“So, what’s the deal with this club you’re in?”
“What’s the deal?”
She shrugs. “I just don’t get the appeal. Is that how you earn a living?”
“That’s really none of your business.”
“Well, we’re business partners. I should know who I’m getting into bed with here.”
“Nice offer, but no thanks,” I tease.
“Don’t be crude. You know what I meant.”
“Look, the land we just inherited has got to be worth a good bit. We hang onto it the for the required year, then sell to a developer. That’s my plan.”
“Well, it’s not mine.”
“You got the funds to buy me out? Because the last thing I want to do is run a damn Christmas tree farm.”
“When’s the last time you were even there? What do you even know about the place?”
“Last time I was there, I was in high school. What about you?
“Two Christmases ago. Before your grandmother passed. We got our tree there, of course. After your grams died, your grandfather didn’t open up again. I think it took the life out of him when he lost her.”
“I’m sure it did.”
“She was a sweet woman.”
“She was.” I cock my head. “Where’d my lame brother find a girl like you?”
There’s a lot in that sentence, and I watch her unpack it. She takes a sip of her water, and I can see in her eyes she’s trying to decide how much to share.
“We met online.”
I scoff. “Figures.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means David was never great at making connections. Most saw through his slick bullshit right off the bat.”
“That’s no way to talk about your brother. Didn’t you two ever get along?”
“When we were young, I actually looked up to him. That was before I got old enough to realize he never gave a damn about me. I was just a scapegoat to him.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it? How long were you two together?”
“This year would have been our tenth anniversary. You’d know that if you bothered to come to the wedding.” She jabs her straw into her ice.
“I’m sure my brother was happy I didn’t show up. Let’s not pretend otherwise.”
“Fine. With your sparkling personality, I’m sure he was.”
“You had plenty of time to see the real David. Don’t pretend he was a different man from the one I remember.”
“You’re impossible.”
