Now that the crisis was over, the embarrassment of clobbering a girl in pigtails set in, and Brian rubbed his hands over his face, the effect comical because it tugged on his skin. “Jesus, I’ll buy her one if you can’t.” Only someone as chronically distracted as him would think that walking backwards in a crowded room was a good idea.

Should he offer to get her a bag of ice or just let it go?

Music blasted through the speakers and he raised his voice to be heard. “You’re Mel, right? You’re Maddy’s friend? It took me a second to recognize you without the elf hat.” Brian thumbed at the other brunette. “This is Theresa.”