“Tradition,” he said, gesturing to the tangle of lights and antlers. “Wouldn’t be Christmas without near electrocution and whisky.”
“Touching,” I said dryly. “And here I was worried Reckless River had changed.”
He gave me that lazy once-over. It was the one that used to make me forget words existed.
Drew’s gorgeous green eyes locked on mine. “Some things stay the same.”
Lydia coughed into her scarf to hide a laugh. Callum wasn’t even pretending.
I narrowed my eyes. “Shouldn’t you two be inside spreading joy or whatever it is joyfully happy people do?”
“Helping hang lightsisjoy,” Callum said.
“Sure,” I said, “if you’re into frostbite.”
“Mel,” Lydia said, her voice syrupy with patience. “You could try not being a menace for one evening.”
“I’m not a menace,” I said. “I’m merely festive-adjacent.”
Drew snorted. “That right? Because last time I checked, you were allergic to Christmas cheer.”
“I’m not allergic,” I said. “I just break out in hives around people who use the word cheer.”
He grinned, that infuriatingly slow grin that crept up one side of his face like mischief incarnate. “Still quick with the comebacks.”
“Still quick with the assumptions.”
Callum leaned toward Lydia, stage-whispering, “They’re flirting again.”
“We’re not flirting,” we said in unison.
Drew’s eyes glinted, and then he whispered, “We’re not?”
“Definitely not,” I informed him.
He took a few steps closer, snow crunching under his boots. “Then why are you blushing?”
“I’m cold.”
“It’s not even freezing.” His smile only grew.
“Then I’mangry,” I snapped, even though he was right. My cheeks were burning with every emotion I pretended did not exist around him.
He chuckled, low and rough, the sound curling down my spine like heat. I hated that my body still remembered him like muscle memory.
His tattoos. His dark hair and green eyes. His full lips.
Lydia stepped forward, clapping her mittened hands. “Okay, before we freeze solid, why don’t we get you two inside? I’ll make cocoa. You can, I don’t know, arm wrestle or something.”
Drew looked at me, one brow raised. “Unless you’re scared to lose again.”
I crossed my arms. “Please. You only beat me because you cheated.”
“How does someone cheat at arm wrestling?”
“You distracted me.”
“With what?”
