Page 20 of Better Than the Beach
I flick my eyes to Cassie quickly before looking back at my brother. I haven’t told her about Colleen. And even though we aren’t anything—won’t have anything beyond this snowy extended layover—I feel like she deserves to hear the story directly from me in private, and not through misspoken gossip between my meddling older brothers.
“Solo,” I tell Craig cryptically with a nod. “And will likely be solo from now on.”
“Well, I wish I could lie and say I’m sorry to hear it...” Craig says, just as Duncan cuts him off with the signature Montrose boys’ troublemaking grin.
“But we’re definitelynotsorry, and Ma would box our ears if we lied.”
I huff, then turn to Cassie, meeting her wide, interested eyes with a smile.
“Cassie, these are two of my older brothers, Craig and Duncan. You know Mallory, and this is her husband, Patrick.” I point to each person as I introduce them, and Cassie sends each of them a soft smile in greeting. “Everyone, this is Cassie.”
“Sorry you got snowed in with Professor Serious.” Duncan gestures to me with a wink. I roll my eyes, used to the teasing. “Least Ma’s house is festive and it beats sleepin’ in the airport.”
“It definitely beats the airport,” Cassie says with a laugh. “AndProfessor Serioushasn’t beentoobad. He’s pretty good company, actually.”
“Oh, he must not have bored you with all his psych talk yet,” Craig jokes. I shake my head and try to act annoyed.
“I like the psychology talk,” Cassie defends, and while I feel everyone’s eyes train toward me, mine won’t budge from Cassie’s. Her sparkling irises dance with an inside humor that only she and I share. “You can bore me with the psychology talk anytime you’d like, Professor.”
I’m sure someone else says something smart assy—probably Duncan—but I don’t pay any attention. I just hold Cassie’s gaze and try to keep myself from picking her up and carrying her back to her room for round five.
“Alright, elves, stop dawdling, we have things to do.” My mom’s voice breaks through the haze and Cassie and I both look toward her. She grins, claps once, then starts barking out orders. “Craig and Patrick, you can load up these gifts from the living room. Duncan, you and Nolan can get the rest of the packages from the garage. Mallory, you, me, and Cassie can head to the community center and start decorating.”
I reach into my pocket and pull out the snowmobile keys just as Ma turns to me, sticks out her palm, and raises an eyebrow.
“Keys,” she states firmly.
I don’t budge.
“Keys, Nolan Blair.”
“Oh, she middle-named you.” I hear Duncan say, and my mom swats behind her, hitting him in the gut.
“Mallory can drive you,” I say slowly. My mom doesn’t drop her hand.
“Nolan, I’ve been driving one of those rigs longer than you’ve been alive. Give me those keys. Now.”
I glance over her shoulder at my older brothers. Both are subtly shaking their heads no. I flick my eyes to Mallory and she’s mouthing the words “don’t do it” over and over again. I start to curl my hand around the keys when my mother clears her throat.
“Nolan Blair Montrose, do not make me say it again.”
I close my eyes, and I hear Duncan and Craig sigh as I surrender the snowmobile keys into my mother’s outstretched hand. She then brings her other hand to my face and pats my cheek.
“You’re a good boy, Nolan. That’s why I love you more than your brothers.”
She pushes past me and out the door, then my brothers shove past me, making sure to knock their shoulders into me as they go.
“You’re on search squad next time she goes missing,” Craig says.
“Yeah, and if she takes out any more mailboxes, you’re replacing those, too,” Duncan adds.
"That was one time!” I hear my mom holler from outside and I sigh, then look at Cassie to find her stifling a giggle.
“Nolan Blair Montrose, are you a mama’s boy?” she whispers, lips twitching with the need to stretch over her face. I shrug in confirmation.
“Come on,” I say as I take her hand. “Let’s get you suited up.”
I take Cassie to the large coat closet by the back door and pull out snow pants, a snow jacket, a pair of boots, and a helmet.
