Tangled in Tinsel (Holidates #1)(58)

“Shut up. I mean that’s the day my sister and I have this tradition where we arrive at my parents’ somewhere around the crack of dawn. And we stay in our pajamas day-drinking while watching every conceivable Christmas movie. We’ve never missed a year together.”

The look on their faces makes me want to brush away the worry because that’s what they have behind their eyes. Worry. It’s so sweet that I don’t even know what to do with it.

“It’s fine. I’m being dramatic. It’s not that big of a deal.”

Nobody speaks as I press play on the television, hoping to erase what I just said from everyone’s memory. But I know that won’t happen because I only glance at my phone before Reed sits up to nab it for me. Before treating me like a pillow again.

Me: I might not be home until sometime on Tuesday night.





Elle: Well, well, well. You’re alive. I know you haven’t even scrolled up to look at the two thousand messages I left you. Give a girl a little dick, and she forgets where she came from. Way to let the hooker fame go to your head.





I’m grinning because, in my sex fog, I forgot to message her back after the deed was done. Maybe forgot is a strong word, more like decided I wasn’t telling her another word because I knew she’d want all the damn details. And I’m keeping those all to myself for just a little bit longer.

Me: Omg. Quit. I told you last night I’d fill you in when I see you.





Elle: I wish I had a brother. If there’s anything you can count on, it’s dudes sharing...PUN INTENDED.





Before I can type back, Cole steals the phone in my hands.

“No, no, no, no, no. Hold on. What are you doing?”

He has me in a loose headlock as he takes a photo of us.

“Introducing myself to your sister,” he offers with no apology for reading my texts.

“Cole,” I shriek, reaching for my phone, but he keeps it away from me as he types before tossing it to Reed.

“Reed,” I bark. “Do not text my sister.”

But he isn’t listening. Reed holds the phone out, puckering his lips as he takes a selfie. Good god. Eleanor is probably in heaven.

“Hello,” I yell, trying to make my smile go away, “I’m very serious. I’m going to get mad.”

No acknowledgment is given other than their chuckles.

Before Reed can take another shirtless photo of himself, Jace steals my phone, briefly typing something before taking his selfie.

Et tu brute? That’s it. I hate them.

The problem is that I don’t. And the smile on my face is the dead giveaway.

Cole nuzzles my hair, pressing a kiss to my temple. I bite my lip as he says, “Think of it as proof of life since we’ve spent two days murdering your pussy.”

“Proof of life would be photos of me, not you.”

Alec hands my phone to Cole, who puts it back in my hand with a smirk. I scroll up to where Cole started the thread and almost scream-laugh. Because along with one photo after another of these idiots are bookended messages by Cole first, then Jace.

Me: Hello, Eleanor. We apologize for stealing your sister. But I have a favor to ask. Please take these photos to Francis, the guy at her deli, and tell him his pickles are no longer needed.





Me: Yeah and let him know if she chokes on his pickles again, I’m gonna shove all the cold cuts down his throat.





The bubbles show before Eleanor’s text comes through.

Elle: Honestly, forget Tuesday—Ask if they have brothers or friends. Maybe we should start a new tradition. One where ten lords are a leapin’ into this pus—





Before I can finish reading, I drop the screen to my chest and look over at Cole, hoping he didn’t see the last part. He pulls me close, kissing my forehead.

“See. Proof of life.”

Wait, what? I lift my phone, quickly scrolling back up through all the pictures. But instead of noticing them, I see me. All the tiny pieces of me that are woven around them in every photo.





“What time is it?” I mumble, feeling someone running their knuckles up and down my jaw from behind. “Or maybe I should say, what day is it?”

“Monday.”

I turn around with my coffee cup in hand to see Alec’s smiling face.

“Hi,” I whisper.

“The sun’s almost up, gorgeous. Follow me. I have something I’ve been meaning to show you.”

I take a sip of my coffee, sliding my hand into his without question. I knew it was early, but I hadn’t bothered to check the time before crawling out between the guys and making myself a coffee.

It’s part of my new go-with-the-flow attitude. I figure hedonism is my new life aesthetic.

I follow behind him as my eyes shift past the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room. With all the lights off, you can see the snow falling outside. It’s slower than I expected since the roads couldn’t be cleared but still beautiful and quiet in that magical Christmas movie way.

I shiver. Alec looks over his shoulder.

“Cold,” I whisper.

“Blankets,” he whispers back, swiping two off the couch.

Alec wraps the crimson cashmere around me, snuggling it up under my chin before smiling at me. We stand there in silence, only our collective breathing, the only thing giving away our presence.