Tangled in Tinsel (Holidates #1)(64)

“Cool,” I breathe out, shooting off finger guns. Jesus, not this again. How could I regress this quickly back to the pre-fivesome me? Maybe because I just had Jace inside me and Cole on deck. And now I’m being ejected, tossed back into reality.

I’m walking backward away from them and the tent, unable to shut my horrendous diarrhea mouth.

“The timing is perfect, actually. Because you guys probably have stuff to do. And people to get back to—”

They’re not speaking, just watching me fumble my words. And I don’t stop.

“—I mean, let’s be real. One more day and my parents would’ve probably sent out an Amber Alert. Wanted proof of life. Next thing I know, I’d be on the side of milk cartons. Amiright?”

My legs hit the coffee table, causing me to squeal as my ass hits the top of it before I rebound back to standing.

“Sorry. I mean…the table doesn’t care. You probably don’t either. Jesus,” I breathe out, cheeks red as I smooth my hands over my errant hair.

Reed steps forward, followed by Jace, but I shake my head. “I’m fine. Totally good in the hood. Oh my god, I don’t know why I said that.”

I turn around, mouth dry, cheeks red, hearing Cole say my name. But all that comes out of my mouth is, “Do they even have missing kid pictures on the side of milk anymore? I’m kind of lactose intolerant, so I wouldn’t really know anyway.”

“Samantha,” he presses, forcing me to turn around.

Fuck me. They’re looking at me like they don’t know what to do with me. Fair, guys. Me neither.

“I’m gonna go…change out of this T-shirt…and then head home.” Someone stop me. “Because the storm is over.” Say something. “So there’s no real reason for me to stay.” Just say you want me to.

The last part of what I said hangs in the middle of the room until Cole’s eyes lock on mine.

“You can leave the shirt on the bed.”

I don’t stick around to answer. No, I power walk like a suburban fifty-something in the 1980s back to my fucking room and shut the door behind me.

I lift the phone I don’t even remember grabbing, swiping it open to text my sister.

Me: Good news. I’m free.





Elle: Ha. Free? Put me in your jail. Should I tell Mom to expect four more?





Me: No. The weekend’s over. And so are we.





Bubbles. Then nothing. Then bubbles again.

Elle: FaceTime?





Me: No. I’ll see you soon. Put two bottles in the chiller for me.





Elle: For just you?





Me: Yeah—blackout drunk seems like a real good idea.





twenty-five





“We all just turned into a bunch of jackasses.”





alec


She’s been gone for all of five minutes, but none of us have left the spot we stood in as she said goodbye. I never thought in a million years that not one of us would have enough fucking balls to tell the girl we liked her. But that’s exactly what we did. We stood here in a fucking receiving line and let her say goodbye.

Fuck. I close my eyes, thinking about the all-too-fresh moment.

“Do you have everything?” Forget something, so you’ll have to come back.

She nods. “I didn’t have much to start with.”

Stay, gorgeous.

She blinks up, placing her hand on my shoulder as she lifts to kiss my cheek.

“Thanks for a wonderful weekend. Since it was literally my pleasure.”

I huff a laugh, wanting to pull her back and wrap her in a hug, then tell her she’s staying whether she likes it or not.

She sidesteps to stand in front of Jace. My eyes tick to his face, recognizing that look. He doesn’t want her to go either. Fuck. I’m pretty sure he hasn’t even heard a word she’s said to him. Because the minute she kisses his cheek, shifting her face toward Reed, I swear Jace looks more deflated than I’ve ever seen him.

And I was there the year he lost the Super Bowl.

But we still have Reed. If there’s anyone that won’t respect her wishes, it’s him. It won’t matter that she said there was no reason for her to stay—he’ll find one.

She’s smiling up at him, but his jaw is tense. What the fuck? What’s wrong with him?

She calls him close, forcing him to bend, so she can whisper in his ear. His eyes close before a thin veil of bullshit closes over him. Protecting himself from her seeing what I do.

That he likes her too.

Double fuck.

Her hand lingers on his chest before she moves to Cole. But in true fashion, he takes control of the moment, taking her hand and kissing it before leading her to the door.

The cold drifts in as it opens, and she looks back at us—a bunch of fucking emotional grown-ass-man chickens. She gives a small wave accompanied by an even smaller smile. And then she’s gone.

My hands run through my hair as I finally step away from where I’ve felt rooted, letting the moment fall from my mind. Jace’s voice follows me.

“What now?”

Reed clears his throat before answering.