Chapter 219 Something Seems Off
Layers were the key to staying warm, or so Case had heard. He couldn’t remember ever going outside for any length of time just to walk slowly from house to house and stand around. Normally, if he was outside in the winter for more than a few minutes, he was skiing or doing something that would provide some sort of heat.
He put on a button-down shirt with a sweater over the top before putting his winter coat on over that. Andrea was in the bathroom, touching up her makeup. Unlike the last time he’d stayed here, they were sharing a bedroom, which was nice. But the bathroom was down the hall, instead of being attached as he was used to.
Once he was ready to go, he sat down on the edge of the bed to wait for Andrea. He couldn’t get the conversation between his fiancée and her old boyfriend out of her head. While he knew he was just being silly, that Andrea didn’t still have feelings for the realtor, seeing them together had left him unsettled in a way he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
He got the impression that Malcolm was trying to hide something, that there was something he wanted to say to her that he wouldn’t in front of Case. Why he felt that way, he couldn’t be sure, but it was there just the same.
Andrea came back into the room, humming a Christmas carol. She had a beautiful voice, even if it was Leslie who’d decided to be a professional. The smile on Andrea’s face told him she was having a great holiday so far, and he didn’t want to make it less than wonderful by asking questions that she might not want to answer. Still, he wondered… was Malcolm her first lover?
“Are you ready?” she asked, putting her boots on and grabbing her coat.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he replied with a sigh, pulling his gloves out of his pocket.
“If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to. Mom will understand.”
“I do, I do,” he assured her, even though it wasn’t exactly true. If he could’ve gotten out of it, he would’ve, but he could tell it meant a lot to Karen. Tim and Grandpa Jack would be sitting this one out; Case was a little jealous.
“Then let’s go.” Andrea reached for his hand, and he gave it to her, carrying his gloves in his other hand. He’d put them on as soon as they got outside.
Karen was waiting by the door. “Oh, good. You’re ready. Let’s go.” She had a wide smile on her face, and Case was glad he’d agreed to go, even if he knew he wouldn’t like it. If it meant that much to Andrea’s mom, it wouldn’t kill him.
The snow was falling lightly as they got into Karen’s van and headed toward the church in town where they’d begin their singing, according to what she’d said earlier. Case sat in the back, letting Andrea sit by her mom. “There’s Malcolm’s parents’ house,” Karen said, pointing at a lovely older home with lots of Christmas lights. “I don’t know why I ever lost track of her.”
“I don’t know why I ever lost track of him,” Andrea said, staring out the window at the house. “We stayed friends after we broke up.”
“You were busy; life happens,” Karen said with a shrug. “I’m glad you had a chance to catch up today.”
“Me, too. We have always known how to make each other laugh.”
“Yes, you have,” Karen agreed.
Case tried not to make a face. He was so over hearing about her ex. It wasn’t as if he didn’t have any exes who had been problematic, that was true, but still… Malcolm wasn’t the king of the universe, was he?
Karen pulled into a parking spot at the church, and they all got out. Case hoped they’d be lucky and Malcolm wouldn’t be there, nor would he have to hear about the guy again. If they went to his parents’ house to sing, Case just might have to sit that one out….
“Are you okay?” Andrea asked him as he closed the sliding van door behind him.
“I’m fine,” he said, hoping he sounded convincing. She stared at him for a long moment, like she wasn’t buying it, but she didn’t say more, only followed her mom over to a group that was gathering in one corner of the church yard, all of them exchanging happy cries of, “Merry Christmas!” and other greetings. Case put his fake smile on, preparing to meet people who’d congratulate him on the championship, people he’d never see again. But inside, he couldn’t stop wondering what it was about Malcolm Bloom that made him so darn uncomfortable.
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