I’d stick to townie girls with low expectations. Ugh. I rolled my eyes at myself. I was the one with low expectations. About myself.
Austin waved at the young woman. Black wavy hair, tawny skin, and definitely no longer a tween. She and her friend sauntered over, stretching their hellos into multiple syllables.
The conversation floated around me. I must have said enough to keep it going because Darrin’s sister—Kelsey, was it?—and her friend kept on talking. And talking.
“Well, if it isn’t Mr. Mayor,” a loud voice boomed. Ethan Sawyer turned up at our table in a fresh checked flannel. “Nick, I don’t know if I should thank you or slip into your house in the dead of night with a switchblade.”
Austin slid his stool closer in. “What’d you do now, Bennington?”
“Sorry about earlier,” I told Ethan. “The last few days have been something else.”
“Where’s Megan?” Ethan scanned the area, his gaze landing on Kelsey and her friend, where he flashed a grin.
“Picking up her brother from the airport.”
I should have said I didn’t know what Megan was doing. Her life wasn’t my concern—she’d made sure of that. “There’s nothing between us, if you’re asking.”
Ethan snorted. “Whatever. You’ve got it bad.”
Kelsey leaned her elbows against the table. She looked at Ethan instead of me. “Tell me about this Megan.”
“She’s the reason I’m here tonight,” he answered.
“What?” Every nerve flared. What did Ethan have planned with Megan?
Ethan caught the sleeve of a server walking by and ordered drinks for the table. He turned back. “And?” I pressed.
“She got Nick to buy out the inventory at the tree lot. We’re closed for the season.” Ethan lifted a water glass in a cheers with the rest of the table.
I knew that. I totally knew that.
“Way to go,” Austin said, nodding his approval. “So, Nick. How aboutyoutell us more about this Megan?”
He already knew my thoughts on Megan—at least what I shared when the two of us were talking. Thinking about Megan didn’t mean I wanted to talk about her. Out loud. To the rest of the table. Couldn’t a guy hang out with his friends without the third-degree questioning?
Ethan waved me off. “Never mind, dude.”
My shoulders eased. “Thanks. It’s been a long day.”
“I mean never mind because Megan can introduce herself. She just walked in.”
#
