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A muscle in his jaw twitches as he grinds out his answer. “We need to talk.”
We don’t have anything to talk about, but I don’t want to say that in front of my family.
As I’m grappling with what to say next, my sister tromps over, kicking snow in all directions. “Sienna, are you going to introduce us?”
Yeah, sure, this is the boss we were trashing earlier. He’s followed me across three state lines to tell me I didn’t quit properly or something. I can’t bring myself to say it, or any diplomatic version of the same truth. Instead, I open my mouth and the most batshit lie-that-is-almost-the-truth spills out. “This is…Jake.”
Her eyes light up. “Jake!”
My stomach flip-flops nervously. Oh no. This isn’t going to end well.
Sienna, think before you speak.
Jacob’s frown intensifies. “Excuse me?”
My sister grabs his arm, not noticing how he stiffens up. “Mom will be so thrilled to finally meet Sienna’s boyfriend.”
The nerves rioting inside me turn to a free fall panic. “Wait—”
Jacob shoots me a sharp, silencing glare.
I squeak instead of finishing my retraction.
“Yes,” he grinds out. “I think it’s time I meet your family, Sienna. Since I’m your…boyfriend.”
ChapterTwo
JacobJake
Of all theharebrained things Sienna has done, this one surprises me the most.
She told her family I was her boyfriend?
When?
And what exactly did she say?
And most importantly, how long until we can be alone so I can ask her those questions instead of letting them just roll around ominously in my head?
Until we have a minute to ourselves, I’ll go with whatever they say. Jake? Sure, I can be Jake. I used to go by that back in college.
When I was Sienna’s age. A familiar guilty pang spikes deep inside me, reminding me that I’m not only her employer, but I’m also a decade older than her. The inappropriate feelings that have fuelled my cross-country chase need to be tamped down, especially because now she’s gone and done her usual reckless thing, and thrown us into unnecessary trouble.
But before I can ask to speak to her alone, we’re inside the luxury house I tracked my supposedly impoverished assistant to. A woman who is clearly her mother claps her hands together and croons, “Is this Jake? Oh, isn’t that sweet! You surprised Sienna by coming after all?”
If only she knew the truth. Because borderline stalking someone to her family vacation isn’t romantic.
It’s unhinged, even I know that, and I did it.Because I had to.
“He didn’t want to be apart from her for the holidays!” That’s Sienna’s sister, who is still clinging to my arm.
She’s not wrong.
Her father chimes in next. “And it’s nice to see someone really care about her, especially after her misguided crush on her asshole boss—”
“Dad!” Sienna gasps.
My gaze snaps to her face.
