Page 210 of My Rules

“Are you sure about Christmas Day?” she asks. “There’s a heap of us.”

“Yes. Rebecca wants to do it at our house.”

“You’re living together now?”

“I guess.” I shrug. “We sleep between our two houses and are never apart.”

“How long have you been together now?”

“Three ...” I frown as I think. “Four months.”

“Time flies when you’re having fun.”

“It sure does.”

I drive onto Kingston Lane and see everyone on our golfing green, glasses of wine in hand and chattering away.

I smile. Seriously, best street ever.

I drive into my garage and park my car. Rebecca is already at the school, and I’ve got an hour to kill before I have to leave. I grab a beer from my fridge and walk out front.

“Hey.”

“Hi,” they all call. Juliet and Chloe are sitting on the chairs, and Antony and Henley are putting balls into the hole. Winston and Carol are in the road talking about her garden.

“How was your day?” Chloe asks.

“Good, and yours?” I sip my beer and notice the collar sticking out of her sweater.

Pink with red hearts.

Huh?

“What’s that top?” I ask.

“My pajamas.” Chloe smiles. “I wasn’t planning on drinking wine tonight. I came over to pick up something, and next thing I’m here.”

What?

“You got matching pants to those?” I try to act casual.

“Yeah, but I can’t find them anywhere.” She looks down at herself and dusts a piece of lint from her sweater.

What the actual fuck?

Henley glances over, and his eyes widen as he puts the dots together.

I hear my heartbeat in my ears as I drag my hand down my face.

I know where Chloe’s pajama pants are.

They were under my bed.

Chapter 21

Rebecca

The children stand on the stage, the audience gathers in the auditorium, and Christmas lingers in the air.

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