Page 41 of A Christmas Mystery

I frown at him. “You’re just annoyed because you couldn’t best him in that dumb race.”

“It wasn’t a race. But I did best him. I was just as fast as him without any sort of warm-up.”

Rolling my eyes, I say, “So you claim it wasn’t a race, but you know exactly how fast he was going. Uh-huh. When do men stop being little boys?”

“Why aren’t you annoyed with Greg too? He was doing the same thing.”

“I know he was. But it felt like more your fault than his. You started it.”

“I don’t think I did. Besides, how would you even know who started it? You weren’t paying any attention to me since you were caught up in his spell.”

I gasp. “I wasn’t caught up in anyone’s spell! I was having a regular conversation with the man. But if we want to talk about being too distracted to follow through with our plan, let’s talk about you and that woman.”

“What woman?”

“The woman you dropped everything to talk to for a ridiculously long time when you were supposed to be helping me.”

He blinks, as if he’s taken by surprise. “You mean Deanna?”

“I don’t know her name, but she was the only pretty blonde you talked to this evening.”

He shifted into reverse to pull out of the parking space, but now he shifts back into park, turning in his seat to face me. “That wasn’t anything. She came over to say hi. What was I supposed to do?”

“You weren’t supposed to do anything. I’m just saying you don’t have a leg to stand on in terms of being too distracted to notice things.”

He’s still staring at me. Confused and still surprised and also something that looks a lot like excitement. “Are you jealous?”

My spine stiffens. “Of course not. I’m never jealous.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. And there’s nothing to be jealous about here.”

“Are you serious? Why the hell do you think I got into that alpha-male showdown with Greg just now? You think I wasn’t jealous too?”

My face has grown hot now. I stare down at my clenched hands. “I’m not a jealous person. I’ve never been that way.” I sniff. “I’d like to drop the subject now.”

“Okay.” He’s relaxed from his bristles. In fact, he might actually be hiding a smile as he puts the car back into reverse, pulls out of the parking spot, and then drives out of the lot and onto the street. “Do you want to get something to eat?”

“What?”

“Eat? Are you hungry? I haven’t had dinner yet, and I just ran a race.”

“I thought you said it wasn’t a race!”

“I was lying to preserve my dignity. It was definitely a race, and I won it.” He’s grinning for real now. It makes my heart melt in a seriously unnerving way. “So do you want to get something to eat?”

“I guess that would be okay.”

I thought when he suggested food, he meant we’d grab something quick on the way, but he takes me to a little downtown café that must be new because I have no memory of it.

It’s a cute place, and we get a private table in the far corner. I get a salad topped with all kinds of yummy stuff, and Theo gets a chicken sandwich. We talk about the men remaining on my list. Then we talk about our families and about Chris and about all kinds of fun times we remember from school.

We stay there for almost two hours, and I can’t believe it’s so late when the server gives us a hint that they’re going to be closing soon.

We only get a few steps out the door before I realize I forgot my gloves, so Theo goes to retrieve them.

The night is cool and crisp but not cold. When Theo suggests we walk around, I have no reason to say no. The Christmas lights are all illuminated, and the mood is festive.

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