A New Year's Eve kind of story

 Mercer was pretty certain Lily was out of his league. He remembered the disaster with Vanna (the last time he went out with Brick and Izzy).

"Well, then..don't go," Cade had said he should just stay in with him and play his new gaming system. "Forget them."

But he couldn't. It was like a part-time job being Brick's friend sometimes. After all, they went way back and he was always around to listen to Brick's problems. So he knew of Lily. He'd just never met her. 

So off he went to New Year's Eve, not expecting much. Oh, he got a laugh or two about him and his saxophone. Although, Lily was very serious and she didn't seem to want to be around Brick and Izzy.

"Can you think of any place to go?" She asked and Mercer felt dizzy.

"Like what?"

"I dunno," she shrugged. "I..I hear the old town park is lit up. It's not that far from here." She didn't think it was cold. Not that cold.

Mercer nodded. They escaped without question. Brick had a few other guests over so no one stopped them. Of course, Mercer imagined Lily lighting up a cigarette, perhaps. But she didn't. Just her steamy breath under the street light. 

"I'm moving back," she then said. He only nodded as if he might end up being her servant and slave. She only smiled at him and grabbed his hand. "I think I remember the way."

Naturally, he thought he might melt. And she was right, the park was lit like a Christmas theme park. How come he hadn't noticed before? Oh, she gave him a ride of a walk, all right, through the late December air. They were in the midst of the tunnel of lights. 

Although, Mercer couldn't help but squint. All the nightlife made his eyes hurt and he keeled over like a stunned baby bear.

When he woke up he was on somebody's sofa. Cade was staring at him as if Mercer might have been a science project that went bad. Mercer didn't know how he got here.

"Oh it was Rafe," Cade shrugged that his brother was out at the park when it happen. Naturally, he looked over his shoulder. There was Lily drinking hot chocolate with Rafe.