Tight Knit by Allie Brennan Page A

reputation is based on gossip. 
    The other ladies begin to pack up their things and Marybeth glares at Lachlan the entire time she wraps up her yarn. 
    I put plastic caps on the tips of my needles, so the yarn doesn’t slip off, and pack up my own things. I pull a notebook from my bag, and Georgina hands me a pen. 
    “Okay, so the craft show is the first weekend in December,” I start. My breath catches. That’s not as far as it seems. I crack my wrist a couple times and tap my pen on the paper.
    Lachlan groans. I tilt my head to the side. 
    Really?
    Georgina obviously hadn’t told him that part. But it should be obvious. I glare at him.
    “It’s a Christmas charity event. When did you think it would be?” 
    He stares. His head angles to match mine and something changes in his eyes. I’m not sure he’s used to being talked to this way. I don’t have time for this. All he has to do is show up and lift some boxes. My eyes flicker to his arms, crossed in front of his chest. I immediately drop my gaze to my notepad. 
    The shadows are pressing at the edges of my brain. I tap my pen a few times. 
    “Touche, let’s get on with it,” he grumbles.
    “Which gives us twelve weekends to get everything done.” That’s really not much time at all. I push air out of my lungs slowly, trying to control my breathing. I can’t panic right now. Not in front of him. 
    Lachlan groans again and then bites his lip. His dark eyes flicker as if to say, ‘Ooops’. 
    “We have to meet with the director of the show, get our work juried, decide how many booths we want, decide the theme, set a sales goal, volunteer at the Shelter…” 
    Lachlan cuts me off. 
    “Whoa, back it up, Hat Girl. Volunteer at the Shelter?” 
    “Yeah, the contributors are asked to volunteer both time and money. This is the biggest craft event of the year. The Shelter staff are a lot of fun.” I try to sound light but he’s irritating me and it’s causing nervous energy to build inside my mind. 
    “I think I was led in here on false pretences, Gram. I didn’t know there would be volunteering.”
    “Well, you just think about that next time you want to be dishonest with me and try to play me for a fool. I can play that game, too.” Georgina crosses her frail arms across her chest and Lachlan’s face turns three shades of red. Fury flashes behind his dark eyes and his jaw muscle twitches but he just slouches further into his chair. He doesn’t say another word the entire meeting. As soon as we’re done, Lachlan’s out the door without a glance in our direction. 
    “I’m sorry about Lachlan, Talia. He’s been so misguided his whole life that it’s just hard to rein him in, you know?” 
    I nod, but I don’t know. I have no clue.

CHAPTER EIGHT
    Lachlan
     
    I clutch the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white. I want to punch something but I just hold on. As long as my hands stay on the wheel I’ll be fine. 
    “Did I embarrass you in front of Talia?” Gram says about half way home. 
    “I don’t care about her,” I snap. 
    I know that hurts her feelings and I instantly regret saying it. I just can’t control myself when I’m mad. 
    “Did you ever think that maybe she doesn’t much care for you either because you act like a big pig-headed buffoon around her? All that girl cares about is making her grandma proud by doing her job as leader of our group. Now that may not seem like a big deal to you, Lachlan, but to her it is. So I would suggest you smarten up and start acting like a man, not a boy.” 
    I’m not sure how to react. I’m not surprised that Talia doesn’t like me, I’m surprised that I care. 
    I turn to Gram and smirk. 
    “Did you just call me a pig-headed buffoon?” 
    “I most certainly did.” She smiles. 
    The only person I can never stay angry with is Gram. If this girl is important to Gram, then I will do what I can to help. 
    If nothing else Talia has an ass worth staring at for twelve