Page 77 of 12 Days of Mistletoe

It’s not that I really want my sister absent from this chat. But her judgments mean more to me than a girl I hardly know.

Me: We painted pictures of each other today. He added my tattoo.

I don’t even know if Autumn knows about my tattoo. I just assume, for my heart’s sake, that Meg has told her. If she hasn’t, I’m confident she will in a separate text thread.

Me: He didn’t pretend it didn’t exist, and I don’t know—I just liked that. Then he asked to see it close up. He told me he had googled it. He’d investigated it. He knew what it meant. And he didn’t run away.

Autumn: He sees you. He likes you. You’re important enough to take time for.

Three little thinking ellipses pop up with my sister’s name next to them. I wait, but no text from Meg comes through. She must be deciding whether to publish or delete her comment.

Me: And then he told me I was strong. I’m not sure anyone’s ever told me that before.

Me: And then… I flirted. Like big-time flirting. Relentless flirting.

Autumn: Good for you!

Me: Really?

Autumn: Yes. You wanted to flirt and you did. No denying, see? That’s what we’re attempting to avoid. You’re already a mile ahead of me.

Autumn: Of course—I’d known Ezra for years. You’ve just met Elliot.

That’s a Meg thing to bring up.

Me: Meg’s texting you separately. Isn’t she?

Me: Fine, Meg—say your piece! But say it to me.

Meg: I just think you should be careful.

Me: Says the woman who ran off to Hawaii and fell in love in a week.

Autumn: She’s right, Meg. If you’re pushing for not enough time, you’re the worst person to preach it.

I give Autumn’s response a great big thumbs up.

Autumn: All right. So, you flirted. And now you want him to come up to your place.

Meg: Shirtless.

Me: Maybe. But you said to revisit feelings after the pretending part was over.

Autumn: I did. I also said maybe you should talk to him about the feelings and plan to revisit.

Me: Well, that sounds terrifying.

Autumn: Just be honest. Send that man a text. I’ll spell it out for you. You can copy and paste what I write if you want.

Wow. Autumn is helpful. Maybe I should consider her more than just Meg’s bestie. We could be friends too, right?

Autumn: Hey, hottie—time to come upstairs and make passionate love beneath the Christmas tree. You in?

Okay, I spoke too soon.

Me: Are you serious?

Meg: She’s teasing you, Bon.

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