Page 74 of Deck the Fire Halls

“Sooo,” he began.

“No details,” I said, putting my hands up.

He sighed dramatically, then spoke to Braithe and Gunter. “Good evening,” he said cheerfully. “What a wonderful night for some delicious pizza and some details on the newest Hartbridge Christmas Cupid victim.”

I laughed. “Victim?”

The three of them laughed and nodded. It was absurd.

“I do not kiss and tell,” I declared.

Hamish met my gaze. “But there’s been kissing.”

“Oh, yes.”

“And? There’s more, I can tell.”

“We . . .”

“Oh my god, you got railed,” Hamish said. “It wasafter the bike ride, wasn’t it? Because that was hot as fuck.”

I didn’t have to answer because my face betrayed me with a searing blush.

“Oh my god,” Hamish said. Thank god no one was paying us any attention because he was loud. “Spill the deets.”

“I already said, I don’t kiss and tell.”

“Yes, but there’s a difference between kiss and tell and getting railed and telling us,” Braithe said.

“I don’t do either,” I said. They all stared at me, and I relented a smile. “I’m not saying anything... except...” I had their complete attention and this whole meeting was all so ridiculous. “Except, nothing. No details.”

“Bike ride?” Gunter asked.

Hamish tapped the table in front of the other two, as if he had the gossip of the century. “Oh, yes. The other day I just happened to be at the store, working very hard, staring out the window, when who should I see pull up on his big sexy Harley Davidson motorbike but Soren. Andwhooooshould be on the bikewithhim but our very good doctor here.”

Gunter and Braithe both smiled at me. “Really?” Braithe asked. “Doubling. You had to hold on to him and everything?”

Hamish nudged me with his elbow, his smile very knowing. “Oh, I think they’re well past the holding onto him stage. You can say you don’t kiss and tell, but your face gives you away.”

My face flamed and I hoped the red décor and lights made it unnoticeable.

Hamish’s little wiggle-dance in the seat told me otherwise. “I knew it.”

I had to tell them something. There was no point in denying it, and if anyone here understood the absurdity of it all, it’d be these guys.

“We’re dating,” I admitted.

Braithe did a little clap. “Oooh, yay!”

Gunter just smiled warmly at me. “I’m happy for you.”

“It’s this town,” Hamish said. “I keep telling y’all.”

“Y’all?” Braithe asked in his slightly affronted English accent. “Did you just say y’all?”

Hamish grimaced. “It’s terrible. I’ve been binge-watching the Atlanta Housewives. And I miss Jayden. He’s been working so much lately, I’m losing my Australianisms.”

“He’s working tonight?” Gunter asked.

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