Page 33 of Red Flag, Green Light

Mars: Since when is there a point to anything I do?

Brian: Since always.

Got me there.

Lifting my attention off the screen, I find Ceres with her forehead against her desk. As she gently lifts and drops, lifts and drops, Amelia’s voice lilts from the device beside her skull.

“—beautiful what he’s doing for his coworkers. Genius, too! A Countdown to Valentine’s Day issogood for morale. He’s a blessing. A gift. An angel. I wish he’d never left Bandera. Can you imagine how magical it would be if we worked together? Do Walmarts have mailrooms?”

Mars: Do Walmarts have mailrooms?

Brian: No. Not like they should.

Brian: Are you talking with Amelia Christmas?

Oh? Lips curling, I sit up a little straighter. Brian, Brian, Brian…what’s this about you not only knowing that Amelia Christmas works at Walmart but also her being the first thing that comes to mind when Walmart is mentioned?

Perhaps there’s hope for a Christmas miracle yet.

Mars: No? Why?

Brian’s typing bubbles appear and disappear several times until minutes stretch between now and my last reply. Finally, heoffers a riveting:

Brian: No reason.

Brian: Mail’s here! Bye!

Fine. Keep your secrets, mail boy.

“Little goddess,” I say, and Amelia gasps, going dead silent as though she forgot I was here. Because apparently that’s happening a lot today. Maybe I’m just a forgettable person.

Dragging her gaze to me, Ceres arches a single brow without lifting her head off her desk.

I smile, amicably, and point at our carrot cake. “Breakfast?”

“Breakfast,” she echoes. “I gotta go, Mellie.”

“Breakfast? But it’s well past noo—”

Ceres hangs up, pulls herself from her desk chair, and approaches me—a rush of long skirts, grace, and beauty.

My heart rate stumbles when she seats herself on the floor past the coffee table and peers at me expectantly.

We need plates. I do not have plates. I did not think to bring plates…

ButI do have a camera fixed on her kitchen window and the virtual walkthrough for this floorplan saved on my computer. Occasionally, I meander through it. And byoccasionally, I do mean every other day. It’s an excellent habit to have while I wait for my carrot cakes to cool.

So, I go get plates as if I live here, because one day I will, and I do ever so love being prepared.

Chapter Ten

In lieu of bad decisions, there will be Taco Bell.

Ceres

Top one hundred in the Amazon store.

That’s my girl.

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