Page 2 of The Naughty List
“It’s closed for the season, so for now, I live in this,” he says as he taps the giant RV trailer behind him.
“You live in this alone?” I ask. I don’t know why I’m trying to get his relationship status. He’s clearly not going to look twice at a girl half his age.
Something in his expression flinches. “I do now.”
“Oh,” I answer without knowing what to say to that. Is he widowed? Divorced? No, it’s none of my business.
He seems to shake it off immediately and looks at me with curiosity on his face. “So, tell me. What do you really want to be?”
I blink at him for a moment. “I want to go to law school...be a lawyer.”
“Absolutely nothing about you says lawyer.” He’s teasing me, but instead of reacting offended, I crack a smile.
“What are you talking about?”
“Look at you. You’re wearing Doc Martens and bright red tights with a Pixies shirt. No lawyer dresses like that.”
“Well, I’m not a lawyer yet,” I argue.
“Audrey!” a high-pitched voice calls from the front door, and my eyes widen.
Before I can react, Grant holds up a hand and peers around the corner.
“Oh, hey Grant,” my mother says to him. “Have you seen Audrey? I need her to go get ice.”
“No, I haven’t seen her,” he answers, and my jaw drops. “But I can go get you ice, Mel,” he says.
“Oh, thanks, Grant. I really appreciate it.”
Then, she’s gone and I’m staring at him like he has three eyes. “Why did you lie for me?”
“Because you clearly don’t want to be in there anymore than I do. So, let’s go get some ice.”
He walks toward his truck parked in front of the giant trailer and only glances back at me once before he climbs in the driver’s seat. After a moment of silent shock, I chase after him and jump in.
Grant
“This is a bar,” she says as we pull up to spot in front of Harry’s Tavern, a little hole in the wall down the street from Roger and Mel’s place.
“Yeah. I’m sure they have ice,” I reply. Then I climb out and wait for her in front of the truck. Finally, she gets out and stares at me.
“Grant, I’m nineteen,” she says in a whisper like anyone around is going to care.
“Come on, it’s Christmas.”
“It’s December 23rd.”
With a laugh, I open the door and hold it for her. Reluctantly, she finally enters, but she’s holding her head down like the police are going to throw her to the ground at any second. “Go have a seat at the table,” I say before going to the bar to get us a couple beers.
My day has suddenly turned around since I found that little red-headed firecracker smoking outside my RV. When I agreed to come to Christmas with Roger and his new wife, I knew the whole weekend would be terrible. They’re still in honeymoon bliss, and I’m six months straight out of a painful and expensive divorce.
But where else was I going to go? My ex got the house, the resort is closed down for the winter, and as terrible as this is, I convinced myself it was better than some RV park with strangers. So, I’ve settled for this. Sneaking moody teenagers into bars because I don’t want to be alone.
“Two Bud Lights,” I tell the pretty bartender who looks at me skeptically, looking around for the other person drinking. I toss in a little wink and a smile, and before I know it, she’s taking my card and handing me two cold ones.
“Drink up,” I tell Audrey as I set the beers on the table. She hides against the wall as she puts the beer up to her lips.
“Hope you like beer.”