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"Well," he said, pausing for dramatic effect, "let's just say my family woke up to a pair of reindeer seemingly taking flight off our roof, presents in tow, and a very smug young me. My aunt loved it, and said I'd embodied the spirit of 'unruly reindeer' perfectly. My dad, on the other hand, wasn't so thrilled about how I’d moved around his beloved decorations. But" Tony finished with a flourish, "it's still one of my family's most talked about Christmas stories."
I laughed, feeling a warmth spread through me. Not just from the story itself, but from the way Tony told it, his eyes twinkling with shared amusement and the joy of reliving a happy memory.
As I listened, my gaze would wander to the strong line of his jaw, to his twinkling eyes, to the fabric of his shirt stretched taut over his chest. Each time he laughed or moved, the muscles beneath would ripple, and my fingers would twitch with the desire to touch him.
"Jude, are you even listening to me?" Tony's teasing voice brought me out of my reverie.
"Uh, yeah, sorry," I stammered, forcing myself to focus on his words and not on the tantalizing thought of what was beneath his shirt. A blush crept up my cheeks, and I took a huge bite of my sandwich as an excuse to not say anything more.
"But seriously, you should see my family during the holidays. Total comedy antics," Tony continued, interrupting my thoughts.
“Who knows? Maybe I’ll meet them sometime.”
As much as I wanted to pull him close and explore the body that had been haunting my thoughts since the cabin, I knew I couldn't. Not while waiting for a decision about the job. It was too complicated, too risky. But that didn't stop the desire from gnawing at me.
Right as the atmosphere in the room began to settle from the height of the story, the doorbell rang. The sound was even more jarring than normal, cutting through the unspoken intimacy in the room. We both looked at the door, and then at each other, surprise etched on our faces.
As the doorbell rang again, I turned to Tony, an eyebrow raised.
"You expecting anyone?" Tony asked. “Maybe a surprise party in my honor?”
"Nope," I replied, shaking my head as I rose from the couch, "but I guess we’re about to find out." I straightened my shirt, preparing myself for whoever could be on the other side of the door.
Tony chuckled, leaning back into the cushions, and gave Sadie an affectionate scratch behind the ears. "Well, the more, the merrier," he said, although the humor in his voice didn't quite reach his eyes. He seemed to tense up, as if annoyed by the intrusion on our time.
As I made my way to the entrance, Sadie followed as usual, getting up from her spot next to Tony, clearly smitten with him. "Who knew you'd be such a dog whisperer?" I threw the words over my shoulder, casting him a warm smile before I pulled the door open, tension tingling in my stomach.
I swung the door open, Andrew’s familiar face appearing, his expression void of any emotion. Ashley stood next to him clutching a big plastic bin that appeared to be empty. A surge of shock rippled through me, freezing me on the spot.
Of course Andrew’s presence was unexpected, but it was Ashley next to him who really threw me, her glossy hair cascading down her shoulders, a hint of arrogance in her stunning blue eyes along with a calculating glint that set my nerves on edge.
“Evening, Jude,” he said with a cocky smile, one I wanted to punch right off his face.
"What do you want?" I asked, striving to keep my voice steady. “Actually, that doesn’t matter. I believe I told you not to come back.”
“I know, but I just need a few more things.”
“From the basement,” Ashley added with an insistent tone. “We saw some stuff last time we were here.”
Their presence felt like an unwelcome gust of cold wind. Behind me, I could sense Tony's attention on the situation, his quiet observation marking a stark contrast to Andrew's sudden, invasive appearance.
"Andrew, there's nothing of yours left in the damn basement," I said, firmly and definitively, an annoyed gaze on him. "I'd have noticed."
"But the boxes are there, Jude," Ashley retorted, preparing to maneuver past me. Her voice held an irritating whine that instantly made me want to slap her. “I saw them.”
My arm shot out, blocking her path. "You arenotwelcome here," I told her, my voice low and tinged with ice. "I’ll look in the basement later, and if there’s anything there—which I highly doubt—I’ll let you know and set it out on the damn curb.”
Ashley turned to Andrew, her face twisted in a petulant pout. He sighed, a long, tired sound, and shot me a pleading look. "Jude, just let us in—"
"No Andrew," I cut him off, shaking my head. "You're not coming into my house. Not ever again."
Ashley scowled at my refusal and in a huff, attempted to force the door open wider. She reached out and put her hand on the frame, preventing me from shutting it. Again, the audacity of her actions shocked me, the blatantness of her disrespect hitting me as surely as a physical blow. Her shrill voice filled the air as she yelled at me, her manners—or lack thereof—serving only to further escalate the situation.
Suddenly, the calm, measured cadence of Tony's voice filled the hallway. "Everything okay over here?" he asked, strolling nonchalantly toward us.
My heart fluttered quickly at his approach, but I squared my shoulders and forced a tight smile onto my face. "Everything's fine, Tony," I replied, my voice firm. I didn't need his help. I could handle it.
Andrew's eyes instantly narrowed at the sight of Tony. "Who the fuck is this?" he spat, his voice sharp, a stark contrast to Tony's relaxed tone. His gaze shifted between Tony and me.
