More than Once

2

But now he was out of the picture, and I was doomed.

As if on cue, my phone rang. My mother.

“Hey, Mom,” I said, trying to sound cheerful.

“Rebecca, dear, just wanted to check if you were still bringing the wine tonight?”

“I am.” The one thing I could be counted on for: stocking up on alcohol.

“Oh, good. Your father and I are so excited to meet this mystery boyfriend of yours. He sounds so amazing. We can’t wait!”

“Um…”

Before I could break the bad news to her, she continued on, as bubbly as ever. “We’re just so happy for you, dear. You’ve really proven to us that you’re becoming a smart, mature young woman. I’m proud of you, and I know your father is, too.”

My eyes watered and my chest tightened up. My parents were never proud of me. I’d been a disappointment to them my entire life, and for the first time ever, things were getting better between us. I definitely couldn’t tell my mom that my so-called perfect boyfriend had just broken up with me—not now. “Thanks, Mom.”

“I’ll see you in a few hours. Bye, dear!”

The call ended and I slammed my head back against the headrest, but that only made my headache worse. I’d have to figure out a way to break the news about Brett tonight, but I’d worry about that later. I had two more hours of hell to get through first.

My ten minutes were up, but I wasn’t ready to face the shopping frenzy already. I switched on the radio, but that was a mistake. They were playing that new Villain Complex song yet again. I could swear the stations played it every five minutes, as if to taunt me. Like I needed another reminder that I was a total loser who f****d up everything good in her life.

I turned the car off and trudged back through the snow toward the store. At least once I was inside, I wouldn’t have to listen to the number one hit song by the band I’d quit. I’d take overplayed Christmas music over that any day, thank you very much.

“You’re two minutes late,” Marcie said, tapping her watch as I walked through the doors. I kept my mouth shut and continued past the long line to take photos with Santa. Hey, maybe if I asked Santa nicely, he would bring me the perfect boyfriend for Christmas.

Yeah, and maybe reindeer would fly out of my manager’s ass, too.

I took my spot at the cash register again, preparing to settle in for the longest two hours of my life. Why did so many people wait until Christmas Eve to shop? It’s not like they didn’t know it was coming. The holiday was on the same damn day every year, after all.

I rang up so many people I stopped seeing them anymore. They became a never-ending stream of blank faces buying generic, overpriced clothes. Next. Next. Next.

I shoved a red sweater in a bag with the receipt and handed it to a woman, then automatically reached for the next person’s item on the counter: a green scarf. I scanned it without even looking up—until I heard a man’s familiar voice.

“Becca?”

My head jerked up. There, at my register, was a guy I never thought I’d see again. He was yet another of my royal screw-ups, and now he stood in front of me, his broad shoulders filling out a black coat over a suit and a white button-up shirt, his gray tie slightly askew. His dark blond hair was slicked back, his bright hazel eyes stared into mine, and his lips were exactly as kissable as I remembered. He looked so damn good I wanted to climb over the counter and jump him, even with the massive line of people behind him.

Andy.

I didn’t know his last name. Didn’t know much about him at all, really. We’d hooked up during the summer in San Diego after being introduced at a party by Hector, the drummer in my former band. We’d shared one incredible, wild night and promised to keep in touch.

Neither of us had.

CHAPTER TWO

ANDREW

I couldn’t believe it. The girl I hadn’t been able to get out of my mind was here, ringing up the scarf I’d picked out for my boss.

We’d only spent a single night together, but I’d recognize her anywhere. Those brown eyes that were a little wild, a little guarded, and a whole lot intriguing. Those soft, sensual lips that tasted like cherries and bad decisions and nights I’d never forget. That smooth, pale skin and those perfect, round breasts and that ass that had fit so nicely in my hands… Jesus, I was getting hard in the middle of the store remembering it.

I’d never, in a million years, expected to run into her and definitely not on Christmas Eve. s**t, what did you say to someone you hooked up with once and then never spoke to again?

She must have felt the same way because she stared back at me, the shock clear on her face. “Andy?”

Thank god. I’d been worried she wouldn’t remember my name. “Actually, I go by Andrew now.”

Her eyes widened. She’d been the first one to call me that, during our few hours together, and she knew exactly what it meant. “What are you doing here?”

“Buying a Christmas present for my boss. I work just down the road. Crazy, right?”

“Wow.” She tilted her head and studied me. I wished she would smile or something, but she didn’t. What did I expect after the way it had ended between us? “Last-minute shopper, eh?”

I rubbed the back of my neck and gave her a sheepish smile. “I didn’t realize I was supposed to buy her something until the guy in the cubicle next to me asked me what I’d gotten. I know, I’m an i***t. But cut me some slack, it’s my first office job.”

The woman behind me cleared her throat and inched her stuff forward on the counter. The line was growing longer and longer and I felt bad about holding it up, but I wanted to talk to this girl who had magically appeared back in my life like some kind of holiday miracle.