More than Once

4

I shoved my hands in my pockets, feeling like a complete asshole. “I’m so sorry I got you fired.”

“It’s not your fault. My manager’s had it out for me from the beginning. Trust me, it’s not the first time I’ve been fired. And knowing me, it won’t be the last either.” She reached around in her jacket like she was looking for something. She stopped and kicked the car’s tire with one of her beat-up combat boots. “God dammit!”

I flinched at the sharpness in her voice, guilt tearing me up inside. We hadn’t spoken in months because I’d been too stupid to call her, and now I’d gotten her fired. On Christmas Eve. “No, this isn’t right. I’m going back in there to talk to your boss. Once I explain that I was holding up the line, not you, she’ll have to give you your job back.”

“Thanks, but don’t bother. I hated that job and it didn’t pay for s**t anyway. The real problem is now I have to tell my parents I got fired and dumped by my boyfriend on Christmas Eve. Not that they’ll be surprised. They’re used to me being a total screw-up all the time.”

She leaned against the car and closed her eyes. For a second, her tough-girl mask slipped and her face showed only vulnerability and pain. She was having a terrible day and a huge part of that was my fault. I felt horrible about it but, at the same time, I was hit with some perverse pleasure hearing she was single. I immediately crushed it down.

“Sorry about your boyfriend, but any guy who would break up with a girl on Christmas Eve isn’t worth your time,” I said. “And you’re not a screw-up. You’ve just had a rough day. Happens to all of us.”

She snorted at that. “Somehow I doubt my parents will see it that way. We’re having a family dinner tonight at my sister’s place and I was hoping I could show them I was finally turning my life around, but guess that’s not going to happen.”

“They’re your family. They’ll understand that sometimes things don’t work out the way you want.” I knew that all too well after what had happened with Tara. One second I’d thought my future was all planned out. The next, I was snapping a ring box shut and walking away with my heart ripped to shreds.

“Yeah, sure.”

She had to be cold, wearing only a black leather jacket over her clothes, but she didn’t show it. I shrugged out of my coat and stepped close, draping it over her shoulders, even though I’d be freezing in a few minutes in only my suit. Her eyes fluttered open, and she gave me a faint smile. “Thanks.”

I nodded, my throat tightening at the sight of that smile. She wore the sexy, bright red lipstick I remembered from before, and I had the strongest urge to kiss it right off her. God, this girl was dangerous. I’d spent the last few months completely dead inside, yet somehow she’d jolted me back to life in a matter of minutes. Problem was, I wasn’t sure I was ready to be resurrected yet.

She pulled the jacket tighter around herself and took a deep breath. “What about you? Any big plans for Christmas?”

“No plans.” I looked away so she couldn’t see what it cost me to admit that. “I just started at this job a few months ago and I’m trying to make a good impression, so I didn’t want to ask for any vacation time to visit my parents back in Michigan.”

“That’s rough. What about friends here? A nice guy like you must have made some by now.”

“Nope…it’s just me this year.” Friends? Ha. I shrugged it off, rubbing my hands together for warmth. “It’s all right. I have a lot of work to do, and the office will be nice and quiet. I’ll even get paid time-and-a-half if I come in on Christmas Day.” The excuse sounded pathetic even to my ears.

“No s**t?” She let out a short, harsh laugh. “That is the saddest thing I’ve ever heard. You can’t be alone at Christmas!”

“It’s not that big a deal, really…”

She suddenly straightened up, her eyes widening. “I have the perfect idea.”

“You do?”

“It’s the best solution to both our problems. You come with me to my family’s holiday dinner tonight and pretend to be my boyfriend. You’re definitely the kind of guy who will impress my parents, and that way you won’t have to spend Christmas Eve alone.”

“Pretend to be your boyfriend?” A wave of panic swept over me at the thought. I wasn’t ready to be anyone’s boyfriend—fake or otherwise. “I’m not sure that’s such a great idea. Couldn’t you just tell your parents what happened?”

“Ugh, of course you would say that. Fine, forget it. It was a stupid idea anyway.” She pushed off the car and unlocked the door with her key.

“Hang on,” I said, taking her arm and turning her back to face me. If she got in that car, I’d probably never see her again, and I couldn’t let her go just yet. Not until I fixed things between us somehow. “What kind of food are we talking here?”

A slight grin touched her lips. “My mom always makes enough food to feed the entire neighborhood. Turkey and ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams with marshmallows, green bean casserole, five kinds of pies… I could keep going, but you probably get the idea.”

“Hmm, that is very tempting. But are you sure they’d be okay with me showing up unexpectedly?”

“They expect me to bring the perfect boyfriend I’ve been telling them about for weeks. You’ll fit the bill.” She tilted her head and considered. “That reminds me, you’ll have to go by the name Brett, too.”