Page 55 of Snowed In
“It’s a small team,” he clarifies. “But they’re…” he trails off as Aidan appears in the doorway, one hand freezing mid-scratch against his stomach when he sees us.
“Well, look who’s alive,” Mam says pointedly, but Aidan doesn’t seem to hear her, all his attention focused on Christian.
Christian who acts like they’re best friends. “Aidan,” he says cheerfully. “Welcome home. How’s Australia?”
“Warm,” he grunts, shooting me a look before heading over to the fridge.
“You remember Christian?” Mam asks. “He went to school with—”
“Yep,” he says, not looking at any of us.
Oh boy. I glare at my brother as he pours a glass of orange juice, but Christian doesn’t so much as bat an eyelid.
Mam also seems to sense her son’s tone and shifts on her stool, drawing our attention back to her. “You never told me how you two met.”
“She poured a glass of wine over me,” Christian says and looks at me with such convincing affection that I almost blush. Then he ruins it. “While on a date with another man.”
“I wasn’t on a date,” I protest. “I was supposed to be on one, but he…never showed,” I finish, not exactly wanting to tell her that I saw him making out with someone else.
“Megan,” Mam says, disapproving. “You shouldn’t speak to men who treat women like that.”
“Everyone treats everyone like that,” I mutter.
“It all worked out,” Christian says easily. “For me, anyway.”
Aidan’s expression sours further, and he doesn’t look at us as he grabs his cereal bowl and vanishes back up the stairs like he’s twelve.
Mam pretends she doesn’t notice. “So, what’s the plan for today?”
“I was hoping to bring Megan around for lunch,” Christian says. “Introduce her to the family.”
You’d swear my mother had never heard better news in her life, and I feel a little guilty at how happy she looks. “We should have your parents around too,” she says. “Do you think they’ll have time before Christmas?”
“I’m sure we’ll make time,” Christian says, as my stomach keeps twisting.
“I’ll go get dressed,” I mutter, and I rush out of the room. I don’t feel too bad about leaving him alone with Mam with the way they’re getting on, but I don’t love it either, so I throw on a pair of dark jeans and my favorite sweater before slapping on some foundation. Mascara, earrings, and a classic messy bun help complete the look of Christian’s-nice-new-totally-normal-girlfriend, and I tug on my boots as I leave my room.
Aidan’s door remains firmly shut the entire time, and I’m definitely going to give him a piece of my mind later, but Christian doesn’t seem too fussed, waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs, my red coat in his hands.
“Your Mam’s phone rang twice before she felt she had to pick it up,” he explains, when I look around for her. “I think it’s the caterers.”
“She likes you.”
“Of course, she does,” he says. “I’m extremely likable.”
“Humble too,” I say, as I follow him out. It’s a sunny day, but early enough that there’s still some frost on the hills.
“Your brother, on the other hand,” Christian continues.
“He’s just hungover.”
“I thought he was going to threaten me to a duel.”
“Please,” I grumble. “Your family’s going to be a million times worse.”
“How do you figure that?”
“Because there’s more of them?” I say, kicking at the gravel as he leads me to the car.
