feet. “Here, Brian, sit. I’m too worked up anyway.” He tugged on Brian’s arm.
Brian let himself be pulled down to the couch and gave Ari a nod as he eased onto the cushions. “He’s kind of hyper when he’s excited.”
“He was like that as a kid, too,” she said. “A bit wild.”
“I wasn’t wild.” He paced to the window, turned, and came back to stand behind Brian.
“Uh-huh. Never got in fights either, huh?”
“Maybe a few,” he admitted.
Just then, a car pulled into Ari’s driveway. Immediately, she jumped up and hurried to the window. “Damn, it’s Randy. Look, you’ll have to go. Give me your phone number. I’ll call you.”
“But—”
“If he’s home in the middle of the day, it means he has a migraine. Which means he needs the house dark and really quiet.” They heard a key in the lock. Ari turned to Brian. “Come on.” She made a shooing motion up and toward the door, although she didn’t touch him.
As they stepped into the hallway, the front door opened. The man who came in didn’t look anything like Nick was expecting. He was a little overweight, balding on top, with a pair of wire-rimmed glasses perched on an oversized nose. He had to be at least forty. He stopped, set down a briefcase, and blinked at them. “Ari?” He turned to Nick. “Have we met?”
Ari brushed past Nick to take the man’s hat out of his hand and kiss his cheek. “Headache?”
“Yeah.” His eyes tracked to Brian. “Friends of yours, honey?”
“Yes.” She put a slim finger over his lips. “I’ll tell you when you feel better. They’re heading out. It’s all good. Go lie down and I’ll bring your ice pack.”
“But—”
She tapped his lips lightly. “No talking. Go stretch out.”
“All right.” The man blinked at Nick. “Good to have met you.” He turned to the closet, toeing off his shoes and unzipping his jacket. Ari hustled Nick and Brian out the open door and stepped onto the front porch with them, shivering at the chill air.
Nick whipped off his jacket to hold out to her, but she shook her head. “I only have a second. Give me your cell number.” She pulled her phone out of the pocket of her jeans.
He recited the digits obediently, his mind racing. “Honey?” Who was that creepy old guy? What’s going on? Diplomacy had never been his strong point, but he said, “Was that… a friend of yours?”
“My husband,” she said, with a toss of her head that suddenly echoed the five-year-old he’d known. “Look, we can meet up later. I’m going to make Evan his lunch and then take him to a friend’s house where he can play.”
“He can’t play when your husband is home?” Nick realized his tone was off, the evidence reinforced by Brian stepping heavily on his toe. He tried to do better. “That’s rough. That he’s sick, I mean. I’d love to have met him.”
Ari gave him an irritated look. “He’s not sick. If he babies that migraine, he’ll be fine by tomorrow. If he tries to stay up and be sociable, by the time he gives in, he’ll be out for two or three days. Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve. I’m not spoiling our Christmas, just ’cause you’re curious.”
“Sorry.”
“Yeah. So I’ll text you. Later.” Ari opened the door, went in and shut it behind her.
Nick stood there on the step. The thin winter sun held no warmth and he slid his jacket back on. Brian took a couple of steps down to the walkway, but Nick turned to stare at the closed door.
“Come on.” Brian’s voice was soft. “She’ll get mad if you ring the bell again now.”
“Wasn’t going to.” But still he stood there while Brian waited patiently, and he listened until he was sure there’d be no shouting, no fighting sounds. What’s Ari doing married to that old guy? Is he Evan’s father? He’d thought he’d feel fine once he saw her and knew she was all right, but all right was relative. What if she needed untangling from some middle-aged perv?
“I could use some more food,” Brian said.
“Shit. Yeah.” He jumped the steps to reach Brian’s side, looking up at his face. How could I get so hung up I forgot he’s just woken from Finding? “Are you still okay? Come on, come sit in the car and tell me what you want to eat.”
“I’m fine. Kinda hungry. I could eat anything. A burger would be good.”
“Coming up. There must be burger joints in this town.”