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Lily
“Lily,”Charliegushed,pullingme into the party. “Thank you so much for filling the spot of our missing elf.”
“It’s no problem.” I smiled at my cousin’s wife as I stepped inside of the Sparks’ mansion. She and Brant had had two children since they got married, and it hadn’t dulled the shine of her beauty at all. I only hoped I was so lucky when my time came.
“I’m sorry you don’t get to enjoy the party properly,” she said.
“It’ll be fun.”
Not that it would any time soon. “My ex . . .” I started with a wince, glancing toward the parking lot. “He’s followed me.”
“Don’t you worry,” Charlie said. “We’ll make sure to turn him away at the door.”
I knew I could count on Charlie. She was a private investigator, and she’d know just how to handle a cheating ex. “I don’t know why he thinks I’ll take him back,” I muttered, “after he cheated on me.”
“They always do,” Charlie said. “Men are idiots.”
“Yes, we are.” Her husband slid up next to her, his arm curling around her thick waist. “What’d I do now?”
“Not you, dear,” Charlie said, giving him a kiss. “Lily’s ex.”
Brant eyed me. “I did warn you about sleeping with the enemy.”
“Dick James isn’t the enemy,” I said with a laugh. “It’s Noah Drake, the CEO, that you have a problem with.”
Leaning closer, Brant asked, “Did Dick hurt you?”
I nodded.
“Then he’s the enemy, and we’ll make sure he doesn’t get anywhere near you.”
“I could hug you,” I said. Brant had been kind to me, even when I started dating a big singer for a rival music production company. Well, when I’d met Dick, he hadn’t joined Drake’s label yet.
“Is Santa here yet?” Andy, Charlie and Brant’s oldest asked, a gang of other children on his heels. “Luke wants to know.”
Of course he would blame his brother. My cousin had two boys, and I didn’t think they knew what the new one was going to be yet. They were adorable. Brant shooed them away, and Charlie turned back to me.
“You can change in one of the rooms upstairs,” Charlie said, gesturing to the spiral staircase that dominated the main hall. “You know the way?”
I nodded. Her hand was on her belly and she looked a little queasy. I didn’t envy her that part of pregnancy. I hoped she would get a break from greeting people soon. I headed up the staircase.
The Sparks’ mansion was decked out. The banisters were wrapped in garland, and the hall rug had been traded out for one with Christmas tree edging. Above me, the chandelier glowed as if it had been freshly polished. My cousins never did anything by halves, but somehow my family and I had never felt like the poor relations, though we were.
Dad had gone into music theory instead of the family business, and he taught at a prestigious college, but we’d never had this wealth. We’d grown up in a modest home in the suburbs—just Dad, Phoenix, Aster, and I. My twin brothers formed their own rock band, Reckless Beggars, and they were on tour. Otherwise, I’d have made them be elves with me. Although, looking at the costume, I didn’t think they would have anything in their sizes. Still, I enjoyed the large family gatherings, and I appreciated that my cousins invited me, even when I’d been “sleeping with the enemy”.
My phone notification dinged and I glared at the text from Dick. He didn’t even care that I was angry at him for texting. He just wanted the song back. I couldn’t believe that he’d used me as a song mill for years, before I’d realized. He’d never been with me because he cared about me. He’d been off having sex with any groupie who came near and using my songs to make him money. I was stupid. I hadn’t wanted the spotlight that came with being my own act, but it might almost be worth it to see his face when I performed my song.
So when I’d left, I’d taken my song, too. Now I carried it everywhere with me. I hadn’t gotten my keys back from Dick yet, so I didn’t dare leave it at the apartment. Knowing him, he’d find it somehow.
I just want you,he’d texted.The song doesn’t mean anything to me.
Right.I wasn’t falling for that again.
I was staring at my phone, so I was surprised when someone knocked into me, and I stumbled against the rail.
“I’m so sorry,” a deep male voice said, steadying me with strong hands.
I looked up into Santa’s deep amber eyes, and they were determined but kind. My brother Phoenix always laughed at me when I said I could tell a person’s soul from their eyes. He said it was some strange songwriter quirk, but I thought it was true.
