Page 69 of Snowed In
I try not to smile at her fake enthusiasm. “Hey. Didn’t know you were out tonight.”
“Neither did I. Aidan dragged me.” Her eyes flick to Hannah. “Hello.”
“Hiya,” she chirps, perfectly polite. And not even a second later: “I’m going to go play some pool.”
“Cool,” Megan says before I can respond, and Hannah doesn’t hesitate in scampering over to the other side of the room.
“I was hoping you guys could talk,” I grumble, sitting opposite her.
She shrugs. “I’m too tired to play nice. I promise I won’t make you speak to Aidan.”
“I can speak to Aidan.”
“Well, he doesn’t want to speak to you,” she says with a hint of amusement. “I don’t think he likes you.”
“What?” I look over to where he’s waiting at the bar, oblivious to my presence. “What did I do?”
“Date his sister?”
“He should be happy about that. I’m considered a real catch around here.”
“Who considers that?”
“My mother,” I say, and she rolls her eyes, flipping a coaster over and over again.
“It’s okay that I’m here, right?” she asks, suddenly sounding a little wary.
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Because I didn’t tell you I was coming?”
I give her a strange look. “I’m not a stalker, Megan. You do you.”
“I just feel like I’ve ambushed your night. You came here to spend time with Hannah.”
“I didn’t come here to spend time with Hannah. Hannah dragged me here because Daniela’s visiting family tonight and if she stays in the house, Mam will give her chores. And then she’ll give me chores.”
She smiles, but she’s not really listening, her attention flicking back and forth between me and where Hannah went.
“You were brilliant today,” I say, and she brightens slightly.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Mam thinks you’re great, and Andrew won’t stop talking about your swimming.”
“So I passed?”
“Flying colors.”
She looks so relieved that I’m mad at myself for not telling her earlier, but then her attention darts away once more, and the coaster flips again.
“Ignore Hannah,” I say, and she’s confused for an instant before she realizes what I mean.
“Oh, no, it’s not her. It’s nothing. Sorry. I’m distracted.”
As if she can’t help herself, she glances over again, and I follow her gaze to the bar, where her brother still waits to order. He hasn’t noticed I’m here. Instead, his eyes are on the pool tables, where Hannah now stands with a small group of people who look like they’re several beers in. I recognize them immediately, even though I’d never have considered them friends back in school. But in a small place like this, you know people even if you don’tknowthem, and as if on cue, one of them looks in our direction before quickly turning away again.
“Aren’t they your friends?”
