Page 9 of Just Add Mistletoe

Should Malcom say something? Had he imagined everything? Whatever was actually going on, he had been annoyed at the interruption of frantic texts from Penny, until he realized it would get him out of the nearly three-hour date.

It might be after eleven p.m. now, but he was far from tired. Besides, Ian was a cool guy—about the only person who’d been friendly at the gym. But Malcom wasn’t fooling himself. The only reason he agreed to accept a drink and then a bowl of chicken tortilla soup was because he was intrigued by Lori. Not that he was thinking of asking her out—she might have a boyfriend—but because he could tell there was a lot going on behind those blue eyes of hers. For some reason, she’d hardly spoken a word. And it made him curious.

In his line of work, the women he was around were outspoken and shared their opinions readily. Lori seemed the opposite. Did she own that shop, or did she just work there? Why was she wearing cat earrings again? These ones were small blackcats perched on tiny brooms. Was she the proverbial cat woman? Or a Halloween enthusiast? She wore all black again—a black sweatshirt and leggings.

“This is really good,” Malcom said, because he felt like everyone in the kitchen was watching him eat.

Lori sat at the other end of the island. Brandy and Ian were leaning against each other, arms around one another, looking cozy. Maybe Lori didn’t have a boyfriend—otherwise wouldn’t he be here? Hanging out?

“How have you liked Everly Falls?” Ian asked. “I mean, after the protest on your first excavation day?”

Malcom wiped his mouth with a napkin. “It’s been quiet for the most part. I mean, the protestors are still camping out—which is a bit strange. Maybe they’re professional protestors and go from town to town?”

Ian laughed, and Malcom caught a smile on Lori’s face. For some reason, that made him pleased.

“That would be truly wild,” Brandy said. “Except I know the names of each and every one. At least my mom gave up after the first day.”

Malcom felt like he’d swallowed a rock. “Oh, I’m sorry—will your mom be mad you’re talking to me?”

Brandy grinned and shrugged. “No one has to know.”

Malcom glanced over at Lori. “Was that the woman who called me a devil in your shop?’

Brandy gasped. “Shedid?”

Lori’s smile appeared. She had those straight teeth that had to be either from braces or perfect genetics. “She did. I think Brandy’s right. No one has to know about you being here.”

Malcom chuckled. “All right. Fair enough. Trying to keep family relations happy. I get it.” He looked back to Ian. “Does one of you own this place?”

“No, we’re just renting it for the weekend,” Ian said. “A bunch of us are here—the rest have already gone to bed.”

“Yeah, my sister and her husband are here,” Brandy added. “Also, Julie and her husband Dave. Plus our high school friend Stephenie and her boyfriend. I guess he went to high school with us too—although it was only for a short time . . .”

Brandy continued to rattle on about Cal Conner and his speckled past with his parents—was that something the guy wanted to be public? And as interesting and entertaining as Brandy might be, Malcom kind of wanted to just talk to Lori. She was definitely looking at him plenty—not that he was reading anything into it. In all the people Brandy had listed, it seemed there wasn’t anyone paired up with Lori.

When Brandy ran out of her rundown on the others staying in the house, Malcom said, “Oh, so you were all high school friends? Grew up in Everly Falls together?”

“Yeah,” she confirmed. “It’s kind of amazing we’re all still here and we’re all still best friends.”

“That is amazing,” he said. “I haven’t kept in touch with any of my high school friends. I wouldn’t even go to a reunion if they had one.”

“Bad high school experience?” Lori asked.

Malcom hesitated, mostly because Lori was the one who asked the question. He’d finished his soup, so he rose and crossed to the sink to wash out the bowl. “I was a transfer, and everyone hated me from the beginning.”

“What? Why?” Brandy asked.

Malcom turned from the sink and folded his arms. “I moved in with my dad and stepbrother after my mom remarried and moved to Costa Rica. Bronson’s parents had been divorced for a while, and his dad was still in the picture, so I was definitely the odd man out most of the time. I focused on sports most of the time. Bronson and I are the same age, and we were competitive,to say the least. When I became the starter on the basketball team, playing over him, he was upset. Understandably. But when football started, I was picked as starting receiver, and my brother didn’t talk to me for a month.”

“You played both sports?” Lori asked.

Malcom met her blue gaze. “Small town—we played every sport.”

The edges of her mouth quirked. “Oh, so you know how small towns are steeped in tradition?”

“I do.” He shrugged. “Bronson forgave me when we won the regional title, then state title.”

“In football?” Ian asked.

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