A December to Remember: a Holiday Romance Anthology

by Howe, Olivia

She reached down with her free hand and squeezed mine. “It’ll be fine. We’re gonna have fun,” she whispered, her blue eyes twinkling with mischief.

  I took in the purple streak streaming through her straight hair and her tiny diamond nose piercing, and grinned with a nod.

  The door opened and a sense of déjà vu came over me as Finn stood there, a megawatt smile on his handsome face. “You came!”

  I nodded, sliding some hair behind my ear. “I did.”

  He ushered us into the house with a flourish and then closed the door behind us.

  “Um, Finn, this is my best friend in the world, Bethany. Beth, this is Finn.”

  She grinned, and in her most flirtatious voice, said, “Nice to meet you.”

  “Nice to meet you, too,” he replied, staring at her. I thought a saw a flicker of flirtation in his gaze, too, and that made me a little nervous.

  “So, um, where are we going to stay?” I asked politely, even though my nerves were beginning to rev up their party again.

  He pointed to a staircase. “There’s, like, a million rooms up there.” He looked Bethany, then at me. “If you don’t mind sharing a room, that is.”

  “We planned on it,” Bethany answered for us.

  Finn lifted an eyebrow, an unspoken innuendo in his gaze, but I kept quiet. As he led us up the stairs, he continued to tell us all about Tahoe and the skiing and snowboarding opportunities. He spoke to the both of us, but I saw him steal a few glances at Bethany in a way that spoke volumes about his interest in her.

  I was a little disappointed, but not jealous. Finn was cute, clearly very smart to have gotten into college, and obviously came from money, but I wasn’t quite sure he was my type. What was my type? I wasn’t sure. Certainly not bad boys like Landon, who flake out on dates and leave a girl humiliated and ashamed without so much as an explanation.

  Pushing thoughts of that green-eyed prick from my mind, I surveyed the room Finn had led us to. It was beautifully decorated in lush carpet and blues and yellows coloring the décor. There was only one large bed, which was fine. I was sure Bethany and I would be having enough fun to not care about sharing a big ol’ bed to crash on.

  Bethany let out a whistle, her eyes scanning the room while I just dumped my case in the corner of the room.

  “Nice digs,” she said, strolling toward the large walk-in closet, carefully fingering all the empty hangers. “I could live in here. Like for real, set up a cot and just crash.”

  I snorted, pulling my phone from my pocket. “You could crash anywhere.”

  She left the closet, plopping down onto the bed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. This bed, though.”

  Seeing that the only notification I had was from my sister asking what I was doing for the holidays, I tossed the phone onto the nightstand and sprawled out onto the bed next to my friend.

  “Yes, this bed. Hashtag, awesome.”

  She smacked me on the arm. “Don’t say ‘hashtag’, you sound like a twelve-year-old.”

  “Hashtag truedat.”

  Bethany sat up and looked at me. “Hashtag, Finn. Seriously, where did you meet that guy?”

  I laughed. “At that, hashtag, sorority awards party you made me go to, hashtag, alone. You were like, hashtag, puking your brains out that night.”

  Her eyes got big. “That’s right. I was so gonna be your, hashtag, date to that one.” This time, she made a two-finger peace sign with both hands and crossed them against each other, making a pound sign, right in my face. Twice.

  “Hashtag, I get it,” I groaned.

  “But seriously,” she said. “He’s hotter than hell. He into you?”

  I groaned, flopping my arm over my eyes. “No. Yes. I don’t know. Probably.”

  Grabbing my hand, Bethany tossed my arm back onto the bed and got in my face. “That’s not an answer. Is he into you, or not?”

  “How the hell should I know?” I popped my eyes open momentarily. Then I slammed them closed again. “I. Don’t. Know.”

  “Well, you need to decide. Are you into this Finn guy?”

  “Not sure. Maybe.”

  Bethany sniffed. “Way to lead a guy on.”

  I sat up on the bed. “I’m not leading him on! Not him or anyone.”

  She lay back down. “If you were into him, you would have said so, and then threatened me with violence if I tried to flirt with him.”

  I quirked an eyebrow at her. “You have a point.”

  “So can I flirt with Finn? My panties are getting moist just thinking about him.”

  I made a gagging noise in my throat. “You did not just say panties and moist in the same sentence! I’m gonna barf. Right now. On you.”

  She giggled and slapped my arm. “Oh, stop being such a fuckin’ prude.”

  Chapter 3

  The reception area of the ski lodge was brimming with people. Happy, beautiful people. There were multiple heads of elk, deer, and buffalo mounted on the walls. Thick indoor-outdoor dark green carpet covered the floors, and the walls were made up of shiny, light wooden beams that extended to the ceiling and criss-crossed their way over the expanse of the whole lodge. Plush couches and oversized armchairs were scattered throughout. Upon entering, there was an area to place your skis, boots, and equipment. It reminded me of an oversized bike rack.

  I stared at the long bar that took up the entire back wall. The people who weren’t lounging, talking, and laughing in the chairs and couches, were leaned against the bar with drinks or money in their hands. Bartenders, dressed in tuxedos, worked hard to fill the drinks with smiles on their faces.

  I tried hard not to look down at myself in my skinny jeans and tall furry boots. This was a mixer of sorts, and Finn told Bethany and myself to join the party. A pre-holiday ski season kickoff, he’d said.

  “Stop fidgeting,” Bethany said, nudging me in the side.

  “Stop bossing me around,” I said back through the side of my mouth, trying to keep my ‘party smile’ plastered to my face.

  She sniffed and I heard the grin in her voice. “I’m not –”

  “Sadie!” we heard a voice call.

  I looked up to see Finn’s smiling face. He made his way toward us, accompanied by a girl with beautiful, flawless olive skin and a colorful drink in a clear glass in her hand.

  He came over and stood in front of us, looking at Bethany a bit longer than me. “You guys made it!”

  Nodding, I said, “Yep, great party.”

  “Oh, Sadie, Bethany, this is my sister, Amber.”

  “Nice to meet you,” I said, putting my hand out. She shook it reluctantly with what I was sure was a fake smile.

  When there was silence, I said to Amber, “You look a lot like your mom.”

  Her smile fell. “Michelle is my stepmother.”

  I felt the heat flush my cheeks. “Oh, I’m sorry. Well, you’re both very pretty,” I tried to recover.

  Her scowl left as she muttered her thanks and then said something about meeting someone at the bar.

  After she was out of ear-shot, Bethany said, “Wow, attitude much?”

  I swatted her arm and said, “Bethany, don’t be rude. That’s his sister.”

  Finn’s eyes were dancing with amusement as he lifted his lips to the beer bottle in his hand I hadn’t noticed earlier. “Don’t worry about it. She’s a bitch most of the time.” He was staring at Bethany now.

  “Are you 21?” I asked without thinking.

  He slid his gaze to me and again, his brown eyes twinkled with laughter. “Uh, no. They’re not gonna I.D. you if you want a drink, Sadie.”

  The way he said my name sounded a bit condescending, and while I did feel a bit of embarrassment, I was also confused. “Really?”

  He nodded. “Yes, really. Now c’mon. Let’s get you something.”

  “I don’t really drink…” I started.

  Bethany grabbed me by the arm, and looking at Finn, she said, “Yes, she does.”
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  He laughed and said, “Yeah, she had champagne last week.”

  He led us toward the bar, which had cleared some. While we were waiting, Finn made a very valiant attempt at trying to talk to us both, and I tried to listen, but I was intent on getting the bartender to help us so I could have an adult drink. I’d only had wine a handful of times, which I didn’t like, and at my high school senior party, I’d had some tequila shots. Once I got to college, I didn’t really drink. It was expensive and I was on a budget.

  “Hi, gorgeous, what can I get you?” a bartender asked with a wink.

  “Um, not sure. What do you have?”

  “Make her an Irish coffee,” I heard a familiar voice behind me say.

  With my arms pebbling with goosebumps, I turned around to see Landon standing behind me. He had that infuriatingly sexy grin on his face, the one I loved to hate.

  “Landon…”

  “Here you are, miss,” the bartender said, sliding a small teacup toward me filled with steaming liquid.

  I nodded and took the cup between my hands. “Thank you. What do I owe you?”

  Landon laughed and said, “Drinks are free here.” He then handed the bartender two dollars.

  Confused, I took a sip of the hot coffee. I could smell the booze before it hit my lips. “So you just have to tip?” I asked Landon.

  He nodded and looked past me to the bartender, holding up his empty beer bottle. “Another.”

  I heard the crack and hiss of a bottle being opened, and then it was passed over my head and Landon handed him another two dollar tip.

  “Yes. Never been to a holiday party at a ski lodge before?”

  I tried not to laugh. “Uh, no. And what are you doing here?”

  He grinned. “This is my family’s lodge, we do this every year.” He said it as though I had asked the stupidest question ever.

  “But Finn invited me, he said this was his family’s lodge.”

  He looked at Finn, who was still standing by us, engaged in conversation with Bethany. He slung his arm around Finn’s neck. “It is. We’re cousins. Aren’t we, cuz?”

  Finn stepped out of the embrace and scowled at Landon. “Unfortunately.”

  “Wow, harsh,” Landon said, chuckling.

  “Um, Sadie, we’re gonna go sit by the fire, wanna join?” Bethany said, her eyes telling me it was more of a demand than a request.

  I looked back at Landon, and he waved with four fingers, a look of amusement and triumph on his haughty face. “Have fun.”

  Shaking my head, I followed my friends over to a set of plush, red, oversized chairs that circled in front of a roaring fireplace surrounded by brick and stone.

  I noticed Bethany had what looked like soda in her hand as she sat and chatted with Finn. He was holding a beer, just like his cousin.

  Staring into the flames of the fireplace, I thought it was odd they were cousins. I didn’t know either one very well, but they definitely seemed to be as different as night and day. Oh well, it didn’t matter either way. Taking another sip of my Irish coffee, which was surprisingly good, I felt the warmth of the whiskey and coffee trickle through me as I looked around the lodge. Every single person here was very beautiful. The entire room oozed money and class. I did feel out of place, admittedly, but was glad I could sort of blend in and be out of the way in these chairs.

  I smiled a little as I thought about my upbringing, how my mom had scrimped and saved so I could go to college. My mom had done her best to raise me and Lilly alone while my father was God knew where, but once we had grown, she definitely went a little wild, dating a lot. And I really didn’t mind. I was grateful she hadn’t exposed us to that growing up. She and my dad had been high school sweethearts and had gotten married at 20, having two kids by 23. So by the time Dad had left us, she had been barely 30 and struggled to keep food on the table, working secretarial jobs wherever she could. I was glad she was still young enough to get out there and date and have fun now. She was still pretty, too, but my sister Lilly definitely looked more like her than I did. I absently played with one of my long, brown curls and thought of Lilly’s long, straight black hair.

  “You in, Sade?” Bethany asked.

  I blinked in confusion at her. “What?”

  “We’re going to play poker in one of the billiard rooms.” She and Finn were now standing.

  “Uh, I don’t know how to play,” I replied lamely.

  Finn grabbed my hand, making me stand. “Come on, crazy girl. I’ll teach you, it’s easy.”

  I peered down into the empty teacup and smiled. Lifting a shoulder in a shrug, I smiled and said, “Okay. Another drink first, though?”

  Finn smiled. “Sure. I’ll get it for you. Irish coffee, right?”

  Staring lamely at the four other people sitting at the table with me, they went in and out of focus. As did the cards in front of me. Polishing off my third drink, I struggled to work out whether or not my hand was a good one or not. Three Kings, an Ace, and a number 3 Club of Hearts.

  Looking down at my body, I realized I really hadn’t had a good hand all night, as my boots and socks were stacked neatly next to the rough wooden legs of the old table where we sat, and my cute furry vest I’d worn had just joined the pile. A long-sleeved T-shirt, my jeans, and my underthings were all I had left to bargain with.

  My brain was telling me it was time to panic, but I just couldn’t muster up enough fucks to give. I’m sure the slap-happy smile on my face made me an easy target.

  “Your turn, Roberts,” I heard Finn say with a grin.

  I lazily glanced down at my cards. I’d caught onto the rules of poker pretty quickly, but my inebriated state was making me a very poor player, and I’m fairly sure I had the absolute worst poker face ever.

  “We’re on a last name basis now?” I slurred as Bethany set a highball glass full of clear liquid and ice down next to me.

  “Damn straight. Now play or fold,” Finn said, biting back a laugh.

  I looked at Bethany and lazily pointed at the glass. “Is this vodka or gin?”

  She lifted an eyebrow and bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Neither.”

  Ignoring Finn’s command, and the scoffs and sighs from the other two players, a guy and girl, whose names there was no way I would remember, I sniffed the glass. It didn’t smell like anything. I took a sip. It didn’t taste like anything.

  “Water,” I said with too much enthusiasm.

  “Smart, this one,” Bethany said, laughing.

  I fanned my cards down face-up because I was too sloshed to figure out how to play the hand, and simply said, “Fold.”

  Bethany shook her head. “You suck ass at this game.”

  Even in my tipsy state, the fact that her hand was on Finn’s thigh did not go unnoticed by me. I tried not to smile. “Yes, I do.”

  “Pick an article of clothing,” said the guy across from me. I just now noticed he was shirtless.

  Without hesitation, I reached down and slid off my long-sleeved T-shirt and tossed it on top of my boots. I was glad I had worn my favorite pale pink bra with the lifting underwire. God knows I need all the lift I can get.

  I saw the shirtless guy and Finn both rake their gazes over my chest then back to my face. Shouldn’t I be turning red by now?

  Hearing a chuckle come from somewhere in the room, I slowly looked around until I saw Landon standing in the doorway with his arms folded over his chest, a pretty blonde girl with her arm looped though his. She was whispering something in his ear, but the way he was staring at me sent a shock of heat through me. I also felt a strange sensation of what could only be jealousy as I watched the blonde run a perfectly manicured hand up his chest before it came to rest on his shoulder, her red nails almost digging in as she stood on tiptoe to speak in his ear.

  His smoldering gaze never left mine, and for once, I didn’t look away. I held his stare in some unspoken challenge and grinned a little. Wondering when I was go
ing to be embarrassed about my semi-naked state, I continued to watch him with the blonde, as an irrational thought about how I was sad to see he preferred blondes flitted through my muddled brain.

  As he finally broke my stare, he removed her hand from his shoulder and then linked his hand with hers, leading her out of the billiard room, the smile no longer on his face.

  A feeling of ultimate triumph engulfed me. He was pissed he hadn’t bested me. He hadn’t made me feel uncomfortable or embarrassed by his stares, his flirty, smoldering gaze fixated on me. He was livid I hadn’t looked away, all shy. I had won, he had lost, and I had shown him.

  Fuck that guy.

  Chapter 4

  Pound-pound-pound.

  Opening my dry, sticky eyelids was a huge chore, and mostly because my head was beating like a drum. Once I managed to unglue them from my eyeballs, I stared at a strange ceiling, then looked down to see that I was in a strange bed. It slowly came back to me. Finn’s parents’ cabin.

  Slowly turning my head to the left, I saw, on the fancy night table, a bottle of red Gatorade. On it, was a sticky-note which read: “Drink Me.”

  Next to it was a bottle of aspirin, which read: “Take two of me.”

  The third item was a clear shot-glass full of amber liquid. The sticky read: “Shoot me.”

  My thoughts exactly.

  And the last item was a bottle of water. The sticky read: “Down me.”

  Lifting my head, which weighed about 200 pounds, I sat up and stared at the items. I lifted the shot-glass to my nose, and a gag that turned into a dry-heave left me when I smelled the pungent booze. Was Bethany for real? Why would I take more alcohol when I feel like this? She’s lost her freakin’ mind. I gagged again.

  Taking two aspirin, I popped them and drank as much of the Gatorade as I could stand. Then I got up to use the bathroom, and that made me feel a little better.

  Then I made the mistake of looking in the mirror. Oh, dear God, I looked like death. What in the hell was in those Irish coffees? How many did I have? Well, that guy – what was his name at our table? He did buy a round of shots. Or three. Man, what was I thinking? I wasn’t. I was trying to make the image of Landon and the blonde go away.