Page 1 of Her Holiday Heartthrobs

PAIGE

I’m such a loser. It’s only nine o’ clock and my going away party has fizzled out. Dad isn’t due back until the morning with a promise of bringing donuts. I could call him back early, but I’m wallowing. At least I still have half a bottle of Jack.

I’m usually a fan of it with Coke, but the can I opened is flat and I just can’t be bothered. I’m hunkered down on my couch under an absolutely hideous throw my father refuses to get rid of. I’m slowly sipping a shot because I’m already half-drunk, and I don’t want to do anything stupid while I’m alone.

Huffing, I squirm down deeper when the doorbell rings. I’m not expecting anyone to come back, but I get up anyway I down my shot and slowly shuffle to the door.

Henry is standing on the porch, the setting sunlight is hitting his light hair and it shows the spattering of gray around his temples. My heart stops for a breath before it beats too hard. His blue eyes narrow on me, like he’s calculating just how drunk I am, and why I’m so rumpled.

God, I can’t even take it.

“Dad’s not home.” Because, of course, the most gorgeous man to ever exist is best friends with my father. And the crush I’ve harbored for so long is dying in my chest.

“Hello to you too, Paige.” He peers around me into the house. Henry has to think I’m an absolute loser for being home alone and drinking on a Saturday night. Which is fine, really, because that’s what I think too.

I’m being scooted back inside with his hand on my shoulder, and I don’t fight it. Why would I? I think it’s the first time he’s ever touched me. “Did you want some snacks or drinks or pizza? There’s a little bit of everything left from the party.”

His brow raises as he takes in the mess of food in the kitchen. It’s the only mess because I’ve already cleaned up all of the empty cups and bottles before I burrowed under that monstrosity of a blanket.

“Everyone’s already gone home. Apparently, my three friends went to lunch and got food poisoning.” And I’m learning that drinking makes me babble. Great. “So, I’m just…”

I wave my hand around the empty space and go back to my bottle, pouring another shot and taking it like an adult.

Henry ventures further into the room, standing at the end of the couch to watch me pour another shot. “Is Patrick coming home soon?”

“In the morning.” This time I don’t fake it and sip at the whiskey.

His hands find his hips in that very Superman kind of way, and I bite my lip at the breadth of his shoulders and the way his muscles tighten under his T-shirt. “I’m not sure I can responsibly leave you here alone like this.”

“Like what? Taking baby sips with my new buddy, Mr. Jack Daniels?” I grin, and I’m surprised when Henry smiles back.

“Yes. Precisely.”

“Well, here’s the thing. I’m safe at home and not out with a whole bunch of people I don’t know, drinking who knows what, so I think I’m being pretty responsible if I do say so myself.” And to punctuate that point, I take another sip.

Henry laughs. He actually laughs. And God, my stupid ovaries explode.

“But if you think I need a chaperone, feel free to grab a shot glass and a couch cushion andwatchme get drunk.” My head lulls back, and I blink at him.

His indecision has him peering into the open kitchen, then back at me, before he collects a shot glass and lowers himself onto the cushion at the other end of the couch. He sets the glass down, and I fill it, lifting my own in toast.

“This is such a bad idea,” he says before he downs his shot.

I do the same and giggle. “I wonder how many bad ideas I’ll have once I’m away at college.”

After a small pause, Henry says, “You leave tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah. Moving in tomorrow. First day is Monday.”

“Do you know what you want to study?”

I reach out for his shot glass again. “Questions like that are going to cost you.”

Henry hands it over, after I fill it and pass it back to him, we both toss back the Jack.

Settling back into the cushions, I sigh. “I do know what I want to study. Business. I want to open my own, and it doesn’t really matter what I want to do with it. I need to learn how to run one.”

“It’s a good base to have. As your passions change, so can your business.”

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