Page 52 of Single Mom's Christmas Wish

“Yeah, a clone of this one. I’m almost jealous,” Callie retorts, giving Archer a broader, more seductive smile. I could crush her head right here, right now. My God, she brings out the worst in me. I need to pull myself together.

“You’re too kind,” Archer politely says, then removes his hand from her touch and reaches across the counter to take mine instead. “My brothers are equally taken.”

“Oh, that is such a shame,” Callie offers a fake sigh as she eats him up with her sparkling brown eyes. “How did my little sister bag a man like you, anyway?”

Archer gives me a long, lingering look. I can only imagine what’s going through his head right now, but I cannot thank him enough for leading the conversation and for making sure Callie doesn’t hit another nerve. He can definitely tell that I am on edge and close to becoming homicidal if he doesn’t keep the conversation under control.

“I met Dakota at the community center. The sparks were instant,” he says, his voice soft and just enough to make my heart beat a million times faster. “She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever come across. Though, I didn’t have the courage to tell her that right then and there. I didn’t want her to think I was some kind of creep.”

“I would’ve never thought that,” I giggle.

“Sure, she’s got some of the Monroe genes, but the most beautiful woman you’ve ever come across? I doubt it,” my sister says, sliding in to ruin the moment.

Archer raises an eyebrow at her and proceeds to be his usual, unforgiving self. “I like my women with more meat on their bones.”

I’m just about to double over with laughter, but by some miracle, I manage to keep my composure while I listen to the thickening tremor in Callie’s voice.

“Never mind. I’d hate to offend my future brother-in-law,” she says, swirling the green olive in her martini before she takes another sip.

“Dakota is one of the most genuine women I’ve ever met. I’m lucky she chose me.”

“Oh, I’d say, especially with her upcoming inheritance,” Callie promptly replies.

Shit. How did I not see this coming?

My blood runs cold. The room starts spinning again, except this time, I don’t think there’s anything I can do to stop it, not even with a frickin’ iceberg.

“What inheritance?” Archer asks, cutting his eyes to Callie.

“Our grandmother’s,” she says with an evil glow in her eyes, constantly stealing glances at me. “Dakota didn’t tell you about it?”

“No,” he says, now looking at me. Actually, more like glaring at me.

My stomach is tied up in knots. I think I’m going to puke. “I was going to tell you,” I manage, my voice barely a broken whisper.

“How long have you two been together?” Callie asks, holding back a grin.

“It’s none of your business—”

“Three months,” he cuts me off.

“And did she propose to you?”

“I don’t see what difference that would make,” Archer says, but I can see by the look in his eye that he’s about done with the game.

“Oh, it makes a big difference. Dakota needs to be married by midnight on Christmas this year. Otherwise, she’ll forfeit an inheritance worth just a little over eighty million dollars. An inheritance she’s not worthy of anyway, but my grandmother wanted to give her one last chance to behave and live like a decent Monroe woman, not a divorced barkeep.”

My knees give out on me.

“Dakota, you might as well be honest about it and not trap a decent man in a loveless marriage,” Callie continues, playing the part of the all-knowing and slightly outraged, righteous Monroe woman. “He deserves to know the truth.”

“You’re quite the bitch. Has anyone ever told you that?” Archer replies.

It catches her by surprise. But my consciousness is slipping through my fingers. I can’t keep up with the conversation anymore. I need to explain everything. Archer needs to know the whole story. I have to apologize for keeping this from him. Oh, God, the earth is slipping from under me.

I can feel myself falling backward.

Callie says something.

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