Page 109 of Falling Like Snow

“I’m doing well. How are you doing?” I refuse to look at Micah, but I can feel his gaze locked on me.

“Oh, I’m fantastic! Excited to perform!” she says with a mouth full of bright white dentures.

“You’ve got a great audience of theater kids here, ready to be captivated by you. What song do you want to sing?”

“We would love to perform ‘Jingle Bell Rock,’ ” she says, gesturing at her friends. “We’ve been learning the dance from that adorable movie.”

I stare at her. Surely she doesn’t mean… “Mean Girls?”

“That’s the one! You can call us the Geriatric Plastics,” she says with a laugh. “We may be old, but we’re just as hot.”

Despite Micah’s presence, I can’t help but laugh. “Hotter, even,” I tell them. “I’ll get it cued up. Parker is almost done if you just want to wait here a second.”

Scarlett and her friends turn to watch Parker finish her knockout performance of “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” and my gaze accidentally flits to Micah. Only then do I notice the purple bruising beneath his eyes. It makes me feel a little better. His lips part like he’s about to say something I’m sure I don’t care to hear, but I’m saved by the roaring audience as Parker’s song ends. She bows, steps off the DIY stage Forrest built, and jogs over to where Chloe is beaming at her.

“Well, it’s going to be hard to follow that,” Scarlett says, worrying her lip.

“It’s karaoke—you don’t have to be good. You just have to have fun,” I tell her.

“You should come up with us,” one of her friends says.

I laugh. “I’m working. But I’ll be right here for moral support.”

“How about you?” she asks Micah.

“Believe me, you don’t want to hear me sing,” he says with his stupid perfect grin that makes me want to punch him again.

“You’ve got this,” I tell her. Micah helps the women onto the stage while I find the music. After I press play and the song starts, Micah heads back over to my table.

Hannah glances at me from where she’s sitting with Parker, Chloe, and Preeti and mouths, You okay?

I nod at her and turn my attention to the scumbag in front of me.

“You look like crap,” I tell Micah.

“I look like I got into a hockey fight,” he says.

“You’re right. I bet the girls fawn over you like this, with the whole tough-guy look. You’re probably loving it.”

He sighs. “I just meant I’m used to looking like crap every once in a while.”

“Whatever. What are you doing here?” I glance at the stage, where Scarlett and her friends are getting into position. “And why are you with them?”

“I brought them.”

“Why?”

“I was volunteering at the senior center again, and she and her friends said they wanted to come to the festival.” He shrugs. “I figured why not bring them?”

I cross my arms over my chest. “Hmm, if I didn’t know you were an asshole, I would have said that was sweet.”

“I deserve that,” he says. “But can we talk?”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” I tell him. “And I’m working. You don’t get to corner me. Again. I told you I don’t want you anywhere near me.”

“Please. I’ll be done before Scarlett is done singing. I swear.”

I glare at him, curiosity gnawing at me despite not wanting to hear whatever he has to say.