Page 1 of Wrapped Up

Chapter1

Jennifer

Love is a fickle, cruel mistress.

I scoff, scanning the crowded dance floor. Couples sway to the pulsing beat, bathed in the club's dim, flickering lights.

“You know, I'm pretty sure they put something in the air at these places,” I mutter to Anna, who’s perched beside me on a bar stool. “Some kind of chemical that just makes people want to latch onto the nearest warm body and never let go.”

Anna spins around, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief under the flashing neon lights. “Oh, come on, Jenn! Don't be such a Grinch. This is the perfect place to find your own Christmas Prince.” She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively, grinning as she gestures toward the dance floor.

I roll my eyes. “Anna, it's the end of November. Christmas is still a month away. The only thing I’m finding here is a headache and a one-way ticket to Heartbreak Hotel.” I take a long sip of my drink, savoring the liquor's slow burn.

Anna gasps dramatically, pressing a hand to her chest as if I've mortally wounded her.

“Jennifer Marie Thompson! How dare you suggest that it's too early for Christmas? There's no such thing!”

I can't help but chuckle at her theatrics. “I forgot that I was talking to the Queen of Christmas herself. Remind me again, how many strings of lights did you put up last year? Five hundred? A thousand?”

“Two thousand, thank you very much,” she replies, tossing her hair. “And that’s not counting the inflatable Santa, the life-size reindeer, or the animatronic elves.”

I shake my head, amused despite myself. Anna's Christmas obsession is legendary in our circle of friends. Last year, her place looked like the North Pole had exploded inside it. I'm pretty sure she single-handedly kept the local power company in business during December.

“You know,” I tease, “I think I saw a store the other day that still had some Halloween decorations. Perhaps we should go back to those instead.”

Anna's eyes widen in horror. “Don't you dare! Jenn, Halloween is over! It's time for mistletoe, miracles, and finding your very own Christmas Prince!”

I laugh. Even in my cynical mood, I can't help but feel a surge of affection for her. Anna's enthusiasm for life, and especially for Christmas, is both exhausting and endearing.

“Alright, alright,” I concede, holding up my hands in mock surrender. “I bow to your superior Christmas spirit. Just promise me you won't try to set me up with another guy dressed as an elf. I'm still traumatized from last year's Christmas party.”

Anna's eyes twinkle mischievously. “No promises, my dear Grinch. No promises at all.”

Despite my cynicism, I can't help but feel a rush of warmth for this bubbly blonde whirlwind who's been my rock since childhood. We're polar opposites, yet our friendship has weathered every storm life's thrown our way.

I watch as she scans the crowd, no doubt searching for my potential “Christmas Prince.” Not surprising. Her brain’s addled because she snagged the only perfect guy on the planet.

“Not everyone can be as lucky as you and Peter,” I say, swirling the ice in my glass. “Some of us have to settle for less than ideal situations.”

Anna's eyes soften, and she squeezes my hand. “You deserve more, Jenn. The right guy is out there. You just need to open your heart.”

I snort, pulling my hand away. “Right. Because that worked out so well with Felix.”

The name hangs between us, heavy with unspoken pain. Felix, the charming bastard who'd swept me off my feet, only to drop me unceremoniously when a newer, shinier model captured his attention.

Anna's face clouds, but she shakes it off. “Felix was a jerk. Not every guy is like him. Look at Peter!”

I can't help but smile. The way Peter adores Anna is disgustingly sweet, like a fairytale.

“Peter's one in a million, Anna. And you've already got him locked down.” I drain my drink, signaling for another. “Some of us just don’t fit the whole ‘happily ever after’ thing.”

Anna opens her mouth, no doubt ready to argue, but I cut her off. “Anna, you know I love you, but please don't try to set me up with anyone tonight, okay?” I say, keeping my voice light. “I mean it. No more Mr. Wonderful or holiday-themed suitors, alright? I'm done with that scene. I just want to have a wonderful time with my best friend.”

Anna pouts, but there's a determined glint in her eye that makes me nervous. “Fine, no more setups. But promise me you'll at least try to have fun tonight? Who knows, maybe your Christmas Prince is right around the corner.”

I roll my eyes, but I can't resist her puppy-dog expression. “Fine, I promise to have fun. However, if I find myself alone with a bottle of wine on New Year's Eve, don't judge me.”

I take another sip of my drink, letting the cool liquid distract me from Anna's relentless enthusiasm. As I lower my glass, my eyes drift across the crowded bar, scanning the sea of faces without really seeing them. Until suddenly, they land on a man standing on the other side of the bar, leaning casually against the polished wood. He's tall, broad-shouldered, with jet-black hair that's just messy enough to look effortlessly stylish. Even from here, there's an intensity in his gaze as he scans the room.

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