Page 56 of Texting My Secret Santa

“No?” Dan says, confused.

Is that suspicion I hear in his voice? Dan has always been an intelligent, perceptive person. When we were kids, he was the brains. I was the brawn. That changed as I studied more diligently and became engrossed with computers, cell phones, and other electronics.

“Why not?” Dan asks. “Don’t give me this crap about not wanting to get him into trouble. He deserves it.”

“I lost it,” Holly says. “I know it must be around here somewhere. I remember sticking it someplace because I didn’t want to think about it. It might even be in my car. When I find it, I’ll let you know, okay?”

Dan looks at Holly, then at me with a question, raising his eyebrow. “Okay … Asher, want to walk with me? If you’re done here?”

Crap. This is bad.

“Sure.”

I want to look at Holly and share one moment before everything comes tumbling down. She knows I’m her Secret Santa, and she was happy, which is probably a misguided feeling, considering Dan may be about to forbid us from ever doing anything like this again.

“Let’s take the stairs,” Dan says, walking through the office.

He wants to get me alone in the stairwell. My body is still surging with the aftershocks of what I did with his sister.

As I expected, he stops in the stairwell, looking around to ensure nobody is watching us.

“Does Holly seem like she’s acting weird to you?”

“I hardly know her.” I stare at the wall just above his head. I can’t meet his eye.

“Fair enough, but you’ve spent time with her since you came home. The toy drive, your mom’s place. Based on that, is she acting differently?”

“A little, maybe.” I’m a scumbag.

“I don’t believe she lost that phone. I think she’s still hung up on this nepotism crap. It doesn’t matter how often I tell her she doesn’t need to feel guilty. Sheearnedher spot. She still punishes herself for it.”

“She doesn’t want to look like she’s getting special treatment,” I shrug.

“Sheneverhas,” Dan says, exasperated. “Listen, if Derek returns, try to find a moment to swipe his Secret Santa phone. It’s not stealing since this is company property, anyway. We need to know what he said to get her so shaken up.”

I can’t do this. He’ll see the flirting and the nicknames, all while thinking it’s Derek. Then Derek will reveal that he took the phone from my desk drawer. Dan will discover that it’s me who’s been texting his sister. When he reads the text about their dad being a traveling salesman, I won’t have any deniability.

He knowsIknow that story.

I’m trapped in a maze with no way out except lying to my best friend.

“I’ll do my best.”

He claps me on the arm. “Thanks, Asher. You’re a good friend.”

He has no clue how wrong he is.

Holly:Any sign of Derek?She texts my real number now. I’m her not-so-secret Santa.

Me:No,I reply.

Holly:If he comes back, he might tell everyone he found the phone in your desk.

Me:I was thinking the same, I text.I don’t know what to do, Snowflake.

Holly:I think we both know what we have to do.

I drum my fingers against the desk. Or maybe it’s more like I’m whacking it in frustration. I know where she’s going with this, and I don’t like it one bit.

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