Page 11 of Snowed In
Christian follows my gaze, confused.
“Who’s that?” he asks, and I don’t bother lying as David pulls back, intending to catch the attention of a waitress and seeing me instead.
An officially bad day.
“My date.”
THREE
CHRISTIAN
I barely get a glimpse of the guy before Megan plasters herself to my side, sliding her hand around my back as she all but clings to me.
“What are you—”
“Smile.”
“What?”
“Smile!” She orders and waggles her fingers at the man. “Dickhead,” she adds through clenched teeth. “I should have known by his profile.Not looking for someone who takes themselves too seriously.What does that even—”
She inhales sharply as I throw an arm around her shoulder, squeezing her to me. I don’t so much smile as I do smirk at the idiot who obviously messed her around, the same one who now has the gall to look mad about it. But the last thing I want to do is get into a sloppy fistfight in the middle of this shitty pub, and so as soon as he stands, I turn us both and tow her away.
“Wait,” she protests, trying to look back. “I want to—”
“Take the high road,” I tell her, as he calls after her. “Let him flail.”
“Or I could make a scene,” she says hopefully, and I almost laugh as I push our way outside. The rain has stopped, but it’s left a minefield of puddles in its wake, pointedly highlighting every pothole and blocked drain along the street. A few brave souls risk the threat of another downpour as they huddle under an awning, including a group of men in the smoking area to the left of us, clutching their pints as they talk.
“Thanks for looking after me,” Megan says, once we stop. “And for helping me save face.”
“I’m sorry about your date.”
“I’m not,” she mutters, rubbing her hands together. She looks cold.
“You should eat something,” I say, trying to think of a restaurant nearby, but she’s already walking to the side of the road, looking expectantly at the line of cars waiting at the lights up ahead.
“I will at home.”
I frown. “Howare you getting home?”
“Taxi.”
“In Dublin?”
“A fool’s errand, I know.” As if to punctuate her words, the line of cars moves forward, all of them ignoring her outstretched arm. She doesn’t seem fussed though, just takes out her phone, and opens a rideshare app. It doesn’t make me feel any better.
“You want me to walk you out a bit? You’re not going to have any luck around here. Not at this time of night.”
“I’m not that far,” she says. “I’ll give it five more minutes, and then I’ll walk.”
Alone?
Unease slithers through me, making me want to fidget. Well, actually, it makes me want to smoke, but I fidget instead, turning my lighter over and over in my pocket. The night has barely begun, but it’s winter, and it’s dark, and the thought of her going home by herself just doesn’t sit right. “I’d prefer if I went with you.”
She looks surprised. “You want to walk me home?”
“If that’s alright with you.”
