“Justin! So good to see you.” She pulled him in for a big hug.
“Nice to see you too, Mrs. C.”
“Oh, please. You know you can call me Mom.”
I rolled my eyes, but I honestly loved how close they were. “Hey, Mom.”
“Oh hi, honey.” She hugged me, placing a kiss on my cheek. “Look at you two. Always so…well…coordinated.”
I laughed. She was one to talk; her sweater had a sheep on it with the words “Fleece Navidad” printed over it. Less vulgar than Justin’s and mine but still funny, nevertheless.
I stepped farther inside, smiling when I saw the Christmas tree waiting to be decorated. It was family tradition after all—trimming the tree together. We’d end the evening with dinner and a Christmas classic, Miracle on 34th Street. I couldn’t wait for the day I’d have my own family and get to continue these traditions with them.
“Is Violet here yet?” I glanced around.
Mom scratched Muffie’s head as we followed her to the kitchen. “Nope. And your father’s outside, messing with the smoker.”
“I thought we agreed that was a terrible idea,” I said, handing her the box with the cookies I’d made. They were Justin’s favorite—candy-cane-shaped cookies that tasted of almond and were topped with crushed peppermints.
“Hey! Were you holding out on me?” he asked, backing me toward the counter as my mom went outside to get my dad.
What had started as teasing quickly turned serious. Our hips were nearly touching, his scent wrapping around me like a treasured quilt. He was so firmly woven into the tapestry of my life, and it was times like these I ached for more. I sucked in a jagged breath as he lifted his hand as if to touch my lips. And then the doorbell rang, and he dropped his hand and stepped away.
“Can you get that, sweetie?” Mom called, the dog barking and squirming to get free from her hold.
“Sure,” I called over my shoulder as I headed for the front door.
Did I just imagine that? I wondered as I struggled to compose myself.
I spied my sister’s silhouette as well as a man’s through the beveled glass door. I smiled, excited to finally meet her elusive boyfriend. But then I opened the door and staggered backward.
“Evan?”
My ex-boyfriend. The guy I’d dated for two years until six months ago when we’d broken up because “we just want different things”—his words, not mine. What was he doing here? With her?
“Hey.” Violet pushed past me, her jacket pulled tightly around her. Evan followed, giving me a sheepish grin.
“Is that you, Violet?” Mom called but stopped short when she spotted Evan standing with my sister. Everything and everyone seemed to freeze, including time. My brain was still trying to make sense of what I was seeing.
“Everything okay?” Justin asked, coming to stand at my side. He placed his hand on my lower back, giving me strength. Support.
“Um, hey. So, everyone…” Violet swallowed. “You remember Evan, right?”
“What’s he doing here?” Justin all but growled.
“We’re, um…” Violet glanced to Evan as if seeking reassurance. “We’re together.”
I gaped at Violet. Was she freaking kidding me? He’d been my boyfriend first. Not that I wanted him—not anymore. Ugh. But seriously, he was dating my sister? And she’d been sneaking around, lying about it.
Before anyone could say anything, Dad stepped inside. “Ta-da!” He bumped the door with his hip to close it and held up a large platter topped with brisket.
“I was going to leave it out there a little longer, but I didn’t want to brisket.” No one laughed or even groaned at his joke.
Dad glanced between us, lowering the platter as his smile followed. Perhaps sensing the tension in the room, he set it on the counter. “Dinner’s ready. Why don’t you take your jackets off and come inside?”
I glared at him, feeling like I’d been betrayed. Seriously?
Evan helped my sister out of her coat—something he’d never done for me. I could barely look at her, but I couldn’t ignore the words printed on her shirt. “Last Christmas as a Miss.”
What the… Was this a joke?
Justin pulled me closer to him, and his scent was calming, blanketing me with so many good memories. “Congratulations,” he interjected, making me wonder what I’d said aloud. “We actually have some news of our own.”
I turned to peer up at him, caught off guard by his touch and his words. Not that we didn’t touch—because we did. It had often been a source of conflict between Evan and me when we were dating.
“You do?” Mom asked, completely ignoring the fact that my sister had just announced her engagement. To my ex. An ex I thought I’d never see again, let alone sit across from at Christmas dinner for—well, forever. As my sister’s husband.
“Brie and I are dating,” Justin said.
My eyes widened, and I tried to keep up with everything that was happening. My sister was marrying my ex. And apparently, I was dating my best friend. It was… Wait. What?
“Finally,” Dad’s voice boomed from the kitchen at the same time Mom said, “Oh, I’m so happy. This is the best Christmas gift ever,” with tears in her eyes.
“Um, hey,” Violet whined. “What about us?” She gestured between her and Evan. “We’re engaged.”
I ground my teeth, biting back a comment. I couldn’t believe she…she’d—but then Justin was massaging my shoulder, his touch calming.
“Right.” Mom dabbed at the corners of her eyes. “That’s great, honey. So much to be thankful for.”
“I knew it,” Evan said, his tone smug. “I always knew there was something between you two.”
Yeah, and he’d rarely shut up about it. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Stellar. This Christmas was off to a great start.
Violet stomped off toward the kitchen, and Evan seemed torn between following her and staying, before finally caving. My parents joined them, and I was grateful for a moment alone with Justin.
“What were you thinking?” I hissed once they were out of earshot.
He lifted a shoulder. “I’d do anything to make you happy.” He tucked my curls behind my ear, though a few sprung free. “You know that, Pocket.”
Did I? I mean, as a friend, yes. Of course. But he wasn’t looking at me like a friend. There was something…more there. Something I hadn’t seen before. And it sparked hope within me, blazing like a beacon.
“You two coming?” Dad called, breaking the spell.
“Be right there,” I said before lowering my voice. “What are we going to do now?”
He lifted a shoulder. “Just roll with it. It’ll be fine. You trust me, right?”
“Always,” I said immediately, though I wasn’t sure I could. At least not when it came to my heart.
Chapter Two
JUSTIN
“I can’t believe you two kept this a secret.” Mrs. C’s eyes glittered with excitement and delight as we sat around the dinner table. “I mean, how long has this been going on?”