Page 22 of Merry Kissmas

“There was a mix-up, and there’s only one villa left.We looked in town to see if we could find an AirBnB and at the other resorts, but they’re completely sold out.”Abe cringes.“It’s the holidays.We thought maybe you and Pierce could share.”

“What?”Brynn’s mouth drops open.

Oh.This is terribly awkward.Andrew is still here, and I toss him a pissed-off look since he’s the reason I’m in this mess.Although sharing a villa with Brynn isn’t the worst thing that could happen, I’m sure she’ll think it is.

“I know.”Gwen raises her hands.“The only other option we could think of was if Pierce was to stay with Andrew.”She looks at me, and I look over at Andrew.

“You really want to sleep in a room with a child who wakes up through the night?”My cousin arches an eyebrow.

“Good point,” I grumble.

“I’m sure you don’t want to stay with Carter,” Gwen says.

“Um, she’s not invited to stay with Faith and me unless she wants to hear?—”

“Go inside, Carter,” Abe says, pointing at the big house.

Carter laughs and takes Faith’s hand, leading her inside.I see now that all the others are staring out the window.

“The couch pulls into a bed,” Gwen adds in a hopeful voice.

“I can stay with you then,” Brynn says to her mum with a hopeful expression.

Gwen sighs.“Our couch doesn’t pull out, and…” She looks at her husband.

“And Dad’s snoring.”Brynn groans.Her gaze shoots to mine.“Fine,” she grumbles.“Which one is ours?”

Andrew raises his eyebrows at me.Although I haven’t been able to tell him the entire story with Brynn, he looks at me as though this is a good thing for me.

And maybe it is.Sure, Brynn is pissed off about this, but how much easier will it be to win her over if we’re sharing the same villa?Thanks, Santa.

ChapterTen

Brynn

You’ve got to be kidding me.

The entire flight, I told myself I was going to put my attitude aside and enjoy this trip.That Pierce and I could keep our distance, and I wouldn’t have to spend the entire time trying to resist his charms because fool me once, shame on you.Fool me twice, shame on me as they say.

I step closer to my parents.“You’re okay with me staying with a stranger?”I whisper, but it’s so damn quiet out here that I’m sure Pierce and Andrew can hear me.“He could be a serial killer.”

My dad scoffs, rolling his eyes as if it’s not a possibility.

“Brynn.”Mom sighs.

“There has to be somewhere else I can stay.What’s in there?”I motion toward the big building.“I’ll sleep on the couch.Better yet, he can sleep on the couch.”

My dad puts his hand on my shoulder.“No one is sleeping on a couch for the entire week.Plus, you wouldn’t be able to sleep in at all.That’s where the kitchen and big gathering area is.Everyone will be convening there.”

I look back at Pierce and see the small smirk on his face as if he’s content with the idea that wewillbe sharing a villa.

I inhale a deep breath.

“He’s a stranger,” I say in a low voice.

Pierce steps forward into my little bubble with my parents.“Actually, we’re not.”

I whip my head in his direction.Oh, he is not going to tell my parents about our one-weekend fling six years ago.My brothers would never let me hear the end of it.

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