“Temporary,” I rasp.
He’s right. Despite the ache that pounds in my chest, the common sense beneath it knows this can never be permanent.
I’ll ruin his life.
He’ll break my heart.
In the end, neither of us will win this game.
“Myeyeshurt,”Pennywhispers, brushing glitter off her lap. She picks up a fake gift off the table runner and rattles it. “And why do the decorations have decorations?”
Amusement pulls my smirk taut. Somehow, Rory walked into her dining room, saw the festive explosion, and decided it still wasn’t grand enough for Christmas Day.
Now, a branch of a fir tree tickles my neck when I lean too far back in my chair. My shirt-cuff almost catches fire on one of the thousand candles every time I reach for my drink.
Opposite me, Benny lets out a loud sigh. Eyes the labradoodle licking Tayce’s face. “If I don’t get fed soon, I’m eating that fucking dog.”
Tayce wraps a protective arm around Rory’s Christmas present and glares back at him. “I’ll eatyoubefore you eat Maggie.”
“Yeah?” Benny licks his lips. “Sounds like a pretty good Christmas gift to me.”
A lethargic laugh ripples around the table. Dinner was meant to be served two hours ago. The good mood soured when the sun set on the other side of the fake snow-coated windows and plates were still empty. Now, everyone’s hungry, restless, and drunker than they should be, including me.
Over the rim of my fourth vodka, I do a scan of the table. Usually, Christmas is a grand affair at the Cove mansion, but for obvious reasons, we’ve broken tradition this year. Surprisingly, two of the Cove clan actually turned up: the twins, Leonardo and Vittoria. They hammered on the front door an hour ago, Vivi in tears and Leo holding their suitcases. They wanted to be let in, and considering they had all their belongings, I don’t think they just meant for Christmas.
Filling the empty chairs are a few add-ons. Tayce sits next to Nico, and Penny’s neighbor, Matt, sits on the other side of her. Penny only agreed to spending Christmas with me if he was allowed to tag along. Every time I lock eyes with him, he freezes like I’ve shot him with a stun gun.
Suddenly, the swinging doors burst open. Everyone sits up a little straighter. Shoulders sag and sighs fill tumblers when they realize it’s only Angelo, and he’s empty-handed.
He leans against the head of the table and glares at the spinning Santa centerpiece. “No one eat the turkey,” he murmurs, cutting a glance behind him. “It’s as pink as Barbie’s playhouse. There’s eight bathrooms in this house, and twelve of us; you do the math.”
The collective groan is loud. Across the table, Max catches Penny’s eye. He holds up eight fingers and mouths,fucking hellat her.
My brother cuts off all protests with a thump on the table. “I’ll punch the living daylights out of anyone that mentions this to my wife. Eat the trimmings, put the turkey in napkins,subtly,and I’ll order us pizza—”
“And dinner is served!” An excited trill cuts Angelo off. Rory pushes through the doors, struggling with a large turkey.
There’s a half-hearted ripple of applause, which gets louder when Angelo clears his throat. He takes the bird from his wife and sets it on the table. Beside me, Penny shudders.
I put a hand on her thigh. “Don’t worry, Queenie, we’ll get burgers on the way home.”
She flashes me her signature grin. “No need.”
Before I can ask why, Rory places a nut roast in front of her. “Here you go Pen,” she sings, before sauntering off.
Penny winks at me. “I told her I was a vegetarian.”
The grounds to the rear of the house are covered in frost. In the darkness, I can’t tell if it’s real or bought from Party City.
Angelo passes me the cigar and drops his head back against the brickwork. The heat lamp above his head gives his despair a red glow.
“WebMD says I’ve got about three hours until food poisoning kicks in.” He glances at his watch. Runs fingers through his hair. “I’m on borrowed time.”
My laugh comes out in a puff of condensation. “You ate half the fucking bird.”
He cuts me a sideways glare. “She was sitting right next to me. It’s all right for you; I saw you scrape all of yours into Penny’s purse.”
“Yeah, now I’ve ruined it. Apparently, only a Birkin as a replacement will do.”