Page 22 of OMG Christmas Tree
You look beautiful.I almost said it. Out loud. From my own dumb mouth. “The outside is great.”
“And inside?”
Her question came out soft, curious. I was curious too. I wanted to see what Megan was like away from Crystal Cove. If we’d met some other way, not arguing about Christmas trees and my bad planning skills, things might be different.
“Nick?”
I blinked. “Yeah?”
“You look like you’re having heat stroke. Maybe step outside for a sec.”
I rubbed the back of my neck where sweat decided to hold a recruitment rally. I peeled off my coat, sending my elbow into the glass case behind me. “Crap.”
Megan stretched past me and stopped an angel figurine from skydiving to her death. “I think you’re giving up too soon. Look, here.” She chose another box of the silver ornaments and shoved it into my hands. “A few of these with white lights on the tree? So pretty. Understated.”
“I tried the scaled-back line on Jill. She didn’t buy it.”
Skeptical Megan was skeptical. “Jill isn’t the mayor’s son.”
I laughed out loud at that one. “No, I suppose she’s not.”
The song overhead switched to a classic tune and I found myself humming along.
“Ha!” Megan clapped once and pointed at me. “Youdolike Christmas.”
“Because I’m humming? I’m only human.”
“Are you, though? I sensed you were The Holiday Whisperer. Prove me wrong.”
“Even if I could whisper the holidays”—what did that even mean?—“my party planning days are over.”
Megan seemed to chew over my comment when her mom returned.
“Honey, I just remembered I want to stop by the bank and the dry cleaners. Should I meet you back here in an hour?”
“Meet me, why? I’ll go with you.”
Diane gave me a sidelong glance. Ah. Diane Krueger, Matchmaker.
Megan realized it the same second.“Mom.”
“I’m sure you’d rather spend time with someone your age after hanging out with Stu and me last night. Go on for now. Enjoy your day.”
I carefully moved my gaze to Megan. Her eyes shone bright, cheeks pink enough to match her lip gloss. “I could use help bringing the decorations to the mansion.”
We both knew that wasn’t true. I didn’t care.
“Visiting the mayor’s mansion,” Diane repeated. “That sounds fun.”
Megan visibly took a breath. Looking at her mom and translating whatever she was reading on her expression, Megan smiled back at me. “Sure. That sounds nice.”
I’d take nice if it meant spending time with her again. As much as I didn’t deserve it, no way would I walk away.
