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She shrugs. "Then you can move on or find something else to do if that's what you want. I just want you to know that I've got work for you here and I want you to stay." She shakes her head. "Hell, Ineedyou to stay and help me get this project off the ground."
It's not like the possibility of staying in Yuletide hasn't crossed my mind, but I didn't think it could really happen. "I'll have to see if I can extend my lease, but I promise I won't leave until this place is up and running and you don't need me anymore."
"If it comes to it," she says. "You can stay with me. I've got a guest suite in the house and a small cabin in the woods behind the back pasture we can fix up for you."
"Thank you, Josephine."
Impulsively, I hug her.
She hugs me right back. "Now go have fun."
I step away. "Want to come with us?"
"I'd love to, but it's poker night and I'm hosting."
"Next time." I wave and hurry off to jump in the minivan with my family. Sadness about Xavier still sits like a rock in my gut, but there's nothing I can do but power through.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Xavier
As soon as I step into my parents' house, I know I've made a grave error.
"Hey, Xavier." Alice appears in the front hall like a spider waiting for its prey. "Where's your girlfriend?"
Just the word makes my throat go dry and my chest ache. It's been four days since Cherry told me she can't even be my friend anymore, and I'm feeling worse rather than better. I'm not sure it's going to be possible to get over her. "We broke up."
"Did you?" Alice's face contorts into an exaggerated expression of confusion. "Because her cousin, Peach, told me you two were never really dating. She told me you had a friends with benefits thing going."
I clear my throat. "Technically, that's true." If you ignore the fact I can't stop thinking about her and I'm head over heels in love with her.
"Interesting. Because James told me Cherry turned him down when he asked her out."
"Is Mom here? I brought the dessert she asked for."
Alice puts her hand in the center of my chest and shoves. She doesn't move me, but she gets an A for effort. "You aren't going anywhere until we discuss this."
"My love life is none of your business."
"Love?" Her eyebrows hit her hairline. "I hope you didn't fall in love with your friend with bennies, because she sure got over you fast."
"What are you talking about?"
Alice holds up her phone and a video plays. A video of Cherry dancing in a skimpy red dress with a tall man who's looking at her like she's the caramel center of his favorite chocolate. The way his polo stretches over his chest and biceps makes me want to punch something.
He puts his hands on her hips and leans forward like he's going to kiss her. I slap a hand over my eyes. "Turn it off."
"Aw, was that hard to watch? That's interesting, considering Peach also told me that when Cherry told you she's in love with you, you told her to take a hike."
"That's not what I said."
The sound of the music in the video stops and I uncover my eyes to see Alice smirking at me. "Whatever you said was enough to send her into the arms of another man."
"Alice," Mom says from somewhere in the house. "Quit teasing your brother and help me make the gravy."
"I'll be right there, Mom," Alice calls.
She leans in close to my ear. "You lied to me, brother, and I'm going to have my revenge."
