Bella snapped her eyes open at the touch of Kyle’s hand squeezing her thigh. Before she could react, he traced a finger up the inside of her leg. She scooted backward seconds before things got even more inappropriate.
“What are you doing?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know.” His smile was slow and lazy. “This was always your favorite way to unwind after a long rehearsal.” He leaned over her and moved to kiss her neck, while his hand cupped her breast, all before she even realized what he was doing.
“Kyle! Stop it.” Bella shifted sideways, up and off the couch. “We’re not a couple anymore.”
He wasn’t deterred. “You know that doesn’t matter. It was only ever you who was into labels. All I’m saying is a little release always did help you after a rehearsal.” He leered at her. “It’ll get you ready for the performance tonight. It’s a big one. Pretty important, am I right?”
“It is.” She couldn’t disagree with that fact, but it had nothing to do with sleeping with him. And if he thought for a moment that it did, he was more delusional than she thought.
He stood and walked over to her. It was only then that Bella realized the other band members were already gone. He backed her up against the wall and ran his hand down her arm. “Which is why you need to—”
“Go home and change.” She was not about to let him talk her into doing anything that she didn’t want to do, or worse—put her into a situation she couldn’t get out of. “I was thinking the red, sparkly dress with—”
“That’s a good one.” He nodded. “But first—”
“No.” Bella pressed both palms against his chest and pushed so that Kyle took two stumbling steps backward. “I’m not interested, Kyle. Back off.”
“Back off?” He crossed his arms over his chest, his demeanor changing instantly with the rejection. “You’ve never told me that before.”
Bella moved across the room to gather her purse. With every second that passed, she was starting to regret her decision to come back to the city more and more. It had been hard enough to justify leaving the way she did, but now… “You know what? I’m starting to remember why I left the band in the first place.”
Kyle laughed. It was a cold, mean sound. When she turned around again, he was shaking his head, an ugly smile on his face. “How could you forget? You had a tantrum, got mad and threw my shit out the window.”
“That’s because you were—”
“Screwing Dominique,” he finished for her. “I thought maybe I could bring out in her what I brought out in you. But, you always were the best, Bella baby.”
She cringed at the nickname he’d given her.
“We were dating, Kyle. You cheated on me. And,” she added before turning away, “you didn’t bring anything out in me. My voice is my own, and you—”
“Were just a little choir girl who sang along to the radio in her car, when I met you.”
She could feel him getting closer, but she didn’t turn around.
“You were nothing in this town before you hooked up with me and everyone knows it. You were a timid little church mouse who had no idea how much talent you had inside you just waiting to be brought out. Don’t you remember those early days and the way you’d play off how good you were? Now look at you. You’re welcome.”
She shook her head.
“Yes, Bella. You know it’s true. Just like you know that this deal is the best offer you’ve ever had and it’s all because of me. All of your success has been because of me. You’d sink on your own, and we all know it.”
She shook her head again and pulled her purse over her shoulder before turning around to face him. He was only inches from her face. When she’d met Kyle years ago, she couldn’t get over how handsome he was. His thick, blond hair and his bright-blue eyes. He had surfer looks, but there was a hardness about him, too. An edge that had drawn her to him. And maybe it was true back then that she’d thought she needed him. When she’d started out on the music scene, she was playing at some of the worst bars in town, filling her time by entering contests—like a desperate kid. That’s what he’d said to her. At the time, she thought it was true. And maybe even a little funny. After all, Kyle was older and more successful. So much more successful. She’d fallen for him and his promises to make her a success.
Looking at him now in a whole new light, it was clearer than ever that she no longer had any feelings for him, and the feelings that she did have before weren’t based on anything real and were nowhere near how she felt about Jeremy after such a short time. That was very different.
As far as her success…did she believe that? Maybe some of it. He had given her opportunities. Hell, he was still giving them to her.
She took a deep breath and swallowed hard. “I need to go.”
He didn’t try to stop her as she stepped around him and walked to the door. With her hand on the doorknob, she hesitated and turned around when he called her name.
“Bella? You look like shit. Put some makeup on before you show up tonight, okay?”
Jeremy couldn’t help but smile with Santa sitting shotgun in his truck.
When he’d picked Roy up, he’d expected him to have the suit in a bag to change at the station, but no. He was fully dressed. And more than that, he was in full Santa character from the moment he climbed into the truck next to him.
“You look great, Roy, I didn’t even—” The other man shot him a look, so Jeremy quickly amended, “I meant, you look great, Santa.”
“Better.” Roy chuckled and Jeremy couldn’t help but join him.
“Well, you look pretty awesome. And I think you’re going to make some kids pretty happy tonight.”
“That’s why I do what I do, Jeremy. Christmas is about love and happiness.”
Jeremy tried not to flinch at his choice of words. He was definitely not feeling either of those things.
“I know what you’re thinking.”
Jeremy took a second glance at the old man next to him. “You can’t possibly.” He shook his head and put the truck in gear.
“Ahh, but you’re wrong. I do know.” He smiled under his white beard and nodded knowingly. “This time of year, it has a way of being magical, but you have to believe.”
“Believe in magic?” Jeremy scoffed. “I don’t think—”
“Love,” Santa interrupted. “You must believe in love.”
With his foot on the brake, Jeremy turned to look at him.
“Take it from an old man who lost the love of his life many years ago. It wasn’t always easy, son. But no matter what life threw at us, we pulled through, stronger than ever because of one thing.”
“Love?”
The old man nodded. “And here’s the thing. Love doesn’t always show up the way you want it to. But if you believe, really believe, it will be okay. And maybe believing a little bit in the magic of Christmas wouldn’t hurt either.” He winked and Jeremy could have sworn there was a twinkle in his eye.
He made it sound simple. Too simple.
Jeremy stared at the other man for a moment before turning his attention back to the road. He released the brake pedal and navigated through the streets to the station. He made each turn out of habit as his mind tried to make sense of what Roy had just said.