Page 56 of Acting Merry
My heart contracts for a beat, but it doesn’t release. It just stays like that, tight and uncomfortable, like Reesejust reminded all of us that this is temporary without spilling the beans that it’s also fake.
I rub my chest with a hand and go down the stairs, making sure my feet are noisy enough to alert Reese and Megan to my presence.
They glance over and both smile. But Reese’s is just a bit…off.
“How can I help?” I ask.
“If you’re brave enough to venture outside,” Megan says, “Brady’s grilling the bacon.”
“Say less.” I grin and salute.
It’s warmer than it was yesterday, and there’s even some dripping from the icicles hanging off the roof, but that balmy shift is lost on me as I step into the cold. I’m still trying to figure out how to process Reese’s comment to Megan.
This whole time we’ve been trying to convince people we’re really into each other, and her comment felt like a big, fat step in the other direction.
Brady turns, a cloud of steam acting like a backdrop behind him.
“Reporting for duty,” I say.
“Oh, sweet. I just finished the first batch and was about to put on the second.” He nods at an open package of raw bacon strips.
I go over and start draping them on the grill.
“So,” Brady says. “You and Reese.”
I let out a laugh. What a way to start a conversation.Very smooth. I get the feeling he’s been wanting to have this talk for a while.
“Yup,” I say.
“How’s that going?”
What does he expect me to say?Terrible. You were right to break up with her.
“Amazing,” I say, ignoring the little tweak in my chest as I think of her comment to Megan. “She’s incredible. But I don’t need to tellyouthat.”
I couldn’t help myself.
He gives a little chuckle. “Yeah. Reese is great.”
I steal a sidelong glance at him. He’s got a littlevbetween his brows as he turns the bacon way before it’s time.
“It’s kinda weird watching her with you,” he says, a frown on his brow.
“Why’s that?”
He shrugs. “She’s just so…into you. When she and I were dating, she never really feltin, if that makes sense. Kinda like she was just going along with it because it was easy. Maybe I expected her to read my mind too much.” He smiles wryly. “You know what she said when I broke up with her?”
I shake my head, my curiosity completely roused.
“I didn’t even wanna break up,” he says. “I just wanted some indication from her that she actually wanted to be with me. But all she said was,I understand. Zero fight, you know?” He shrugs. “She must’ve been ready to let it go.”
I don’t say anything for a few seconds. I can’t tell why he’s saying this to me. Is it because he’s still in love with her?
“But you’re with Megan now.” I feel like it’s important to bring this fact to the forefront—to remind him of his choices.
“Yeah,” he says with a smile. “I am.”
Okay, that smile is interesting. I was starting to wonder if he’d actually pursued Megan to get a reaction out of Reese.
