Page 14 of Under the Mistletoe

I blinked and looked around, seeing my customers looking my way, disappointment on their faces. I slowly let him go, scowling at him as I glanced over my shoulder to see Noelle heading for the hallway leading up to my apartment. I followed her, and once I was inside, she shut the door behind me.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” she questioned angrily and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Pardon me if I don’t like another man putting his hands all over what’s mine.”

“Bentley, you need to get your temper under control. That man is my friend, my best friend’s boyfriend actually, and he’s here because he is home from school. He is also the son of a police officer who frequents your bar. I brought him here because my best friend, his girlfriend, is at work and she asked me to hang out with him until she finished her shift.”

I closed my eyes and leaned up against the wall. I’d have lost everything had I hit him, because it wouldn’t have just been the one hit.

She stood there with her arms across her chest, staring at me, waiting for me to say something. As her words ran through my mind again, I knew I couldn’t continue to do this with her. Christmas was around the corner, and I always spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Bruce, Jenelle, and Noelle. I’dalready gotten the invite. There was no way in hell I’d be able to spend the night under their roof without getting caught with her.

What we’d been doing was already eating at me, then tonight when Bruce asked me about the car I almost choked. However, when he asked if I knew who Noelle had been seeing because they’d heard things in her room late at night, I immediately knew it had to end. I mean, how could they not have heard us? Noelle wasn’t ever quiet, even when I’d told her to keep it down.

“Well, what do you have to say for yourself?” she asked, pulling me back into the moment.

I looked at her, not sure how she was going to take what I had to say. I didn’t want to break her heart this close to Christmas, but it had to be done, and it was best to do it quickly.

“Noelle, we can keep doing this.”

“Doing what?” She frowned.

“This…us.”

“Why?” she questioned, looking up at me with worry in her eyes.

“Because, sweetheart, I can’t handle the sneaking around, or the jealousy I feel every time I see another man with you. I can’t constantly feel like I must prove myself to you.”

“You don’t. Don’t be ridiculous. Everything is exactly how it should be, and everything is fine.”

“It’s not, Noelle. You’ve said it yourself the other night, that your parents would never understand, and until you think they would, we need to keep it quiet. It’s all wrong.”

“It’s not.”

“It is, Noelle. We’re over.”

Her eyes watered at my words, and she swallowed hard twice, then she let out the breath she was holding and placed her hand on my arm.

“Bentley, please, it’s Christmas. Don’t do this.”

“Noelle, it’s done. Now, I think you should go.”

“What about Christmas? You always spend it with us.” Noelle sniffled. “Does this mean you won’t be there?”

I didn’t answer her. Instead, I stood tall, looking down into her eyes.

“You need to go,” I said again, putting an end to the conversation. It was torture for me to do this. I hated seeing the sadness in her eyes, but I knew it was better this way.

She tore her beautiful eyes away from mine and turned, marching out of my apartment and back down to the bar. I followed, watching as she made her way back to where she’d been sitting with her friend. He was just about to dig into his burger when she said something to him. He dropped his burger and followed her as she grabbed her coat and ran out of the building.

I felt gutted. I knew crossing this line with her would turn out this way. It had to be done, it was best for everyone I thought as I leaned against the wall, gathering my thoughts.

“Just know, Noelle. This isn’t what I truly want. It’s what has to be done,” I whispered to her more than myself. It was too bad she couldn’t hear me.

Nine

Noelle

One Week Before Christmas

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