Fifteen minutes later, Gideon’s face was turned to look out the window so Mike wouldn’t see the tears streaming down his cheeks from laughter. Megs sat perched on the edge of the backseat, listening intently.
"See, what they don't want you to know is that aliens have been among us for centuries!" Mike exclaimed, eyes wide with conviction. "You ever heard of the lizard people?"
Megs slapped her hands on her thighs. “I haven’t, but it looks like we’re here.” She pointed at the square. “You can just stop here on the street and we can walk across.” That conversation had been one for the ages, and she was legitimately disappointed to have to cut itoff. Mostly because watching Gideon struggle to keep his composure made her insides fizz.
Mike pulled the car over and put it in park. “Well, look it up. You’ll be shocked at what’s been shoved under the rug.”
“Mmhmm.” Megs unclicked her seat belt and slung her bag over her shoulder. “Thank you so much for the ride, and I’ll definitely check it out.”
“Good luck at graduation, Megs! Nice to meet you Greg!” Mike waved goodbye as they slid out and stepped onto the curb.
Megs snorted as soon as Mike flipped a u-turn at the light and headed back the other direction. Not getting murdered in the end made the whole ordeal hysterical.
Gideon exhaled. “How did you keep a straight face during all that?”
“It’s called acting,Greg.”
Gideon clutched his stomach. They walked past the fountain, and Gideon pointed at the workers switching out the lights. “What are they doing?”
“Switching out the fountain colors for Halloween. It’s a Sugar Creek tradition.”
“It’s not even October yet.”
“We’re ambitious.” Without thinking, she nudged him with her elbow. “You don’t live that far, and I know you said nobody comes to Sugar Creek for a reason, but did you ever think to come down here for things like that?”
“Holidays?”
“Yeah, all the cheesy traditions like the fall festival, pumpkin patch, and tree lighting. Or does Shelburne have those?”
“Some. Doesn’t have this small-town feel, though.” Gideon’s eyes narrowed. “Why don’tyougo to them?”
Megs scoffed. “How do you know I don’t?”
“Do you?” He raised an eyebrow.
“No, absolutely not.” Megs laughed, and Gideon waited for her to continue. Again, she debated giving a cliche answer, but something about sitting on a man in a tractor made it impossible to raise her defenses. “I don’t go because it’s lame to do it alone. My mom always tried to guilt me into going with her until she got serious with her boyfriend. Now, miraculously, she’s off my case. Your parents don’t pull those cards with you?”
Gideon shoved his hands in his pockets as they approached the parking lot. “My parents retired in Arizona three years ago.”
Megs stopped in front of her car. “You don’t have any siblings here?”
“Younger brother is in Florida, and my younger sister is in medical school in Milwaukee.”
Megs’ eyes widened. “Medical school. Wow.”
“I know, I’m intimidated, also.”
Megs grinned and pulled her bag off her back. “Well, that was quite the day.” Her heartbeat sounded hollow against her ribs. She should thank him and get in the car, then go home and shower, find something for lunch so her stomach didn’t eat itself, then drive up to Champlain. But the words wouldn’t come.
Gideon scuffed his hiking shoes on the yellow line on the asphalt. “It’s been a long time since I laughed that hard.”
“Me, too.”Get in the car. Go home.Megs couldn’t force herself to move. She looked up, then frowned. The parking lot was mostly empty this time of day, especially since there was a large sign posted in front of the depot announcing the delay with the Rambler.
She didn’t see Gideon’s Volkswagon. “Where’s your car?” She remembered that Gideon and Alli had gotten out of the same car that morning in the middle of her question, and blushed. “Sorry, forgot you came with Alli for a second.”
Gideon ran a hand through his hair and nodded. “It’s all good, I’ll walk through the shops. Maybe get a coffee.”
“Oh, you’ll be severely disappointed after the kind of service you got last time.”
