Six Month Rule (Kingston Ale House) by A.J. Pine

anyone joining in her enthusiasm? And why was Andrea only addressing Will? And why was Friday night over Thursday morning a big deal?
    She couldn’t see Will’s face, only his stubbled jaw that was clenched with tension. He ran a hand through his dark waves and breathed out a long breath.
    “I’ll cancel my flight,” he said. Andrea nodded slowly but didn’t say anything else before leaving the room. And then without looking at her, he spoke to Holly.
    “It looks like we have all we need for Friday, then. Would you give Marisa the details, say we’ll meet her there at seven?” His voice was even, but Holly could tell he was holding something back.
    “Of course,” she said. “Will, is everything okay?”
    He faced her then, and gone were the crinkles at the corners of his eyes.
    “Yes,” he said. “Smashing.” And then he stared for a few seconds at what looked like an overnight bag on the floor by the couch.
    Why did this guy seem to have one foot out the door at all times?
    “I guess that’s it for today, then. Thank you…Holly,” he added.
    Well, he didn’t call her Ms. Chandler, though it seemed he wanted to. And he’d most definitely just dismissed her for the third time in ten days. But this was different. She could tell. So Holly said nothing. This didn’t seem to be the time to reeducate Will Evans on the social mores of an equal partnership in the workplace.
    But she made a mental note to do so later.
    …
    Holly fidgeted with the Gemini charm that hung around her neck. She wasn’t one for superstitions and good-luck charms…okay, so she had a thing for stars, and she maybe sometimes thought they navigated tiny aspects of her life. So sue her for wanting tonight to go perfectly. She was wearing her lucky necklace, dammit.
    “You’re doing it again,” Brynn said.
    “Huh? What?” Holly glanced down at the miniature silver constellation in her hand. “Oh,” she added. “I guess I am.”
    Her sister rested her palm over Holly’s, and she stopped tugging at the necklace.
    “You’re Holly Chandler,” Brynn said.
    “Stating the obvious, are we?”
    “I’m just saying I’m not used to seeing you like this, all nervous and stuff.”
    Brynn swiveled back and forth on the bar stool next to Holly, her wild curls bouncing on her shoulders as she did. Holly loved this new Brynn, who was really the old Brynn. It was the Brynn in the middle who’d gotten a little lost, thinking her unrequited high school crush was the one who got away when all along it was Jamie, her best friend. It just took them ten years to finally get it right. And now here her sister was, more glass-half-full than she’d ever been, and Holly had started moving in the other direction.
    “Well, I’ve never wanted anything this badly. It might also be the first time I’m at risk of not getting what I want,” Holly admitted.
    Brynn barked out a laugh. “What about Eponine in Les Mis your freshman year of college? You called me after your audition, sure you’d never be allowed on stage again, and you stole the freaking show.”
    Holly shook her head. “It was in the bag. I was just a drama queen back then.”
    “So all those times you thought you wouldn’t get a part, that was you crying wolf? I sent you a cookie bouquet and everything for that one!”
    Holly shrugged. “I did enjoy those cookies. And it’s not like it was any different than you losing your mind about some calculus exam and thinking your life was over.”
    Brynn groaned. “That was the AP exam, Holly. And it saved me a whole year of college math that would have been a repeat of what I’d already done.”
    Holly gave her sister a pointed look. “What’s the highest score on the AP exam?” she asked.
    “A five.”
    “And what score did my dear old sister get?” Holly continued.
    Brynn mumbled something and looked down at the Sox T-shirt she’d promised Jamie she’d wear if she ever came into the bar on game night. In fact, game night was