Page 4 of Goldilocks

“No, it isn’t.” The other tattooed stranger joined them, a scowl firmly in place. Yellow light from the porch shone on his tattooed arms, letting Sam get a better look at the birds flying across his skin: wrens and finches and robins. When he flexed his elbow, the Willie wagtail wagged his tail. A smile crooked up the corners of Sam’s mouth. He lifted his gaze to the man’s face, who looked familiar. Ish. Like a distant-relative familiar. His hair was rusty red, like Sam’s, and his eyes were green, hardly a shade off his own. Definitely a cousin.

Sam slid Mary a look, subtly seeking an introduction, and when she noticed it, her eyes widened in surprise.

“Sam,” she hissed, gesturing not at all subtly to the familiar stranger.

The man stared right at him. Sam racked his memory, but his mind turned up empty. He was tired. It was late. He was getting nothing. “Sorry. I’m sure from Mary’s face that I should know you, but I’m drawing a total blank,” Sam admitted.

Ivan choked on air, and the man’s expression changed. Hurt flared in his eyes, and his lips pressed together tight enough to whiten. Seconds passed before the man’s mouth relaxed and his expression turned blank, the hurt vanishing everywhere except from his eyes.

“I’m Eric,” he said.

Even at that, Sam didn’t know immediately. And then it struck him, and he drew in a surprised breath.

Ivan plucked Mary’s drink away from her and swallowed a long gulp.

Mary freed Sam’s drink from his tense fingers and did the exact same thing, and he wished she hadn’t because the cool drink would have helped fight the heat washing over his face in a wave.

“I’m sorry,” Sam said.

“That was a little cold-blooded,” Mary whispered.

“I haven’t seen him since I was, like, two,” Sam defended himself.

“Ten,” Eric corrected.

“Like, twenty years have passed,” Sam continued.

“Ten,” Eric corrected.

Sam glared at him, but his face was so damn hot he knew he was red all over. His complexion never hid anything. He refocused his ire on Mary. “You couldn’t give me a heads-up?”

“I texted you like twenty times! And yousaidyou read them when you arrived.” Her eyes narrowed.

“I was busy.”

“Doing what?”

Painting the vainest creature on the planet. “Nothing. Boat stuff.”

“Boat stuff.You’re a terrible liar.” Mary’s narrowed eyes filled with suspicion. “Were you hanging out with Connor again?”

Sam groaned. “No.”

“I’ve told you so many times he’s bad news, and I have been proven right over and over—”

“He was acquitted, Mary. All the charges were dropped. In fact, he was the victim—”

“He’s still a grade-A asshole.” Mary downed the rest of her drink. “Thatis what I am always proved right about.”

Connor wasn’t an asshole, but Mary would never see that. Not after everything Sam went through a few summers back because of him. He just sighed. “Think what you want.”

“I will.”

“Great.”

“Because I’m right.”

“Whatever,” Sam said.