Page 29 of Acting Merry
I look over at him, and his eyes meet mine.
“For Bree,” he says.
“For Bree,” I repeat, hoping I don’t sound as breathless as I feel.
He pulls up the picture and looks at it for a minute.
I’m dying to know what he’s thinking.
“That’s going on the ‘Gram,” he says.
“But not on your business account…”
He chuckles. “The gingerbread houses in the backgroundmightbe able to count for marketing, but no. This one’s going on my personal page. Speaking of which…we should probably follow each other. Bree will undoubtedly check. Probably already has.”
We exchange account information, and I get back to the dishes before I can succumb to the desire to go through his feed. Maybe I’m more like Bree than I care to admit.
“Hey”—he nudges me with his elbow—“you sure you don’t wanna stay the night?”
I let the warm water from the faucet run over the suds on the plate he hands me until the water runs clear. Part of me does want to stay—the part that’s enjoying this game with Cole.
But the other part of me realizes the smart thing is to stop while we’re ahead. To stop exactly when we said we would.
“No.” I set the plate on the drying rack since the dishwasher is already full and running. “We should get going soon.”
“Okay,” he says, his tone easy.
Hannah pops up next to me. “Thanks for doing those.” She smiles at Cole. “Reese knows I hate dishes. Looks like you’re almost done, though. We’ll start the movie in ten.” She squeezes my shoulders, then leaves.
I glance at Cole, and he lifts a brow likeare we staying for the movie?
It’s nine o’clock, and we have an hour-plus drive ahead of us.
But then it’s over. The carriage turns back into a pumpkin, and Cole turns into…notmy fake boyfriend.
“Fine,” I say. “We can stay for the movie. But we’re leaving right after.”
“Agreed.”
We wash up and head to the huge gray sectional that faces a large mounted TV with a pine bough strung above. Christmas pillows cover the couch, and a wicker basket of blankets flanks either end. Hannah and Tyler are already snuggled up while she points a remote at the TV and the others get situated.
“Shoot,” Hannah says. “I thought it was on Netflix. Who has Disney+?”
I raise my hand and put the other out for the remote. “Whether I can remember my login information is another matter.” I sit on the arm of the couch and start thelaborious process of typing in my email address while Cole grabs a blanket and takes the seat next to me.
My eyes drift to Brady and Megan. They’re on the opposite end of the couch—probably not by accident—on the long chaise part. Brady’s back rests against the cushion behind him, his knees bent, while Megan sits between them.
My mind flashes back to a night when Brady and I watched a movie at his place. There was no intertwining of bodies as we watched. We sat next to each other. Like normal humans.
Megan’s gaze flicks to mine, and there’s a hint of uncertainty in her eyes.
I smile at her, then finish putting in what I hope is my password.
“Success!” I say, raising my arms in victory when it works.
“Get over here, you.” Cole pulls me ruthlessly from the arm of the couch.
I fall onto his lap, and his arm catches me behind the back. Keeping it there, he helps me shift my legs so I’m beside him instead of on top of him, then he drapes the blanket over us.
