Page 26 of The Night

For… political reasons?

I looked at Liam who gave an exaggerated shrug that said I’d made my bed and now I could lie in it.

“My parents and my sister and brother ate dinner at my parents’ house, which is a few hours from here. I’m a firefighter and I was on duty that day, so I ate at work.”

“Did you haveturkey?”

“I did. And potatoes, which are better than turkey.”

“Agreed,” she said after a moment’s thought. “And pie?”

“Of course, pie. There are no holidays without pie.”

“Or cake.”

“Mmmm. I’m gonna disagree with you there,” I said, folding my arms over my chest. “Pie is the superior dessert.”

She pondered this, then nodded. “Apple pie or pumpkin?”

“Apple.”

“Whipped cream or ice cream?”

“Both.”

“Chocolate pie or pecan?”

“I already told you, apple. I’m a one pie kinda guy.”

“Do you celebrate Christmas?”

I shrugged. “I might go see my family, and I always buy presents for my nephews. Is that celebrating?”

“Why don’t you have any Christmas decorations?”

“Because it’s annoying to put them up, annoying to take them down, dangerous to have them around, and they’re essentially meaningless?”

“Dangerous how?”

“Because some of them can start fires and others can make firesworse.”

She lifted an eyebrow. “If they’re so dangerous, why do lots of people still put them up?”

“Because lots of people do foolish things?”

“But maybe you could havesomedecorations thataren’tdangerous.”

I shook my head. “Christmas decorations are a slippery slope, kid. One minute you’re hanging a stocking, the next minute you’ve got an inflatable sleigh on your front lawn.”

“What’s your middle name?”

I grinned. “Still not telling.”

“Hmm. Why don’t you have friends over for dinner?”

“Back to that?” I shrugged again. “Maybe because people ask too many questions?”

She grinned. “I like you.”