Page 10 of Holiday Hostilities

The devil has no business looking this good.

“I’ve officially lost my appetite after that stretching comment,” I retort tartly.

He laughs as Jake and Sofiafinallycatch up to us at the front door. Sofia greets Aaron with a warm hug—like she actually likes him or something—and Jake and Aaron do that bro-handshake-thingy all men do.

“Hey, man,” Jake says, looking way too pleased to see his apparent best friend, before turning to me. “Hope it’s okay I invited Marino.”

“Of course it’s okay,” Aaron says cheerfully before I can reply.

Honestly, I’d take tone-deaf bagpipers and pantie thieves over eating breakfast with this guy, any day.

“Nobody asked you,” I mutter.

Aaron ignores this very valid comment, giving Jake an elbow nudge. “Griz and I used to eat breakfast here together at leasta couple of times a week before he went and fell head over heels for his lovely lady.” He shoots Sofia a little wink, which makes her giggle. “Guess I’ll allow it, though. I’ve never seen him happier.”

“Happiest I’ve ever been.” Jake puts an arm around Sofia and tugs her to his chest.

“See?” Aaron smiles at me smugly. “Aren’t you lucky I’m here to keep you company while the lovebirds stare into each others’ eyes over pancakes.”

I grit my teeth. “So lucky.”

Sofia claps her hands. “It’s like a double date.”

“Absolutely not!” I cry as Aaron holds his hands up and says, “It’s nothing like that.”

Well, there you go. We finally agree on something.

3

AARON

Talk to me.

Pretty pleaseeeeee.

Come on, Aaron.

I’ll make it up to you, if you know what I mean.

My brows furrow as I stare at the string of texts from an unknown number. Then, I flip my phone facedown on the greasy table—every table at Essy’s is greasy, no matter how much they clean them—but it’s too late. My screen was on full display, meaning that Olivia saw the incoming messages as they blasted in, one-by-one, and jumped to a million conclusions.

And as luck would have it, Sofia happens to be outside taking a phone call, and Jake has chosen this exact moment to stand up, rubbing his hands on his jeans. “Gotta take a pi?—”

“Shh,” Olivia cuts him off, “we don’t need to know what you’re doing in the bathroom.”

“Speak for yourself, I was extremely invested,” I tell her, which earns me a fantastic scowl.

Jake rolls his eyes at me, then taps the table. “You two behave while I’m gone, k? Aaron, no flirting with my sister. And Liv, no murdering Marino with a butter knife.”

“Can’t promise anything,” she mutters, shooting a murderous glance at my phone. She then levels that same look on me, which makes me chuckle.

“Such a little savage,” I tease as Jake disappears to the bathroom, leaving me with no backup for the oncoming Olivia Griswold wrath.

Not that I care. I grin at her, and her hazel eyes narrow at me, pouty pink lips pursed.

I always loved how expressive she was. So much about her has changed since high school, but I’m still able to read everything she’s thinking and feeling on her face like she’s a walking billboard.

My phone—still facedown on the table—vibrates with a new message. I don’t turn it over, instead pushing down my unease.

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