Page 10 of Acting Merry
You know what has seven wheels?
Absolutely nothing.
A vivid image presents itself to my psyche: me icing a gingerbread man to the sound of my three friends making out with their significant others.
I shudder.
I can just…not go. I’ll figure out some excuse. Maybe I can slip on the ice while packing up my car or fall down a mountainside while skiing.
Sure, I don’t ski, but that’s what would make it so believable.
They’ll know, though. They’ll know I’m avoiding the situation, and I hate that thought. I wish I could just waltz into the cabin and smile at Brady and Megan with not a care in the world and no willow-wearing. I wish I was asnonchalant as Laney encouraged me to be—so full of pluck and so focused on sucking every bit of adventure out of life that Megan and Brady wouldn’t faze me.
“Reese,” Hannah says, her voice full of suspicion. “Are yousure?”
I laugh like she’s being ridiculous and hope she doesn’t hear the crazed undertones. “Of course I am!”
“But will it be weird?”
“Not because ofme.”
“I don’t just mean weird in that way. I meant weird like…will you feel left out? I really didn’t intend for this to become a couples thing, I promise.”
Headlights illuminate my driveway as Cole’s car pulls in. His door opens, and his head of blond hair rises into sight. He’s honestly beautiful, this man who was my fake boyfriend for five minutes.
My heart beats a quick pace against my ribs, and I swear I can hear the faint but rhythmic whisper of it saying,you’re crazy. You’re crazy. You’re crazy.Even louder is Laney’s voice in my head as she gleefully rubs her hands together over the idea and says,Do it!
“I’ll bring someone too,” I blurt out while the idea is still only half-baked.
A surprised laugh bursts from Hannah. “Bring who?”
“I’ve kind of been dating someone,” I say, winging it in a way even Laney might side-eye.
It’s a lie. A total and complete lie, which makesmea total and complete liar. But in this moment, that soundspreferable to a total and complete seventh wheel. Or the girl who fell down a mountain to avoid seeing PDA between her ex and her friend.
“Reese Witherspoon Cameron,” Hannah says severely. “You’re dating someone and you didn’t tell me?”
“It’s new,” I defend. So. So. New.
“Ty!” Hannah calls to her husband. “Reese has a new man in her life!”
A muffled cheer sounds in the background.
“I actually have to go because the man in my life just got here,” I say, throwing the blanket from my lap as Cole approaches onto the porch.
What am Isaying? This is insane. This can’t be what Laney meant.
“Ugh,” Hannah says. “I’m so happy for you but also so mad you’re leaving me on that cliffhanger. But I guess I’ll get to see him in two days, right? Ah! This is turning out perfectly after all! Do you want to tell Megan, or should I?”
“You can.” I’m not prepared just yet to dig my heels into the lie I just told.
Hannah and I hang up just as Cole knocks. I’d planned to change out of my scrubs before he got here, but he’s a bit early, and I kind of forgot he was coming over amidst the chaos of finding out Brady will be joining the best part of my holidays.
I take in a big breath and open the door.
As a dental hygienist, fixation on people’s smiles is ajob hazard. I see amazing smiles, totally average ones, and truly disturbing ones.
Cole Bradley has a nice smile. Like, really nice.
