Mistletoe Kiss

8.Second Chances

  I was used to parties that went well into the night but I was still glad when the party wrapped itself up shortly after midnight. I mean, it’s not like it was bad- there was plenty of mingling and delicious refreshments and someone dressed as Santa passed out presents to all of the younger kids- but my night had gone sour with all the drama that was butting its ugly head. I used to think that models were dramatic but they had nothing on the people of Newcastle that gave me a splitting headache.

  See, after I’d ditched Amber with her new boyfriend (whether she wanted to admit they were together or not), I found Jared still at the table I’d left him at but he wasn’t alone. He was chatting it up with Chelsea and I felt my anger flare up. I used to actually be friends with that pretty girl but she’d already taken one guy from me and I’d be damned if I let her do it again.

  I froze, that vindictive thought stopping me short. No, that was wrong; Christian had never been mine to begin with. I should not, in a million years, be getting so possessive of him. Sure, I was pissed about what had happened between them but that was only because it had meant me losing my best friend and starting the next part of my life all on my own. I’d been hurt and scared, but I really had overacted. Still, that didn’t mean that I wanted Chelsea to be flirting with my boyfriend and everyone who knew her knew that Chelsea was a big time flirt.

  “Hey. What’s going on over here?” I asked with a very fake smile.

  “Oh, Baylee. Jared and I were just talking. I think it’s so amazing that you work with models and designers and stuff. You’re so lucky.”

  “Yeah, well that’s what happens when you follow your goals.” She winced visibly and I almost felt bad for being so mean. Almost, but not quite. I shot her a saccharine smile and eased myself into Jared’s lap. “So I never did ask you what you’ve been up to since graduation. Are you still working at your mom’s diner downtown?”

  Chelsea blushed a little. “Only part time. I was going to school in Cheyenne a couple of years ago but life got in the way and money was tight so I came back home. I’ve been taking classes working toward my business degree.”

  “Oh, that’s cool.” I was trying really hard not to be a bitch but Chelsea had lost all of my respect long ago. I turned back to my boyfriend and kissed him. “Hey, the party’s going to be ending soon. Wanna stay ‘til the final song or head out early? I just saw Becca and she said that she and Stan are going to get going if we want to hitch a ride.”

  He glanced over at Chelsea and annoyance flared through my veins. I already wasn’t in a good mood so that little act really set me off. “You are more than welcome to stay if you want but I’ll bet that my parents end up staying longer to help clean up. I’m pooped so I’m going to go home. But I’m sure that Chelsea wouldn’t mind keeping you company.”

  “Baylee, it’s not like that,” Chelsea started softly. Her pretty blue eyes were wide and pleading.

  “Forget it, Chelsea,” I interrupted quickly. “I know that there’s nothing going on here. I’m just tired and I’m ready to go home. So are you coming or what, Jared?”

  “Yeah, sure,” he said. He stood and gathered his stuff then turned back toward Chelsea. “It was very nice to meet you, Chelsea.”

  “Yeah, you, too. Baylee, I’m glad I got to see you again. I really hope you both have a Merry Christmas.”

  I didn’t do much more than give her a small smile as I wrapped my shawl around my shoulders, took Jared’s hand, and ventured out into the cold.

  The clock on the dashboard read 12:04 when Becca and Stan dropped us off at my house. I hugged them both and kissed Becca’s cheek and promised that we’d all be over to their house later in the day to make it Christmas-ready. She smiled back but I could see how exhausted she was. The night had been pretty annoying for me with all of my personal drama but I knew that it had taken a lot out of her. I shouldn’t have been focusing on myself when she’d left the protection of the hospital to come see me. Well that was one way to put things into prospective.

  Jared started toward the door as the car drove away but I quickly grabbed his hand to stop him. “Wait. You said earlier that I’m different here and I want you to see why. Come with me into the stables.”

  He was reluctant but I was stubborn. I tugged his hand and soon we were in the warmth with a couple of battery-operated lanterns turned on and the thick scent of horses in the air. “Okay. Now what?” he demanded.

  I ignored him for a second and set out a couple of multi-colored blankets Becca had gotten from Arizona. I motioned for him to sit on one of the blankets and he gave me an annoyed look. I pursed my lips but didn’t snap at him like I so wanted. “Just give me a sec. We’re gonna talk but I don’t want to mess up my dress.”

  With that said I stepped out of my pink dress and carefully wrapped it in the other blanket. Jared’s eyes took on a hard edge and the desire in them was very clear. I cuddled next to him on the blanket in nothing but my black strapless bra and panties. I was glad I could have such a profound effect on him but I was trying to get past the physical in this relationship.

  “Okay,” I started, “I know you’re not big on nature stuff but I am. Or, at least, I used to be. I love horses and whenever I’m upset this is where I run off to. Time away from this place hasn’t changed that and I want to share this with you.”

  I waited for him to say something and had a couple of butterflies. It probably didn’t seem like much to most people but I felt like I was laying my heart on the line just by showing him my favorite place in the world. I wasn’t really used to opening up to someone but I guess I should have felt something more than impatience as he just sat there staring at the line where satin met flesh on my breasts.

  “So you keep disappearing into here whenever you get pissed. So what?”

  I took a huge breath and let it out slowly. “Jared, we’ve been together for a year and it’s been so fun. But don’t you want more? Don’t you think about more than sex?”

  “Well sure, Baylee. But what the hell do horses have to do with anything?”

  I rolled my eyes. “It’s not just about the horses. This week is the first time you’ve met my family and you barely even talk about yours. I want to know more.”

  “Seriously, Bay?”

  I kept my expression neutral and nodded.

  “This is pointless,” he muttered under his breath but I could tell from his tone that I had won. “Fine. I grew up in New York, so you’re right, I don’t do all the nature crap. You call to your parents and even your sister at least once a week. I haven’t talked to my folks since I moved to L.A.”

  “Why not?”

  His almost black eyes narrowed. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Yes it does,” I argued. “You know why I stayed away from home for seven years. Let me know why you left.”

  “Yes, you avoided here because that guy you claim you don’t like knocked up Chelsea. I never asked to know that.”

  I swallowed back a lump. Was it jealousy that made me notice that even after four days he still wouldn’t say Christian’s name but he had absolutely no problem with Chelsea’s? I didn’t feel like I had a green-eyed monster at the moment but I did still feel like hopping on Rugrat and going for a ride. “Of course you didn’t but you’re my boyfriend. We’re in a relationship so that means you’re gonna know more about me than most people. Whether we like it or not, that’s how this dating game works.”

  “We?” he questioned. ‘You’re the one that wants to play twenty questions. This isn’t exactly my first choice for fun.” The long look he gave my nearly naked body was enough to tell me exactly what his first choice would have been.

  Okay, now I was starting to get annoyed. “Yes, whether we like it or not. I did not enjoy telling you how Christian and I met. Most people just assume that it was from riding and talking about that day terrifies me so I would have rather kept it a secret. But know you know something more about me and I still want to know more about you.”

/>   He groaned. “Let’s not play this game, Baylee. We’re together and we’re perfect for each other. What more is there that we need to know?”

  I sighed and chewed on my bottom lip. “It’s late. Maybe we should go in and get to bed.”

  I started to get up but Jared grabbed my wrist and pulled me back down. “Hey, what’s the hurry? We haven’t been together in days and there’s no one else here. I figure since we’re already alone…”

  I smiled and pecked his lips. “Not tonight, babe. I’m tired and I’m getting really cold.”

  “I’ll warm you up.”

  “I’m sure you would.” I heard a hint of bitterness in my voice but I doubted he noticed. “You’re getting your present tomorrow, remember. I’m going to go try and get some sleep. Good night, Jared.”

  This time he didn’t stop me from getting up. I pulled the dress back on and slipped back out into the snow. No one was home yet so it was pretty easy to get to my room without being noticed. My mind was buzzing and I really wasn’t in the mood to face anyone. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Jared was always like that. He was shallow and I usually didn’t mind it. Had my time in California made me just as shallow, just like the girls I’d spent my life frowning down on? I didn’t want to be like the stupid actresses that were in tabloids for drugs and whirlwind romances more than they did their jobs but it looked like I was one idiot move from that person.

  I laid awake in bed until my parents and sister got home. I saw lights click off one-by-one then things got quiet but I was still awake. The house made creepy creaking noises long after everyone else was asleep but still I couldn’t shut off my restless brain.

  This whole trip had me thinking about things that I really didn’t want to be thinking about. It was making me take a look at what had become of my life and I suddenly felt like I was on the edge of a cliff with no way back and no easy way down. In other words, I was completely lost.

  I didn’t know what time I fell asleep but it was too damn early when I was being shaken awake. “Rise and shine, sleepy-head,” my mother’s voice said gently. My tired eyes peeled open and I could just make out her kind face and happy smile through the blur.

  “Hey, Mama. What’s up?”

  “Bobby just called and said he’s heading over to Christian’s. Amber and I are going over there to get the Matthews’ house perfect for tomorrow.”

  I groaned and stretched out my body to its fullest extent. My bones creaked and popped but my limbs were well rested. It was just my head that was still worn out. I so did not want to get out of bed but I had a list a mile long of things that I had to get done before the sun started to set. “’Kay. Give me a second to get ready. I’ll head over with you and Amber.”

  I waited until my mom was gone before I rolled out of bed. Life didn’t have a pause button so I really needed to get my butt in gear. Unfortunately, my day would definitely involve seeing Jared and Christy and I honestly wasn’t in the mood to see either one. “Grow up, Baylee,” I growled under my breath. “What do you even have to hide for? It’s a clean slate with Christian and you already know that Jared’s an idiot. What are you so afraid of? It’s all for Becca.”

  I let out a long breath and rummaged through my suitcase for some clothes. I pulled on a knit top and some black jeans. An elastic belt wrapped around my waist to accentuate it and my boots were warm on my feet. I pulled half my long hair back and secured it with a clip so that the waves tumbled smoothly around my shoulders without getting stuck in my face.

  When that was done I made my way down my loft stairs and then to the guest room that Jared was using. The room was simple, a few feet smaller than mine with a twin bed, an oak dresser with a large mirror over it, and an old-fashioned wardrobe. The whole color scheme was earth tones like tans and browns and oranges. It was a nice room but Jared’s natural flair stuck out like a neon sign. He didn’t notice me at first, busy as he was going through his carry-on bag so I had to opportunity to just stare at him. Damn, he was fine.

  “Hey, stranger,” I said.

  Jared dropped something in the bag and spun around in a flash, making me instantly suspicious. I arched my brow and crossed my arms but I wasn’t going to push. “Hi, Baylee. Did you need something?”

  I pursed my lips. “I’m going over to the Matthews’ house with my mom and sister. We’re going to put up a few decorations and I’m going to help Becca cook for tonight’s dinner. Do you want to come with us?”

  “Decorating again?” he whined. “We spent most of last Christmas at parties or at home in the bedroom. This family crap isn’t how I wanted to spend the holiday.”

  I rolled my brown eyes. Why were all men such big babies? “I get that. But we’re here now so you’ve got two choices. You can either come help or you can stay and watch sports with my dad and probably Stan until we get back. It’s up to you.”

  The sound he made in the back of his throat was almost like a growl. I’ll admit that it probably would have been sexy if I wasn’t so annoyed with him. I waited for a few moments while he debated with himself whether or not to go with me. “Fine.” The single word was clipped and forced but it was still acquiescence.

  “Good. Then get ready ‘cause they’re leaving soon. I would say that we could ride over on a couple of horses but I know that you wouldn’t do that.”

  “I’m coming.” pulled something out He pulled something out of his bag and shoved it in his pocket before I could see what it was. Jared was hiding something and I was definitely going to get to the bottom of it.

  The ride over to Christian’s was a quick one. Bobby’s truck was already there and the door opened when we pulled up. Becca stood in the doorway beaming at us. She had on some plain jeans and a red Christmas sweater with a green tree that had little lights. Her dark hair was tied back and she had a headband with reindeer antlers to hold back her bangs. “Oh, finally. I’ve been waiting for you. Bobby and Christian were just going through some boxes and Stan is out in the barn. Come in. Come in. Let’s put on some music and get started.”

  We followed her into the living room where the boys were stringing up some Christmas lights and Becca popped a holiday CD in the old boom box she had. I smiled and pulled Jared with me to start hanging up Christmas bulbs on the fresh pine tree. I was having fun and it didn’t seem like my boyfriend was complaining quite so much although every so often I saw his hand flutter to his pocket and whatever he was hiding.

  I helped with the tree a little and then added my pink tie-dye stocking to the mantle over the fireplace. I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of my mouth as I compared Becca’s fireplace to mine in L.A. See, the one back home was an electric one set into the white wall and had some French painting hanging over it. Becca’s was very rustic with a wooden mantle covered in framed pictures and with knee-high socks nailed into it acting as our Christmas stockings. She was braver than I was in that aspect because I never would have had the courage to use literal stockings as decorations in my classy apartment.

  “Okay, Baylee. Do you want to come help me with the tamales? We’ll let the others finish with the tree if nobody minds.”

  “Sure,” I said brightly.

  Jared shot me a look but kept working as I pecked his lips and followed Becca into her huge kitchen. She had two large bowls set on the counter and some wooden spoons to spread the filling on the corn husks. She and I worked together filling the tamales and rolling them up. Becca’s nimble fingers worked much more quickly than mine and it seemed impossible that this woman had had to spend time in a hospital for heart problems.

  “You and your novio seem to be doing better. Did you talk to him after the party?”

  I didn’t look up from my task so she couldn’t see the slight frown on my pink lips. “Yeah, we talked. I’m trying to get past the shallowness in our relationship so I told him some of the things I’d been keeping bottled up.”

  “Well that’s very good.”

  “Yeah. I?
??m trying to use this trip to move on from the past and start over.”

  I peeked up at her through my lashes and saw her smiling. “A second chance is a great thing for everyone. New beginnings help us heal.”

  “That’s the idea.” I hesitated for just a second before I continued. “It’s hard, though. Chelsea and I were never close but we were friends. I just don’t know if I can let go and trust her again. That’s stupid though because Christy and I were never together, isn’t it.”

  “You love him, Baylee, and you can’t stand the fact that she’s the reason you had to leave him behind.”

  I couldn’t say anything for a long time because I was afraid my voice would crack. “I’m being silly. Christian and I are just friends. That’s the way it’s always been and that’s the way it’s always going to be. I do wish that he could have gone to Los Angeles with me but things worked out fine for both of us.”

  We worked together a little longer just listening to the music drifting in from the other room. I was wrapped up in my own head thinking about my feelings toward Jared and even Christian until Becca made a little gasping noise. My eyes snapped up to her and I saw her eyes shut, her face twisted in pain and she was clutching her chest. “Becca? Are you alright?”

  “Of course, Buggy. I just thing I’m a little tired. Will you be fine by yourself if I go lay down for a few minutes.”

  “Yeah, no problem. You go.”

  She moved slowly down the hall and I frowned. Becca wasn’t supposed to be sick. Becca was strong, the strongest person I’d ever met.

  “Hey, is there anything to drink around here?” Jared’s voice asked, making me jump.

  “Hmm? Oh, yeah. Let’s see. There’s water, coffee, tea, or milk.”

  “Doesn’t matter,” he replied without looking up from his phone.

  I rolled my eyes and poured him a glass of Becca’s cinnamon tea. He set his cell on the counter when I handed him the cup but didn’t really say much to me. “So. How’s it going?” I asked after some awkward silence.

  “Fine. What are you doing in here?”

  “I’m just finishing up the tamales for tonight. Becca went to lie down so you can help me if you want.”

  “I don’t cook.”

  Or do dishes, or laundry, I added silently. “Well I’m almost done then we can do something together. ‘Kay.”

  “Sure,” he muttered. He turned to leave and I noticed his phone was forgotten on the counter. I could have called after him to get it but Jared needed to spend time with people and not in cyberspace. Hmm. Maybe that was our problem. Maybe technology was invading too much like it had done to pretty much everyone in this generation.

  Jared’s phone started buzzing and I instinctively went to check it, assuming it was for his job. A new text message flared up on the screen when I tapped it. The letters were a jumble of nonsense and it took me a few minutes to make sense what I was seeing.

  sorry ur bored. id offer to go hang w/ u but they all pretty much hate me

  Chelsea’s name flashed brightly at the top of the screen. I couldn’t help my curiosity at that point. I scrolled up and went through the messages and I felt my heart ache a little more with each one. There were 176 messages between the two of them and they went back pretty much from the moment I’d left him in the stables. Chelsea was a flirt and it looked like Jared had absolutely no problem playing her game.

  I stared blankly at the screen. I don’t know if I was more hurt or pissed and my expression must have been one of pure shock when Christian walked in.

  “Hey. What’s wrong?”

  I swallowed back a lump in my throat. “I, uh… It’s- it’s nothing.”

  “You’re lying, Baylee-Bug. C’mon, spill.”

  I blew out a breath and silently handed over Jared’s cell. He scanned through the phone for a few seconds and I saw his face darken. “Would he actually get with her?” he finally said.

  I shrugged. “I don’t think he’s the type to cheat. But I didn’t think he’d flirt with another girl over text messages, either. He’s not really the romance type but some of those messages are pretty heartfelt. What is it about Chelsea that makes guys flock to her and why don’t I have it?” I hated the way my voice quivered.

  Christian’s strong arms wrapped around my shoulders and I buried my face in his chest. “There’s absolutely nothing that she has that you don’t. As much as guys hate to admit it, we’re idiots.”

  I let out a watery laugh. “I’ve been trying to tell you that for years.”

  Christian grinned. “Yeah, but I don’t listen to you. So what are you going to do now? Want me to kill him?”

  I let out a sigh. “I’m not sure but no, you don’t need to kill him. I’ll figure it out. Thanks, Christian.”

  9.Confrontation

  We were going to be having dinner at my parents’ house because the dining room was bigger and some of my dad’s family was going to drop by like they did every year. No matter how upset I was with Jared I still felt a little sorry for him he would be stuck with even more of my relatives. My mom and Amber helped put food into bowls and containers to take over to our place and then we loaded up Mom’s Explorer. When we got to the house I made the boys help us carry everything from the car.

  “Why do we need this much?” Jared grunted holding a large, hot pot out in front of him.

  I hesitated, debating whether or not to tell him that we would have more company. “My dad’s sister and her family are coming for dinner tonight.”

  He almost dropped the pot but was able to set it on the table just in time. Jared grabbed my wrist and pulled me back out into the snow. “More family? Baylee, this is getting ridiculous. I’ve had to put up with this entire town for you and you haven’t even touched me since we got here. How much more am I going to have to take?”

  “Then maybe you should just call Chelsea,” I snapped before I could help myself.

  “What was that? Did you go through my phone?”

  My first instinct was to get defensive so I did. “Why were you texting Chelsea?” I challenged. “I’m your girlfriend, Jared, and I’m always in your phone so I don’t know how you expected to hide the fact you’re talking to her. Is that what you were hiding this morning? You didn’t want me to know that you were trying to hook up with her behind my back?”

  “I wasn’t trying to hook up with her,” he practically screamed at me. “But can you really blame me for talking to a girl that is actually paying attention to me?”

  I huffed and started off toward the stables. I knew that I didn’t have time to go out for a ride but I needed to cool down a bit before I did something that I might regret. I was a little surprised when Jared followed me and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. “So you’re running again? Dammit, Baylee, I came for you and you’ve been bitchy the whole time.”

  I stopped dead and spun around on my heel. Before I even knew what I was doing my hand lashed out and smacked against his cheek with a crack that echoed in the stillness of the stables. “Screw you,” I snarled. “I’ve been trying to make this work but you just keep pissing me off. I know that I’m quick tempered so I go where I can cool down and not smack you every time I get angry. You’re the one acting like a spoiled little dick. So what if there aren’t fancy parties and celebrities whose asses you can kiss? Newcastle is my home and you need to stop thinking that you’re the priority if my life because you’re really not.”

  “You’re the one throwing temper tantrums like a two year old. I’m not going to deal with this. Call me when you grow up.”

  My hand curled into a fist with my manicured nails biting into my palms but Jared turned before I could punch him square in the nose. He whipped out his phone from his pocket and punched in a number and I knew who it would be.

  “Wait,” I called quietly. Jared turned but he was still livid. I took a deep breath and kept my voice steady. “It took you three weeks to ask for my number and then another four days before you actually used it. Y
ou barely met Chelsea last night and already you’re texting her more than you text me. And god, Jared, I didn’t know that you could be that sweet. Just answer me one question. Do you wish that I was her?”

  His face fell and for the first time since I met him Jared was speechless. A little sob bubbled through my lips but I choked back any tears. “Your silence is answer enough. I get it. We work well together but we shouldn’t be a couple. Maybe… Maybe you should just go back to Los Angeles. I’ll be there in a couple of days and we can sort out what belongs to whom.”

  “Hold it. Are you breaking up with me?”

  “Do you want to stay with me? This girl that you met this week is the real me and I can’t go back to who I was before. If you truly love me then we can work this out. If not, you need to leave.”

  “Baylee…” Jared’s voice as so heartbreakingly gently that for a moment I thought that might actually stay. He crossed the distance and kissed my forehead, brushing back the hair from my face. “I’ll get my stuff and be out of the apartment by the time you get home. Let’s not make it any more awkward than it has to be.”

  Jared turned and walked back in the direction of the house leaving me alone in the stables. I pressed my hand to my lips in a feeble attempt to hold back the sobs that wracked my body but they came anyway. Tears made it hard to see and my shoulders shook. I slid down to the hay-covered floor and just let myself cry.

  I was still curled up on myself when Christian found me in Rugrat’s stall. “Shit, Baylee. What the hell happened?”

  I hiccupped but didn’t think I could speak. My black stallion pushed against my back with his nose and I drew strength from the horse. “Jared and I broke up.”

  “Who broke up with whom?”

  “Does it matter?” I snapped.

  “It does in my opinion. I need to know if I should go kick the crap out of him.”

  I surprised myself by laughing at that. “I broke up with him. It just wasn’t working out and I couldn’t keep pretending that it was.”

  He nodded once. “That explains that stupid look on Jared’s face when he went to get his junk.”

  “Huh?” I mumbled.

  “Yeah. He went in, told everyone that something came up so he had to head back to California, then packed his crap and left. Bobby offered to take him to the airport but he said he had a ride. I almost punched his lights out when Chelsea drove up but I didn’t feel like seeing her so I came to look for you.”

  I hiccupped again. “He likes her and I can’t really blame him. I haven’t been a very good girlfriend lately.”

  “The guy’s an idiot,” Christian said so seriously that the annoying hiccups stopped. “C’mon. Stop crying and then we can go in before everyone else comes looking for you.”

  I wiped my nose with my sleeve, as disgusting as that is. “I don’t even know why I’m crying. It’s not like I really loved him or anything but it just sucks. Now I really am alone.” The realization made the tears flow faster and my breath came in short gasps.

  “That’s not true, Baylee. You’re family loves you so much. You’re not alone.”

  I took a huge, shaky breath to steady my nerves. “I know. It’s just different when I’m not here. I don’t feel like I’m part of this family anymore.”

  “Then you should come back more often.”

  I sighed. “I know and I probably will. It’s just that before I moved I was one person and then living in L.A. turned me into somebody completely different. Now I don’t know who I’m supposed to be.”

  “Well you’re not going to figure it out sitting here and moping. Let’s go.”

  I frowned at Christian as he hauled me to my feet. “Where are we going?”

  “You’ll see in a minute. Hurry up.”

  He sounded exactly like he used to when we were little and he was excited about something. I giggled and wiped my hand against my tear-stained cheeks. Christian dragged me around the side of the house to the back porch then dug through the nearby shed for a couple of bows and some arrows. I laughed a little as he handed a bow to me. “Seriously?”

  “Why not? You’re not going to figure out where you’re life’s going if you sit around and think too hard. Since we don’t have time for you to work out with Rugrat I figured this is the next best thing. You’re more yourself when you let everything come naturally. Don’t think about anything. Just shoot.”

  I pursed my lips but realized that if I thought too much about things I would drive myself crazy. I pushed my hair from my eyes and took a deep breath. I aimed at one of the hay barrels in the yard and let my mind go completely blank. My senses drowned out everything except for the bow pulled back by my cheek and my target thirty yards away. I released the string and my ears were met with the satisfying hiss of the arrow. Without wasting time I turned to another, more obscure barrel and shot. I let my body take over without any interference from my head as I hit one target after another.

  I lowered the bow and let out a long sigh. My eyes were dry and my back wasn’t as knotted and my head wasn’t pounding from all the tension. I felt more relaxed than I had in a long time.

  “How’d that feel?”

  “That was amazing. It’s like all the tension and pressure I’ve been carrying around with me are just gone.”

  Christy chuckled. “Yeah, that’s what happens when you let go and focus on something other than your giant problems.”

  “I want to go again,” I demanded breathlessly. “I want more of a challenge.”

  “Whoa. Ease up a bit, girl. We’ve gotta go in to dinner soon.”

  “I don’t care. Give me something harder to shoot at”

  He laughed again. “Okay, fine.” He stepped up behind me and pointed up into the pine tree. “See that pinecone with the green X on it? Bobby and I set it as a target but no one’s hit it yet. Care to try your luck?”

  I squinted up into the tree with its dozens of pinecones. “Which one? I don’t see an X.”

  He gripped my shoulders and pulled me gently so my back pressed firmly against his broad chest and pointed up between a small gap in the needles. “See it now?”

  “Oh, yeah.” I set my arrow and lifted the bow and focused on the center of the X. I released a slow breath and released my arrow. It zipped free and small branches rustled slightly as it zoomed through the tree. Before I knew it, there was a crunch as pieces of my pinecone rained down and my arrow stopped dead center of the pinecone.

  “Damn, I’m impressed.”

  I tilted my head back and grinned but my smile faltered when I realized just how close he actually was. His lips were only a couple of inches from mine and I couldn’t stop my eyes from darting down to them. His rough hands were still on my shoulders and I wouldn’t have been surprised if he could feel my blood pumping furiously beneath his fingertips.

  “Um, what was I saying?” I blinked, trying to get rid of the haze in my mind.

  “Nothing. I was complimenting you on your great shot.”

  I cleared my throat and took a step back. My head was still a little fuzzy but at least my thoughts were becoming more coherent. “Oh. Right. It was fun. Thanks.”

  “No problem.”

  I tucked a few loose strands of hair behind my ear and kept my gaze down. “Maybe we should head in to dinner before anyone comes looking for us. Besides, I’m getting kind of cold.”

  “Yeah, sure.” Christian opened the back door for me like a true gentleman. He followed me through the laundry room and into the kitchen where both of our families were busy setting out the holiday feast.

  “Oh there you two are,” my mom exclaimed happily when she saw us. “I was getting a little worried about you. Aunt Susan and the kids are going to be here soon. Baylee, it’s too bad Jared had to leave.”

  Angry bees started buzzing around in the pit of my stomach. “Yeah. He got an important message and had to rush back to L.A.”

  “Oh. But you’re still staying until the twenty-seventh, right?”

&nbsp
; “Of course. Jared’s business has no effect on me.” At least not anymore.

  “Well I’m glad you get to stay although I was surprised that Chelsea was the one taking him to the airport.”

  I pursed my lips. “Well I didn’t want to miss dinner and they hit it off okay last night so we asked if she’d be available to drop him off.” Well it was close enough to the truth and I didn’t want anyone else to know about my breakup. I really didn’t want to hear the ‘I told you so’.

  “I see,” Mom said simply.

  I was spared anymore interrogation as the front door creaked open. “Hey family,” a voice called over the yelling of two fighting children. “We’re here.”

  I followed everyone into the living room where a woman with light brown hair and hazel eyes was trying to carry a stack of presents while keeping two little girls from killing each other.

  “Here, Aunt Susan. Let me help,” Bobby said as he took the boxes from her. Without the bulky boxes Susan looked tiny, almost fragile. She had a heart-shaped face and pink mouth. Her nose was slightly pointed and her eyes were almond-shaped. All-in-all she looked like a fairy, especially because I was taller than her now.

  “Oh, Baylee,” she gushed when she spotted me. “Look at you! You’re so grown up. You’d better watch it, Paul, ‘cause you’ve got two smokin’ hot girls.”

  My dad frowned. “Susan, I don’t like your assessment of my daughters.”

  “Why not? It’s the truth, big brother. Get over it. Now, Baylee, I want to meet your boyfriend.”

  I gave her a fake smile. “Oh, I’m sorry but he had to go back to Los Angeles a little while ago. But I’d like to meet your girls. They’re so beautiful.”

  Susan grinned. “Jill, Sierra, stop trying to tackle Bobby and come meet your other cousin.”

  The two girls looked over at my skeptically. They looked almost exactly like their mother except the older girl had dark blue eyes and her sister had brown eyes. The younger girl hugged her mom’s legs and peeked at me from behind them. I crouched down so that I was level with the girls. “Hello. My name’s Baylee.”

  Susan’s older daughter stared at me and blinked her blue eyes like I was a puzzle she was trying to solve. “I’m Jill and that’s my sister Sierra.”

  “Oh, wow. I remember when you were born. I haven’t seen you since you could fit in doll clothes.”

  Her intense eyes stayed trained on me. “Are you the one that moved to live with all the movie stars? Christian and my cousins talk about you all the time. You really are pretty like they said.”

  I blushed and glanced at Christian who looked like he wanted to sink right through the floor. “Well thank you, Jill,” I said. “You’re very pretty, too.”

  She smiled and started twisting her hips in that nervous, restless way that kids do sometimes. “Do you like Christian? He likes you.”

  I heard Christy snort from behind me and I was tempted to throw a pillow at him. “Sure. But if you ask me that question in five minutes then I might say that I don’t like him. See, Christian and I have been friends for forever and sometimes I really want to fight with him like you were fighting with your sister.”

  She cocked her head to the side as if trying to figure out if that was a suitable answer to her question. Before she could interrogate me more I turned to her little sister. “Hello, Sierra. I really like your coat.”

  She studied me with her big brown eyes. “Thank you. Do you really live with movie stars? I want to meet one.”

  I laughed. “Well I don’t know any movie stars but I do know some models. Maybe one day I’ll be able to take you to a real fashion show.”

  Her eyes got even wider so that they took up most of her face. “Really?”

  My aunt laughed. “You shouldn’t have done that, Bay. She might only be four but Sierra is a fashionista. She won’t stop bugging, you now.”

  I grinned. “I’m being serious. You’re the one that she’s going to bother to take to L.A.”

  “Can we go, Mommy? Please?” the little girl begged suddenly losing any shyness.

  Aunt Susan glared at me. “Now see what you did?”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “Sorry.”

  I saw my mom shaking her head with a small smile on her lips. “Okay, that’s enough chitchat. Let’s sit down to dinner before all of the food gets cold.”

  We went back into the kitchen and sat at the full table. It was covered with all kinds of dishes that my mom had kept warm in the oven during the last hour since we’d gotten home. It was a good thing that our kitchen was so massive because otherwise our table would have been crowded with so many people. My dad led a quick prayer and soon the entire room was buzzing with conversation and dishes clanked as they were passed around.

  After dinner everyone went into the living room for games. My sister’s iPod was plugged into the portable speakers playing the weirdest mix of Christmas and Country. Miranda Lambert came on immediately after Silent Night and I couldn’t help but smile. I’d gotten so used to listening to the same top billboard songs over and over that the strange mix coming through the speakers was a nice refresher.

  “Baylee, will you buy me a present from Hollywood?” Jill asked suddenly as she and Sierra were snooping through the presents trying to find any with their names.

  “Jill!” Aunt Susan scolded.

  I laughed. “Sure, Jill. What kind of present do you want?”

  She tilted her head and thought seriously about it for a moment. “I want a famous people star!”

  “Me, too,” Sierra chimed in.

  I frowned in confusion and looked toward Susan for help but she shrugged, just as lost as I was. “I think she means from the Hollywood walk of fame,” Christian said laughing at the expression on my face. “Right, girls? You want the stars on the street with the names in them?”

  “Right!” my cousins said simultaneously.

  “I’ll see what I could do,” I answered with a bright smile. Those two were so adorable that I was glad I didn’t have to deal with Jared while they were here.

  I stood up to go to the kitchen at the exact same time that Christy did. His gaze caught and held mine and I could feel my cheeks warming up. Well, crap. I forced my heart to calm down its erratic beating. I’d been single for three hours so I should have been getting so nervous around Christian.

  “Mommy, look! Christian and Baylee are under the mistletoe!” Jill yelled for everyone to hear.

  I looked up to see that sure enough there was a green plant hanging over us. Someone, probably Bobby wolf-whistled and Amber called, “Now you have to kiss.” I seriously wanted to kill my siblings.

  “Well, I guess we can’t ignore tradition,” Christian muttered.

  My hands immediately got sweaty and my knees turned to jelly. Christian slowly tilted his head toward me and I sucked in a sharp breath. I could feel his breath on my lips and could smell that sweet scent that was uniquely Christian. He pecked my lips once and pulled back with a small smile. I was only vaguely aware that we still had an audience as I turned quickly and rushed into the kitchen with the sounds of cheering and laughing following me.

  Once I got to the kitchen I wet a paper towel with cold water and dabbed it at my flushed face. I hated that one tiny kiss could cause such a reaction in me. I tried to blame it on the fact that I hadn’t had sex in a week but not even Jared had flustered me so much and he was trying to. Crap. I couldn’t be into Christian. I just wouldn’t let myself give in to the feelings he was stirring up inside me and then in a few days I’d be home and things could go back to how they were.

  “Are you okay?” Christian asked from the doorway pulling me from my raging thoughts.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. What’s up?”

  “I was just coming to check on you. You ran out of there pretty quickly.”

  “I’m fine.” I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince him or myself of that. “It was just a little hot in there and I wanted to get some of your mom’s snowball
cookies for the girls.”

  “So that kiss back there-”

  “Forget it,” I said quickly. “It’s just something that people do during Christmas. No big deal.”

  “It is to me,” he argued. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you since you got home. I’ve missed you, Bay.”

  “I missed you, too. I missed having my best friend and I’m glad we can get back to that.”

  “Dammit, Baylee. You know what I meant. I hated that you were dating that jerk.”

  My eyes narrowed into daggers. “Shut up, dumbass. No one else needs to know about that.”

  “Fine. But can you honestly tell me that you didn’t feel something back there?”

  I huffed. “I’ve know you most of my life. You’re like family, Christy.”

  He took three large steps toward me and braced his hands against the counter on either side of my waist so that I couldn’t escape. “That’s shit. I could tell by that kiss that what we have is more than brotherly love.”

  I shoved past him. “Stop it, Christian. I just broke up with Jared this afternoon and I don’t need you trying to mess with my head.”

  “See. I knew it. I’m making you feel things.”

  “So what?” I snapped. “I’m leaving soon and you’ve made it quite clear that you’d never leave Wyoming. Besides, we had our chance and you chose to have sex with Chelsea because you were pissed at me.”

  “You and I weren’t even together back then.”

  “I wanted us to be,” I whispered. “I thought I loved you and I thought you felt the same. I was hoping that moving to Los Angeles would give us a chance to try to be together but obviously I had it wrong.”

  “Baylee-”

  “Don’t. It’s been a long day and I just want to enjoy the rest of it with my family.”

  I grabbed a tin of Becca’s snowball cookies off the counter and took it back into the living room where the others had started up on a game of Scattergories.