Page 141 of Accidentally Under Your Tree

"Lawrence works for my dad," she explained. "So, they're not here."

"No."

"'Kay." She turned on her heels and started back toward the car.

He and I shared an awkward wave goodbye. I jogged with my hands in the pockets of my leather coat to the car. Rose had both hands on the steering wheel, her seat belt already buckled, by the time I closed my door.

"So that's the ex-boyfriend?" I asked.

"Yup." She nodded at the now vacant front porch.

We were in a terrible fake relationship.

nine

Lizzy

Six nights before Christmas

"Rosie!" I heard Ben greeting my sister as if my head were underwater. Blood rushed in my ears. My arms and legs grew cold and sluggish as my lungs filled with hot air and my cheeks burned.

There was a back door. It was in sight. I could dash for it.

I wasn't ready to tell Rose. Not here. Not among all these people to see us, and whisper about us around town. She'd hate that.

I'd hate that.

"Hey Benji," she chirped back, her voice close to the booth. I expected her to go to the bar or to an empty table, but she slid into the seat next to me. "Can you bring a fresh round for Anne and Shay, and whatever light beer you have on tap for us?"

I'd already stopped breathing the second Rose's hip bumped mine, demanding more space without saying a word. Making room for her was second nature—a behavior I'd done since in utero. But all my bodily functions failed, my heart stopped, and my brain sputtered to a halt when a hand gripped the corner of our backrest by Rose's shoulder.

It only made sense that Will, of the beautiful hands and philandering bullshit, would be with her, but I was not ready.

"Breathe, Anne," she commanded. A thud sounded under the table, and Shay winced. "Fix your face, Shay. We aren't killing him tonight."

I didn't know what to make of Rose's calm, commanding demeanor. Her sitting next to me, talking to me…it was something I'd wanted for so long that I'd stopped acknowledging the ache of her distance. Now that she was here, I was even more confused. It didn't make sense that she'd know about me and Will.

Cheating boyfriends rarely admitted to their girlfriends, right?

How could she know when I still hadn't told her?

"Night's still young," Shay hissed, glaring at Will. I couldn't bring myself to look at him. Instead, I focused on the gleaming grain of the tabletop.

"Everyone, calm down—" Rose started.

As I said, "I have to tell you—"

"—No, you don't," she interrupted. "Bill already did. It's okay."

Shay crossed her arms on the table. "What exactly did he tell you?"

"He told me about last night."

Tears stung my eyes. I blinked down at my lap, willing them to go away.

Mimicking her body language, Rose leaned on the tabletop too. "I really need you to bring your over protectiveness down a notch, okay?"

Balancing all four drinks in his hands, Ben stopped next to where Will stood. He pretended not to notice the weird tension in our group. I was sure he did, though. That was why everyone came to Benji's, because he and his waitstaff acted as if they were oblivious to local drama.

---