Page 6 of Merry Little Hate Notes

“Perfect. You can zest the oranges while you tell me what’s new in North Carolina and ... about your new arrangement with Holly.” She gave me a meaningful look.

It figures Dad would have told her about that. My parents told each other everything.

“Your father says you practically begged him to place Holly with you.” She laughed while we walked back to the kitchen.

Begging might be stretching it. It was more like bargaining with a brief moment of pleading, even though I knew it was foolish. Holly clearly hated me. Not that I faulted her—I’m the one who let her believe I was a tool bag. I suppose I was, considering what I had done. Working with her was the only way I could think of to get a chance to change her mind about me, or at the very least, acknowledge my existence. Although I wondered if she was going to work from the ladies’ roomuntil I went back to Charlotte at the end of the year. That seemed to be her hiding place of choice whenever I visited our main office.

I knew I was breaking my promise to Christian, but I’d been trying to work Holly out of my system for years now, to no avail. It was important to me she knew I never intended to hurt her. Never did I think Christian would tell her I kissed her on a dare. I guess he thought he was protecting her. Maybe he was.

Although I could argue that I was the one who needed protection from her, based on the notes she’d sent me right after the kissing disaster. I still had each one memorized. She’d gone Shakespearean on me.

A most notable coward, an infinite and endless liar, an hourly promise-breaker, the owner of no one good quality.

Away, you starveling, you elfskin, you dried neat’s tongue, you bull’s pizzle, you stockfish!

I am sick when I do look on thee.

Aroint thee: go away, rump-fed runnion: slut.

Slutwas one of the tamest things she called me in subsequent notes. I bet her parents weren’t aware she knew so many four-letter words. But she knew them all and how to use them to cut me to the bone. What I wouldn’t do for her to tell me off now. Anything for her to talk to me again.

“I’m taking over some of the accounts she’s been working on, so it makes sense for us to work together.” I headed for the kitchen sink in the large square island to wash my hands. The island was a recent addition to the kitchen, along with all the open shelving.

Mom stood next to me and nudged me. “I’m not buying it.”

“You’re a smart woman.”

“You ever going to tell me what happened between you two?”

“What do you mean?” I rubbed my soapy hands under the warm water, not wanting to admit to my mother what a jerk I’d been.

Mom handed me a kitchen towel to dry my hands. “I think you know exactly what I mean.”

Taking the towel, I let out a heavy breath, not able to look Mom in the eye. “I kissed her on her sixteenth birthday,” I mumbled. “Christian ...,” I choked saying his name out loud for thefirst time in years. “He saw us, and he was furious. So I told him it was a dare and I didn’t care about Holly like that.”

Mom’s face fell in horror. “Oh, Bran, you didn’t.”

I threw the towel on the wood countertop next to a bowl of oranges, feeling like the world’s biggest prick, even after all this time. “I did,” I shamefully admitted.

“No wonder those notes of hers got so vile.”

My head snapped toward Mom. “You knew about the notes?” I thought Holly and I had kept that secret well.

Mom laughed. “I’m your mother. I know everything.”

Please tell me that wasn’t true. There were just some things a guy didn’t want his mom to know. “I deserved her ire.”

“I can’t disagree.” She rested her arms on the counter and gave me a thoughtful glance. “You didn’t really feel that way, did you?”

I shook my head. “No, but Christian was my best friend. He would have never stood for me dating Holly.”

“Did you want to date Holly? Do you want to now?”

“Holly won’t even talk to me.”

“You didn’t answer the question.” Mom grinned.

“Honestly, I don’t know what I want. I’m only hoping I get the chance to apologize.”

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