AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She looks up from her conversation with Lucas’s mom and blinks a few times. “Is he here?”
He tilts his head to the side in disbelief before finally shaking it. “You’re a piece of work. You know that, don’t you?”
Frowning in confusion, I toss the snowflake-print oven mitts on the counter and edge closer to my brother. “Seth, what’s—” But I stop in my tracks when I spot a familiar face—a face I haven’t seen in years—standing in my grandmother’s foyer.
Preston. The ex-boyfriend from hell.
“Are you kidding?” I blurt out.
“Relax, baby girl,” Mom drawls from the table. “We ran into each other at the grocery store the other day and when he told me his mother passed away a year ago, I invited him here. Everyone wants to be around familiar faces for the holidays.”
If anyone else had said that, I’d believe they hadn’t intended to be a bitch. Mom, on the other hand…
Slowly, I turn to look at her, digging my nails into my palms. “Thanks for looking out, Mom.”
There’s a sick feeling swimming around the pit of my stomach as Preston and I stare each other down. He was my first love—hell, my first lover—but up until thirty seconds ago, I never thought I’d see him again. I mean, sure, he’s from Nashville too, but it’s a big city. We don’t even travel in the same circle of friends.
And yet, my mother conveniently managed to run into him at the store when the only groceries I’ve seen her buy since she came home are mixers for her drinks and cigarettes.
As if on cue, a smile splits his face, and he takes a step closer toward the kitchen. “Sienna. You look just like—”
I shove past my brother, holding up my hand. “What are you doing here?” I cast an anxious glance at the living room entry, and I’m thankful the volume of the football game is turned on high. “We agreed never to see each other again.”
He runs his hand sheepishly over his short black hair and shrugs, his expression giving me a clear view of his dimples. When I was in high school, that look was my downfall, and I was always eager to please him. Now, I don’t feel a thing other than irritation as I stand beneath the bright, multicolored lights decorating the foyer, jabbing my tongue in my cheek. “Preston?”
“I’ve been talking to your mom lately and she brought up Christmas. When she asked me what I was doing, I thought about all the good times we used to have together. Remember that year in New York?” When I nod lamely, he continues, “It made me think. What if I hadn’t been such a dick, if maybe—”
“You know I’m engaged, right?” When he nods slowly, I carve my fingers through my red hair then wring my hands together. “You didn’t think my fiancé might be around? You know, since it’s Christmas Eve and engaged people usually spend the holidays together.”
“Your mom said he was in Atlanta, so I figured I had a good shot.”
My mom said. Why am I not surprised?
“Well, that’s because she’s a liar,” I snap. A thought hits me like a ton of bricks, and I cross my arms over my chest and release an outraged breath. “And even if he was in Atlanta, that wouldn’t give you a shot at a damn—”
“Lucas Wolfe is here now?” He looks impressed, and I roll my eyes. “Damn, Sienna. You were always good, but for you to get a rockstar in your—”
“You might want to cut yourself off right there before I’m forced to give you your own fucking teeth as a Christmas gift.”
Preston and I whip around at the same time to see Lucas leaning against the doorframe, his broad shoulders taut and his stance wide. I’m not fooled by the sardonic smile twisting his lips. This situation is not amusing to him whatsoever. His hazel eyes are cold and hard, and as he moves his gaze from Preston to me, I clear my throat.
“Lucas Wolfe, this is Preston Lewis.”
“Preston,” Lucas repeats, both syllables drawn out in low growl.
“My mom invited him to join us for lunch,” I add through clenched teeth. I shoot a glare at the kitchen. God knows what Mom is in the kitchen telling Shannon Wolfe at this very moment. “Preston and I … we dated briefly.”
“If briefly means all through high school and college,” he corrects me, leaning forward to shake Lucas’s hand. My fiancé stares at it for a moment before pushing away from the doorway to come stand behind me. His hand on my hip is comforting, but I’m still shaking. How could my mom do this to me? I was seconds from thinking she’d let this day happen without any bull and then she had to go and shit all over it before we even started.
The only thing that could make this worse is if one of Lucas’ one-night stands—or worse, Cilla Craig—showed up.
Shuddering, I tune back into the conversation just in time to hear Lucas telling Preston. “Whether you stay or not, Sienna’s mine. That shit ain’t changing. “
“Maybe, but just remember—”
“Preston Lewis! What a surprise to see you here,” Gram speaks up.
This time, I’m thankful for my grandmother’s intrusion, because I can already guess the next words to come from Preston’s mouth: Just remember I banged her first.
