Home for the Holidays

by Darling, Lucy

  “I don’t know if I can talk about it.” Carey stares at me. I said those words, but I knew there was no way I’d be able to keep the details from her. I mean, she’s my best friend. We tell each other everything. “Okay, I’ll tell you, but it’s a secret.”

  “Are you being serious right now? Like I would tell your business to anyone.”

  “Right. Sorry.” So I spill. All of it.

  “You got it on in your bedroom with your parents down the hallway?”

  My face blooms with heat. It shouldn’t. I tell Carey everything. I was still a little shocked about that too. It had been intense. But there was this pull I felt when it came to Logan. One that I don’t fully understand yet.

  “I think I’m catching feelings,” I admit. It feels good to get those words out in the open. I don’t know anything about men, or dating, or sex for that matter. I’m drowning when it comes to Logan.

  “I don’t blame you. The man is hot.” Carey is looking down at her phone, and I have no doubt she is digging into Logan as we speak.

  “What are you finding over there?”

  She holds up her phone, showing me a picture of Kelly.

  “She’s really pretty,” I admit. “And nice.”

  “You think at one time…” She trails off. I hate the jealousy I feel thinking about them together.

  “I don’t know.” I huff a breath. “I don’t know much about him.”

  “Except that he’s got an amazing mouth?” She teases me.

  “He does.” I bite my lip.

  “I know you said it about nine times when you gave me the rundown.” I cover my face with my hands.

  “This man is so out of my league. I’m playing with fire.” I drop my hands from my face.

  “He must be feeling something. Nowhere in the agreement did it say the man needed to go down on you for hours on end.”

  “Carey!” I smack her arm. “He’s a man,” I point out.

  “Ahh. Yeah that works if he is actually getting something. It sounds like you’re getting all the action.”

  I was. He hasn’t pushed for more either. It’s actually a little confusing when I think about it.

  “He did say he liked me. I don’t know, it's just crazy. We’re from two different worlds.” The back door suddenly opens. I completely forgot we were on our way to get coffee.

  We step out of the car and head into the coffee shop. “You guys aren’t completely from different worlds. He did grow up here. So you have that in common.”

  “I guess. I mean, I know the last name, but that’s about it.” He’s a bit older than me so it’s not as if we ran in the same circles growing up. He also would have gone to the private school on the fancy side of town.

  “Same,” Carey says, pretending to look over the menu like she doesn’t know what she’s going to get already. She gets the same thing every single time we come here. I go ahead and order my drink and a muffin before I rattle off what she wants.

  “Why do you pretend like you’re going to get something else? You hate coffee.” But she loves hot chocolate.

  “I keep thinking one day I’m just gonna begin liking it like an adult.”

  “Adulting isn’t as fun as it’s cracked up to be.” I take the number card for our order, grabbing a table.

  “Still hating the job, I take it?”

  Hate is too mild of a word for how I feel about my boss. But I know that it’s a means to an end. It’s a steady paycheck and good experience, so I suck it up.

  “Yes.”

  “Quit and come back here already!” She plops down in her chair. If only it were that easy. While I love being from a small town, I know I need to get as much experience in the city as I can before I move back. “It sucks here without you.”

  “I miss you too. Making friends isn’t easy.”

  “Are you trying to make me jealous?”

  I roll my eyes. “You know how terrible my roommates are.”

  She cringes. “Can’t be any worse than my pledge house.”

  “True.” Her stories aren’t much better than mine. At least she is done and back home. She now has her nursing degree and she can work anywhere. “How is the job hunt going?”

  “I got one. We’ve both been busy lately, and I was waiting until I saw you to tell you. You’re looking at Hawthorn Elementary’s newest school nurse.” She beams.

  “Nice!” I hold my hand up, and she gives me a high five. “You’re going to be kick ass. I’m so happy for you. Are you going to stay living with your dads?”

  “Unless you want to get a place together.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me, really trying to get me to move home. It’s so tempting. Everyone that I love is here, but I would be selling myself short if I moved home now. I’ve worked hard to get where I am, and I can’t walk away now.

  “Well, I can’t pay rent without a job, so…”

  She rolls her eyes at me. A server comes over, setting our drinks down. “Thanks,” we both say to him.

  “Life is short. You’re freaking miserable out there.” I pick up my coffee and take a drink. “Plus your man lives here.”

  “He’s not my man,” I say under my breath, looking around to make sure no one can hear us talking. It’s then I see the driver Nick standing off in the corner of the coffee shop. Carey follows my line of sight.

  “It’s weird you have a driver, and from the looks of it he doubles as a bodyguard too.”

  “You’re telling me,” I agree.

  “This could be something, you know. You could be starring in your own Hallmark movie, but you just don’t know it yet.” I burst into laughter because I said the same thing.

  “This isn't a movie. And yeah, he might enjoy kissing me but that doesn't mean we’re going to fall in love. I’m convenient for him at the moment.”

  “I’m still not buying it. I mean, did he really have to stay at your parents’ house?”

  “I kind of pleaded with him. And he’d already seen what a wreck I was at the airport before he kinda sorta saved me.”

  “He could have easily dropped you off and been on his merry way. Then merely picked you up when he needed to take you to his crap.” I’ve thought that too, but I am trying not to allow myself to get my hopes up. I am trying to manage my expectations of what this relationship is: a deal with some side benefits.

  “I don’t know.” I take another drink of my coffee. “We were on TMZ. People are watching him clearly. He’s likely just making sure it looks real.”

  “Sure.” Carey uses a spoon to get herself a giant bite of melted marshmallows. She’s not buying it. I don’t want to buy it either, but I try to make myself. I know it’s not a good idea for me to let myself even play with the idea of Logan really being into me.

  “What else did you find out about Logan?” I ask, scooting my chair closer to hers. She gives me a wicked smile as she picks up her phone. I haven't had much of a chance to dig myself. Now is really my chance. He’s not going to pop up here at the coffee shop and catch me. Or distract me. He is really good at the latter.

  “Let’s see what we can find.” Her fingers move across her phone quickly, and in the meantime my own phone dings. I pick it up and see it’s a text from Logan.

  Logan: Don’t forget you’re engaged.

  What the heck does that mean? How could I forget? I can’t go two seconds without thinking about him and not to mention the giant ring on my finger. Carey reads the text for herself.

  Logan: Coffee boy needs to keep his eyes to himself.

  His next text doesn't help any.

  “You ladies doing okay?” Carey and I both look up at the boy that brought us our drinks.

  “They're fine,” Nick says before either of us can answer him. He gives the boy a look that has him darting back behind the counter. Nick heads back over to his corner.

  “Yeah. Logan totally isn't into you at all,” Carey gets out between her laughter. “No jealousy or anything.”

  I bite my lip. Did that really just
happen? I’m saying that a lot lately. Still, it’s crazy to think he’s having his driver report back to him and getting jealous. That man becomes more confusing by the damn second.

  It might be crazy, but I’d be a liar if I didn't admit I kind of like it. I shift in my chair, feeling turned on again. The man has woken something up inside of me that I didn't know existed before he put that sinful mouth on me. I like that too.

  12

  Logan

  If you’d told me two days ago that I’d be engaged and sitting in a living room allowing my fiancé’s dad and brother to basically interrogate me, I would have told you that you were bat shit crazy.

  In my real life I would never tolerate anyone speaking to me the way Beau currently is. Mr. Meyer asked some questions and said his piece, but he hasn’t crossed any lines or given me too much crap. Beau is a completely different story. He’s got some sort of chip on his shoulder, and I’m guessing that I’m not really the root of it. But I keep my mouth shut because of Angel.

  For a man who has a problem with the age difference between Angel and me, his eyes lingered a little too long on his sister’s friend's ass.

  “He was engaged to another woman days ago.” Beau isn't looking at me when he says it. He’s got his eyes trained on his father, who he is trying to turn against me. The man has actually gone pretty easy on me. For a moment I thought maybe it was because he liked the idea of his daughter marrying someone with money, but the more time I spend with him, the more I know he doesn't give a shit about money.

  Scratch that. Everyone cares about money. Especially someone like him, but only as a means to provide for his family. He would never put it in front of them. It’s refreshing—unlike my family who would throw you to the wolves for it. This whole damn family is actually pretty great. I find myself wanting Mr. Meyer to like me, something I’ve never sought from my own parents. Well, maybe when I was younger and didn’t know any better.

  Mr. Meyer turns his head my way. “I’ve only ever been engaged once. It didn’t last long.” A smile spreads across his face. “I was thinking you and my daughter were moving fast because you’re the kind of man that goes after what he wants.”

  “I am.”

  “Ah. So you just change women often.” Beau leans back in his chair with a smug look on his face. One that says he thinks he has me cornered.

  “Kelly and I weren't really engaged.” I find myself admitting the truth. “We work together, and I was sick of people bothering me about getting married. I wasn't going to run out and find a woman to get everyone off my back. So Kelly agreed to pretend we were together. It worked well for us for a while until Angel came along. The rest is history.” Beau’s smirk drops away. I have to fight my own.

  “So you lie,” Beau tries again.

  “Better than having my mother try and set me up every week with women who are only after me for my money.”

  “That’s terrible, Logan. We all know my Angel is looking for her one,” Elizabeth says, coming into the living room and handing her husband a cup of coffee. He pulls her down into his lap, kissing her on the neck. Their affection for each other is so foreign to me. My parents can’t stand each other, although they do a good enough job of faking it while other people are around to get by. I don’t recall them being any closer when I was younger either. “Is that why you asked her to marry you? You think she’s your one?”

  Elizabeth stares at me. She might be smiling, but I know the gloves are coming off. Angel is gone, and now they all want to grill me. I knew it was coming. While the men might seem intimidating, I know that Mrs. Meyer is the one that will fight tooth and nail for her little girl’s happiness.

  “Yes.” The answer is easy. No other person has ever made me feel the way she does. I’ve spent hours with my face between her thighs, and I still want more. I want all of her, forever.

  Elizabeth gives me a big smile. Thank fuck she didn’t ask if I was her one. I’m not sure I can lie to the woman. Angel is too damn sweet and good for me. The only reason I am here is because she needed a favor from me. The only reason I got my mouth on her is because she’s innocent and I keep seducing her. I know I’m an asshole for taking advantage of her, but I can’t resist.

  Without any of that I wouldn’t be here because Elizabeth is right; Angel won’t give a shit about my money. Which in reality is actually the only thing I can offer her. A girl like her will want someone who will love her and spend time with her. I don’t even date. I don’t know what the hell to do with a girlfriend, let alone a fiancé or wife. My life is work.

  Angel will want the whole white fence and husband home by six for dinner thing. Something I’ve also said I never wanted. Who would want what my parents have? A loveless shell of a marriage.

  “See. His intentions are good with our baby girl.” Elizabeth leans back into her husband, who only gives her neck another kiss.

  Maybe I would have felt different about the whole marriage thing if I had parents like this as an example.

  “This is bullshit.” Beau stands. “His whole family are a bunch of assholes. Self-centered ones at that. Always looking to use people for their own benefit. They don’t love anyone but themselves.”

  “Beau,” Elizabeth shouts at him.

  “They are assholes.” I agree.

  Elizabeth’s face goes soft. “I’m sorry to hear that, Logan. Now you’ll have us.” She surprises me when she comes over and gives me a hug. I wrap my arms around her, hugging her back.

  “Thank you,” I get out. Now, what the hell is this woman doing to me? These Meyer women are knocking me on my ass.

  “See? You’re already getting better at those hugs.” She lets me go and starts to head back out of the living room. “I’m a nice woman, Logan, but if that mom of yours is mean to my girl it won’t go well for anyone. Our Angel is all sweetness. We won’t stand for anyone trying to take that from her.”

  “Agreed,” I say. I’ve been thinking the same damn thing since I came up with this idea. She gives me another one of those big, approving smiles of hers.

  Thing is, I’m pretty fucking sure I’m the person everyone should worry about when it came to Angel. I am going to end up ruining her. Or maybe it’s her that’s ruining me.

  13

  Angel

  I close my eyes when I feel Logan come up behind me. He wraps his arm around me as his mouth comes to place a kiss right below my ear.

  “You don’t have a coat on.” He pulls me more into him. His body heat warms me. I turn in his arms, wanting to see him. Today was nothing like I expected it to be. I’d been nervous about it, but so far everything has seemed to go pretty smoothly.

  It’s been nice being home. I was sure Logan would try and bounce out at some point today, but no. He’s stayed close to me since I’d gotten back from coffee with Carey.

  “I wanted to see the snow.” I’d stepped out onto the back deck when I noticed the big flakes coming down. “Did my brother give you a hard time?”

  Beau continued to glare at Logan most of the day. Dad has been more chill than I thought he would be. I was worried he might see right through Logan’s plan. My dad has always been good at reading people. I was worried he might call us on our bullshit. Then again, Logan is really good at this pretending we’re together thing. Too good. So much so that I’m starting to believe there really is something growing between us.

  “No more of a hard time than I would have given him if you were my sister.” I can’t even be mad at Beau for being a jerk. I probably should be, but I know it’s coming from a good place. Here I am bringing home a random man I’ve never said anything about before. It’s not like I was one to date a lot. It’s a big deal if I’m bringing someone home.

  “When do we need to go to your family’s place’?” He hasn't brought it up once.

  “Soon.” He lets out a long deep breath. “Are we staying here again tonight?”

  “You want to leave?” I thought he might be enjoying it some here. I keep forgett
ing that this is all an act.

  “I want you alone.” His hands grip my hips as he thrusts into me. I suck in a breath when I feel his hard cock press into my stomach. This may be pretend, but the attraction between us can’t be denied.

  “You don’t think we’re playing with fire here?” I drop my voice more. “This is supposed to be for show.”

  “Doesn't have to be. We enjoy each other.” I stare up at him, but his face doesn't give me anything.

  “So we could have our fun for a weekend?” I try to clarify. I swear I felt his body tense up for a quick moment, but he keeps his cool.

  “Why does it have to have a time frame?”

  “I live in LA and you live here.”

  “You should move back anyways. Your mom misses you.” I burst into laughter. That was the last thing I expected him to say. But it makes me realize that my mom has already worked her magic on him.

  “She’s gotten to you.” I shake my head because it’s actually really sweet that my mom could even get to Logan.

  “You can’t find a job here if you’re not living here. You could stay with me.” I blink up at him. Still his face gives nothing.

  “Wait. Did you just invite me to live with you?”

  “My place is big. I work a lot, so we wouldn't be in each other's way.”

  “I know we’re engaged and all, but I think we might be moving fast,” I try and tease. Reality is my emotions are all over the place. What scares me the most is it’s on the tip of my tongue to say yes.

  “It would actually work out well for both of us.” Ah. I am starting to get it. He is looking for someone to replace Kelly. Not her job, but the fill-in buffer so his family and company would stay off his back. He and I enjoying our time together is just a bonus.

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

  “I’m sure I could easily find you a job too.” I shake my head no. That’s not what I want. Who am I kidding? I have no idea what I want.