“I suppose it doesn’t matter. They always say your significant other should be your best friend.” The approval pouring off her is intoxicating, and I’m an addict needing a fix. She gives this to me sparingly; I often jump through hoops to receive it.
Mom laughs. “We’re fools for not seeing it sooner. You know your mother, and I always wondered what would happen if the two of you found love together, but we gave up hope years ago.” She chuckles. “You hid it so well.”
Mom places a hand on her hips and studies us like a puzzle. “I can see it in the eyes now that I’m looking.”
“Hmm.” I give her an empty smile.
“Don’t be embarrassed, December.” She mimes misreading my signals.
“I won’t say a word. This is your news to deliver.” She zips her lips. All but glowing, Mom gives me a full-blown smile. “Now, I believe you were here to give me a tour.” Her one-eighty is breathtaking.
All I had to do to gain her favor was be the person she wanted me to be. It’s a bittersweet victory with no true winner. Eventually, our ruse will be over, and she’ll be back to badgering, comparing, and cajoling.
“You should see her work, Mrs. Oliver. She’s put her soul into this event, and it shows. I was bringing you the latest fliers she designed.” E waves the stack of papers in his hand. “She wanted you to be the first to see them.”
Mom accepts the pile and gasps. “You did this, Dec?”
I nod. We modeled the gingerbread house after our two-story white farmhouse home with pale blue shutters, and we made the cookies look like our family.
“The detail is superb.” Mom shakes her head.
“Thank you.”
When I double majored in business marketing and graphic design, my parents were supportive but confused. I have always wanted to create a full-service experience. I know the running of the Christmas Tree farm and the shops will go to Gloria and Angel.
Marketing and organizing events around town will let me carve out an identity. I deserve to have a space just for me in Sinclair, Colorado. I wanted to be more than a worker bee for the Oliver family.
“Let me show you what I saw for the setup.” Stepping away from E, I open my satchel and pull out my pad. Flipping it open, I bring up the specs I’ve worked out. Eager to lose myself in my labor of love, I guide them both around the empty terminal. I can feel his gaze on me with every step I take. Like a coward, I refuse to meet his gaze, afraid of what I might see. He has every right to be furious or disgusted. I swallow down the bile threatening to creep up my throat.
What if he truly sees me like a sister?That kiss didn’t feel forced.Emanuele has always been off-limits. Never have I truly allowed myself to see him like others did. I’m not blind. I know he’s handsome with his olive skin, soulful, large brown eyes fringed with thick, dark lashes, and a strong jaw.
He towers over me at six-foot-two with broad shoulders and a lean frame formed from running and hefting around heavy bags and boxes at the Perez Nursery. I’ve removed the friend glasses, which has me falling down a rabbit hole of lust. My best friend is sexy as hell, and my body is responding accordingly to the revelation. What have I gotten myself into?
I meet his gaze, and E winks. The familiar action makes my tummy flip. Mind racing, I try to decipher the message. Is he amused or just as into the pleasure our lip lock created?Could he have felt it, too? No. Those thoughts lead to insanity. I won’t allow myself to go any further.
***
E
One kiss just shifted my world on its axis. I haven’t been able to stop staring at December since she put her full lips on mine and pressed her curves against me. ‘Like a sister’ hasn’t been the appropriate description for her since we hit puberty.
The words offlimits, precious,andout of my leaguecome to mind. Dec has woven a tangled web around us. Our families are close. Hell, our mothers dreamed about our wedding long before we were born. Our moms have been best friends since high school; having December and me together is a dream come true for them. Explaining why this didn’t pan out after things run their course will be painful.Is that what you want?
I smother the voice in my head quickly. December isn’t just some woman; she’s my best friend. Was I just convenient, or is she sending me a message? I study her face, trying to pick up on clues as we move around the old train station.
This is her moment, and I refuse to ruin it. She worked her ass off to land this space, put on the event, and impress her mother. I hate the damage her mother unknowingly does with her antiquated beliefs.
The world is changing, and the older generation is lagging behind. As the youngest, with a different trajectory than her elder sisters, Dec gets the brunt of her mother’s disapproval. I feel her pain there. The only son in a Latino family that’s insanely devoted, I get a lot of the same flack. I can’t stop watching her mouth form shapes.
I’ve never been so turned on by one kiss. It was like Dec had a direct line to my dick. I discretely adjust my hard-on and try to collect myself. She felt right tucked against me, and the quiet moans she made weren’t for show.
Neither was my response to her. Where do we go from here? It’s always been a question in my mind, what would happen if we were together? I could explore the answer now–no harm, no foul. It’s all pretend in her mind. Does it matter if it means more to me?
“What do you think, E?” she asks.
“Huh?” I blink, refocusing my attention on her.
“About handing out a couple of raffle tickets as they enter the event for free. And then allowing them to purchase more if they want?”