“Whatdidn’the do?”
Tell me he loved me and wanted me to have his babies?
Love.
Fuck.
Am Iinlovewith Tripp Montgomery?
I’m more fucked than I thought I was.
“It’s nothing, really.”
“I don’t want to pull the whole I gave you a free place to stay when you first moved here so you owe me card, but I’m about to.”
“Promise you won’t be…mad?”
“It’s Christmas. No one’s allowed to be mad.”
“Except Tripp apparently.”
“Howdidlast night go?” she asks, her tone a little more suggestive than I would expect considering she’s asking about her brother.
“Fine.”
“Justfine?” She sets down her spatula, posting hands on her hips. A kid squeals form the other room, but her hubby has them under control. They’re not allowed in the kitchen until all the food’s cooked. “I’m very good about these things,” she adds.
“Good about what things?”
“Knowing when two people are meant to be together. And you and Tripp?—”
“You’re not wrong.” It’s Tripp’s voice that enters the conversation, catching us both off guard. Mandi moves to give him a hug, then she punches him hard in the arm.
“Ow. What was that for?”
“I want to know why my best friend is wearing anything other than a I-got-laid-grin after spending the night alone with you.” Mandi waves her hand, as if in surrender. “And yes, I know that’s weird to say about my brother. But I was so sure about you two. So I want to know what you did to screw it up.”
“Your ankleisfine,” I accuse playfully.
Mandi shrugs.
“If you’ll let me talk to Harley alone, you might not have to ask that question twice,” Tripp says to his sister.
Mandi stares at him hard, then finally relents. “You can use Jack’s bedroom, but don’t complain about the mess. If you’re not back in ten minutes, well, I’m not going to come looking for you. But I can’t promise you that the kids will give you much peace.”
My heart races as I follow him down the narrow hall into a little boy’s bedroom. It’s every bit the mess Mandi promised, but my focus doesn’t stay on the scattered toys for long.
Tripp reaches for my hand, and suddenly, it’s only us. No toys, no kids screaming in the other room, no Christmas celebration waiting for us to show up.
“When I said last night was a one-time thing, I lied.”
“Oh really?”
“You lied too,” he points out.
“I did. I just thought…”
“That we were getting this out of our systems?”
