Page 8 of This December

“Aspyn!” Dad thundered as he stomped toward us from the kitchen. “Apologize to your sister.Now.”

My sister crossed her arms over her chest with a bullish expression. “I’m not sorry for saying what we all think—what we’ve all said to each other about her before. It’s true and you all know it.”

I looked past Dad where Belle, Chrissy, and their husbands hovered in the kitchen entryway. They all wore apologetic expressions. Like what Aspyn said was true.

Like they agreed with her.

“Right. Thanks.” I huffed a disbelieving laugh. “Nice to know I’m a continual disappointment. Don’t worry. You won’t have to be disappointed with me tonight since I won’t be here. I’m going out. Don’t wait up. I wouldn’t want you all to be disappointed with me again.”

“December!” Dad shouted at my back.

But I’d quickly pulled on my boots, grabbed my coat and purse, and was through the door before he could stop me.

I was so out of there.

Chapter 3

Needless to say, I was a blubbering mess as I drove to Cole’s place. I shouldn’t even be going through with the date considering the state I was in, but it was the only thing I could think to do. Honestly, I was just driving on autopilot because my mind kept turning over Aspyn’s nasty words and the way no one except my dad tried to get her to stop.

They all thought that about me?

Talked about me like that behind my back?

Even Chrissy?

She’d always been my blind supporter. The knowledge that she was disappointed in me too hit me hard. My whole life she’d been the one person always in my corner.

I didn’t know what to do with all that. How to make it better. Honestly, I was disappointed in myself too. Shouldn’t I be further along in everything? But I hated my career. It’d been the reason I’d jumped firms. I’d naively believed things would be different at a different company, but it hadn’t changed what my job had been. And it hadn’t changed how mind numbingly boring it’d all been.

I hated it.

And I hated that I was letting everyone down.

I blinked and realized I’d pulled into Cole’s driveway on autopilot. The chalet was lit up like an ad for some German beer, looking all snow covered with huge A-frame walls made of glass and old world, battered logs. It was perfect.

And so not me.

I didn’t belong here.

I shouldn’t be here.

What the hell was I thinking?

But before I could shift my SUV into gear, the front door opened and Cole Jackson stood backlit in the doorway. He finished pulling on his coat, then crunched down the new white powder covered driveway to me. Bouncing in place to keep warm, he rapped the back of his knuckles against my window.

Dammit. I swiped at my tear-streaked cheeks, took a deep breath, and then rolled down my window.

The smile fell from his face and would’ve been comical if my life wasn’t so tragically depressing. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

“I’m a mess. I shouldn’t have come,” I babbled as more tears fell. “I just…I drove here without even thinking. I’m sorry. I should go.”

“No, wait!” Cole Jackson reached over me and pulled the keys from the steering wheel. “Stay.Please.”

I blinked a few times. “Wow, a guy who says please while taking control. You’re like a mythical rom com hero. Or are you even real?”

His light laughter brightened my aching heart.

“See? That.” He pointed a finger at me, my keys dangling from his hand. “That right there is what I love about you.”

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