“Is this your second Thanksgiving then?” Merritt asked, when she realized he’d finished speaking. “Isn’t Canadian Thanksgiving in October?”
He smiled, as if proud of her trivial Canadian knowledge, and her heart fluttered a bit faster.
“Yes, but Evie and I don’t make a big to-do about it. My family are terrible, and we ’ave more fun at this one, anyway.”
Merritt laughed far harder than was warranted, and Whit appeared in the room, as if drawn by the sound. He wore a crisp blue button-down tucked into dark jeans, and his hair was styled just slightly more than usual. The fluttering bird in Merritt’s chest became a warm, affectionate cat at the sight at him.
“Hi,” Whit said, looking from Merritt to Édouard with—what was that?—was thatnervousness? Merritt suppressed a smirk.
“Hi,” she said back. “Édouard was just telling me a bit about himself. He’s quite fascinating.”
She patted playfully at the Canadian’s bare forearm and watched as Whit’s eyes widened slightly.
“Yes, Éd is certainly something.”
Édouard smiled, oblivious to whatever this was playing out before him, until Evie called to him from the kitchen and Whit noticeably relaxed.
“He is incredibly handsome,” Merritt said in a quick, low voice she knew Annie wouldn’t register over the sound of the parade.
Whit nodded, as if it would be impossible to disagree.
“Like,incrediblyhandsome.”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“You did not tell me you were related to someone so handsome.”
“I don’t often go around talking about it.”
“You should really warn people.”
“All right,” he said, with some finality.
Merritt let her smirk come out. “What, are you jealous?”
She was taking a chance.
Whit narrowed his eyes at her. Playfully.
“Jealous? Of the winner of the number-three spot inLa Semaine’s Sexiest Quebecois Professionals for the second year running?”
“Is that real?” Merritt asked.
Whit shrugged.
“And who on earth beat him out for first and second? Hold on, I need to google something.”
He rolled his eyes. “This is how it always goes.”
They were close enough for her to touch him, so she did. She pressed his elbow, gently, and said, as if comforting him, “You look very nice.”
He grinned, clearly choosing to take the compliment genuinely. “That’s what I was going to say—about you. But you ruined it by fawning all over my brother-in-law.”
“I did notfawnover him.”
“You came pretty close.”
“Well, he... I’m sorry, my hands were tied.”
