。　Besides；　there’d　be　plenty　of　time　for　that　later。　“I’ll　just　get　ready。”　Vanessa　smiled；　trying　to　figure　out　what　she　should　wear。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　she’d　been　to　a　party。

“Oh；　you　want　to　e？”　Hollis　asked　in　surprise。　“Okay；　that’s　cool。　Guys；　want　some　beers？　You　picked　some　up；　right；　babe？”　Hollis　asked　Vanessa；　already　midway　to　the　Sub…Zero　refrigerator。　He　hadn’t　even　taken　off　his　jacket。

Vanessa　shook　her　head　in　disbelief。　Um；　no　she　hadn’t；　and　since　when　was　her　job　to　go　on　beer　runs　for　the　guys　she　didn’t　know　were　ing　over？

“That’s　fine。　We　have　a　bottle　of　wine。”　Hollis　grabbed　the　bottle　of　white　Ruby　had　brought　over　the　other　night。

That’s　mine！　Vanessa　wanted　to　yell。　But　that　was　ridiculous。　It　was　Hollis’s　apartment。　“You　know；　I　think　I’m　actually　going　to　stay　in　for　the　night。　Have　fun；　guys。”　Vanessa　shrugged。

“You　sure？”　Hollis　asked。　“I　won’t　be　home　too　late。　So　good　to　be　back！”　Hollis　said；　kissing　the　top　of　Vanessa’s　head。

Vanessa　collapsed　back　on　the　leather　couch　and　pulled　her　phone　from　the　crevice　behind　the　cushions。　One　new　text。　She　smiled。　It　was　probably　Hollis；　texting　from　a　cab；　sweetly　saying　that　he’d　miss　her　and　that　he’d　be　back　soon。

Instead；　it　was　from　Dan。　Asking　if　she’d　rather　sled　or　eat　his　dad’s　fondue。　She　immediately　thought　of　Rufus；　his　crazy　outfits　and　his　crazier　culinary　creations；　and　then　of　Dan’s　traumatizing　story　about　being　mowed　over　by　a　large　man　on　a　sled　when　he　was　a　kid。　She　laughed　out　loud；　the　tension　of　the　last　half　hour　slowly　seeping　from　her　limbs。

She　looked　down　at　the　keypad　and　quickly　typed　in　I　HATE　SLEDDING。　BRING　ON　THE　FONDUE！

Immediately；　her　phone　lit　up　again：　WOULD　YOU　RATHER　BE　LOCKED