Nessa and Hamish are still near the Christmas tree, and they smile at me, but each of the other faces land on mine with a measure of interest.
Except Blair. She seems bored.
“Thank you for coming tonight! Jack and I are so glad to have all our friends here in one place. After the last few days especially,because we’re tired of our own company.” There’s polite laughter.
“I thought you prayed in the storm for the days off,” a man calls from the back wall.
“No, Marcus. We all know that was you,” she counters, to the sound of real laughter. “Primary school teacher,” she explains, probably for my benefit. “So, Gavin’s brought a friend, and I thought it would be easier to introduce you all at once. This is Callie from California. Should be easy to remember, eh? Be nice to her, because her entire family got stuck on the other side of that storm.”
Well, half of my family is still in the States, but I won’t correct her. Katie doesn’t waste any time. She hits play on the music immediately and the din of conversation rises louder than it was before the break.
“Should we dance?” Nat asks when “All I Want for Christmas Is You” comes on.
Katie looks around. “Where?”
Nat starts dancing right there, pulling Katie toward the living room and dancing into a conversation with people I don’t know.
Gavin laughs, backing away when they gesture him forward. I’m tempted to join them, but I’d rather talk to Gavin.
I know, annoying. It’s not like we haven’t done enough of that already.
He leans back against the counter Nat vacated, so I lean against it beside him. “Are you named for the state?” he asks.
“It’s spelled differently.”
“Then, no?”
“No. Besides, no one from my area of California calls it Cali.” I pull a face. “That makes us cringe.”
Gavin’s smile widens. His white teeth are bright against the dim room. He runs a hand through his hair before folding his arms over his chest and facing me. “You Americans are so picky.”
“And yet our strong opinions won us freedom. What did yours get you?”
His booming laugh surprises me. “Low blow, Callie.”
My face aches with how wide I’m smiling. I shift so my hip is leaning against the counter and we’re facing each other. “You handed me that one on a silver platter.” The sleeves of his oversized sweater are so long on me, they slip past my hands, so I push them up again.
“That jumper looks good on you.”
My heart thrums. Did someone just add a tree to the fire, because it feels too warm in here. “I like the bells.”
Gavin nods slowly, but he doesn’t take his eyes from my face. He’s not saying anything, but I feel like he’s communicatingsomething to me. I just don’t know what it is. Last time I thought I understood his silent signals, I tried to maul him and was promptly pushed away, so clearly I can’t read this man as well as I think I can.
But the energy buzzing between us is palpable. Can one person feel that sort of thing? Is it possible for chemistry to go one direction?
Is it possible he’s changed his mind about wanting to kiss me? Itfeelslike Gavin is leaning toward me, but I’ve been wrong before.
“So, ex-girlfriend?” I ask, before I can chicken out.
To Gavin’s credit, he doesn’t clam up. “Aye.”
“I thought so. Katie went into mom-mode.”
“It’s been years,” he says a little quieter. “Blair doesn’t come home often, so I don’t have to encounter her much.”
“Is this hard for you? Because we can leave. I wanted to talk to Nessa, but I don’t have to.”
Gavin rakes his gaze over my face, taking in every detail. I don’t know if he’s gauging my sincerity or something else, but he’s definitely making his mind up about something. I don’t get the opportunity to know what decision he comes to, though, because we’re interrupted by Poison Ivy herself. The woman’s even in a green dress, so it’s extra fitting.
