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I pull my turtleneck over my head and place it on the counter, eager to put on such a thoughtful gift. When I look down at the hideous sweater stretched over my broad chest, I can’t help but get a little tongue-tied. Thankfully, no one else is here to see me like this.
“You’re not about to cry on me, are you?” Piper asks as if the mere idea of me crying were too cringe-worthy for her.
“No,” I grumble before turning my back on her, pretending to fix myself a cup of coffee while discreetly wiping away the errant tear that ends up streaking down my cheek.
“Get it together, Nathan. It’s just a sweater. Not a marriage proposal.”
“You know what? Reindeers don’t suit you. I’m thinking Grinch green would be a better color on you,” I mutter, pulling up a stool and sitting beside her.
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” she singsongs proudly.
“Whatever. Where is everyone, anyway?” I ask, wondering where the Moore clan can be this early.
“Doing their second tradition of the day. They’re all up at the cemetery visiting Nana Moore’s grave, where they will be placing flowers and gifts for her.” She shrugs. “I know it might sound morbid, but you’d understand if you had met Nana. She’d haunt every last one of them if they forgot to buy her a present on Christmas day.” Piper laughs.
“It’s not morbid. It’s kind of sweet,” I retort.
Now I understand why Lottie is the way she is.
All her life, she’s been surrounded by love.
Is it any wonder she chose the profession that she did?
I guess if I had grown up in this kind of loving and affectionate environment, I wouldn’t have been so jaded to the notion of love. So afraid of it, even.
But I didn’t grow up like this.
Love was a foreign concept in my house.
Only fear ruled.
It took me beating up two guys at a bar and getting a matchmaker to clean my image to see that I didn’t have to follow in my family’s footsteps.
I could follow Lottie’s instead.
“That, right there.” Piper points menacingly at my smile. “It’s time we discussed whatever’s going on with your face.”
“It’s called a smile, Piper.”
“I know what it’s called, Nathan.” She rolls her eyes at me before narrowing them in my direction. “And I know why it’s there.”
“Because it’s Christmas?” I feign ignorance.
“Cute.” She scoffs. “And no, it’s not because it’s Christmas. It’s because you have the hots for my best friend. Am I wrong?”
Shit.
Have I been that transparent?
“Oh, don’t have a coronary, Nathan. It’s plain as day how you feel about Lottie. She’s the only one who still seems blind to it,” Piper explains matter-of-factly. “Now, what I want to know is what are your intentions with my best friend?”
“Did you seriously just ask me that?” I choke out nervously.
“Did you hear me stutter?” she retorts unabashedly. “Out with it, Nathan. We don’t have all day.” She snaps her fingers at me to get me to hurry up and tell her how I feel.
“I’m not sure how I’m supposed to answer that question. Lottie still has a boyfriend, last time I heard.”
“Play your cards right, and Coop will be out the door so fast that his head will spin.” She smiles sinisterly like one of those cartoon villains you see on TV. “I’ve never liked that asshole. Always strutting around like he’s God’s gift. Didn’t see the appeal of him back in high school and still don’t see it now. I know a two-faced hustler when I see one, but I have to hand it to him—I didn’t think it would take this long for Lottie to realize what a pompous prick that guy really is. I guess I have you to thank for opening her eyes,” she explains before getting up from her stool just so she can lean down and look me dead in the eye. “But just because Coop is a dead man walking, that doesn’t mean I’m going to stand back silently watching another asshole take his place. So, I repeat, just exactly what are your intentions with my best friend?”
