Page 7 of A Christmas Collin

"Oh, you mean Leftie," she says.

My reaction is visceral, anger rising from my chest. "Don't call him that."

It feels like I'm seventeen all over again, chastising people who just don't know why that's a horrible thing to call Collin. He looked out for me, but in my own way, I also did the same thing for him. Even at that age, I knew Collin was special, and I hated everyone who either made fun of him or treated him like he was a menace.

"Geez. Relax, Dani. He's the one who told us to call him that." She rolls her eyes and gets back to kneading.

"I'm telling you that he doesn't like it. His name is Collin. Now, what can I do to help?" I shift my attention to Mom, who's kneading a ball of dough sans chocolate. The kitchen is in absolute chaos, but I know Mom has everything under control.

She chastises us in a tone that brings me back to childhood. "You two, don't fight. Energy soaks into everything, and I don't needangry desserts. Um, I wanted to tackle all the dough and flour stuff first, so once I put the flour back in the pantry, I don't have to pull it back out."

"Okay." I stop her before she starts rambling. "What's on the menu?"

Mom's eyes light up and warm my heart because this is her time to shine. She loves cooking for us, especially when we're all home at the same time. She gushes over the food she has planned. "Okay, so we're tackling desserts for Christmas night today, but for this Christmas Eve dinner, I'm doing my signature cherry bourbon-glazed ham, scalloped potatoes, pigs in a blanket, and chicken pot pie. Everything is already made; just gotta pop them in the oven to reheat. I also have a lasagna already made and in the pan in the freezer for tomorrow. Just bake. Plus, there will be green bean casserole and good ole steak."

I laugh. "And dessert?"

"We’ll have cinnamon rolls, croissants, cranberry bread pudding, and hot chocolate fudge. Oh, I forgot about the roasted Brussels sprout."

Evelyn's face twists in disgust. "You had me all the way up until you said Brussels sprouts.”

"You'll like it, Ev," Mom insists, her eyes turning to me. "I got a new recipe off the TikTok. Blanch them and then toss them in olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and a vinaigrette. I think I'm supposed to broil them a few minutes after?—"

The sound of the doorbell ringing draws my attention, and I listen out for Josh going to answer the door. There's nothing.

"Fine, I'll get it since you two are elbow-deep in dessert dough." I push myself away from the kitchen island, expecting to see Josh on the other side of the door, having locked himself out. Instead, I'm staring into the devilishly handsome pale blue eyes of Collin Wright. Butterflies flutter in my belly and a fresh wave of desire thunders through me.

Teenage Collin was hot, but this guy? He can make all my lady parts vibrate with anticipation with one look, one smirk. I'm not sure that’s a good thing.

He holds up a bottle of wine in his hand. "Well, are you going to let me in the house, Jelly Bean?" Something about his voice triggers the clenching in my core, and it’s like I’m seventeen all over again. My heart races as I feel like this relationship is far more real than we planned. He hands me the bottle, and I step aside for him to walk through the door.

Evelyn is the first to emerge from the kitchen, and her mouth drops open as she rakes her eyes up and down his body shamelessly. "Fuck, he's hot."

4

COLLIN

Evelyn's reaction is a familiar one to me, but I don't want Danielle to feel a way about another woman commenting on my looks, especially her sister. I'm supposed to be her boyfriend, after all.

My arm moves around Danielle's waist, pulling her into me to nuzzle against her ear as I speak to her sister. "Thankfully, I'm not too hot to handle for my Jelly Bean."

"Oh my God. How come he gets to call you Jelly Bean after all these years, but I can't call him Leftie?" Evelyn whines.

The name Leftie isn't one I chose. It's one that followed me the entire time I spent in foster care. I hate it, but I have learned to accept that it's too easy to pair Leftie with a last name like Wright. It amuses people, even if it makes me a bit uncomfortable.

"Because I told you he doesn't like it," Danielle says with a touch of hostility in her tone. She just went from 0 to 100 in my defense, and something about that makes my chest crack open.No one defended me before, which was why I learned how to fight. I depended on no one but me.

And this slip of a girl is out here fighting her own family for me.

I wrap my fingers around her hand to calm her down. "Take it easy, Jelly Bean."

Danielle's face is red with anger, her nostrils flaring. "Evil, just leave it alone. I told you not to call him that, so don't call him that."

"What's going on here?" Josh Brogan comes inside, standing behind me.

I have no idea where he came from, but the look in his eyes as he drags them up and down my frame shows he's less than enthusiastic to see me. I can imagine why since he's two years younger than me and Danielle, but he hasn't been taking good care of himself. The stress in his life is easily seen in his receding hairline.

"I don't know." I shrug.

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