Page 53 of Texting My Secret Santa

“What is it, Holly? You know you can talk to me.”

“It’s so silly,” I mutter.

“Don’t do that,” he scolds. “Don’t devalue your feelings. You’re better than that. You’re notsillyfor whatever this is.”

“It’s …” I need to stop. “… my Secret Santa.”

He pulls up a chair and claps his hands together, in CEO, lets-fix-it mode. “Explain.”

He will not take no for an answer, classic Dan. It’s just one reason he’s such a good big brother, the reason my and Asher’s betrayal is so bad.

“We got close,” I say. “At least, as close as you can through text when you don’t know somebody’s name. We didn’t cross any lines, but it’s safe to say we flirted. We shared some banter. We arranged to meet. It turns out my Secret Santa was Derek.”

“That douche who was hitting on you a few months ago?”

“I haven’t mentioned it to you, but he hasn’t stopped,” I mutter.

“He’s still been hitting on you?”

I nod, wiping my cheeks. “Making comments, trying to touch me.”

“What thefuck, Holly? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Everybody already thinks I’ve had special treatment to get this?—”

“You submitted an anonymous video,” Dan snaps. “You deserve this job butdon’tdeserve to deal with this jerk. It was bad luck that you got him as your Secret Santa, but you don’t owe him anything because youflirted. You need to take this to HR. He has no right to harass you—none. I don’t foster this kind of working environment. If you don’t go, I will.”

“I’ll go,” I say.

“Promise?”

“I promise, Dan. He’s gone too far this time.”

Is it just his fault? Texting is a two-way street, and I was too eager to walk down that road with him. I’ve been messing with my own head, inventing reasons to believe it’s Asher, wishing it was my brother’s best friend.

“In the meantime, sign up for one of those dating apps,” he says.

I laugh. “What good will that do?”

“If you’re going to fall in love over text, at least you’ll have a photo of them.”

“We weren’tfalling in love.”

I put the derision into my voice. Before I discovered that my Secret Santa was Derek, though, I might’ve believed wewerefalling in love, Asher and me, the lights of our phone screens lighting up our hearts.

I was such an idiot.

CHAPTER 20

ASHER

“No Derek today?” I say, standing at my office door.

“I haven’t seen him,” Mia replies, giving me that bothersome look again.

Between her and the double date, I’ve got plenty of reminders of why Holly is the only woman for me. Yesterday, in the car, I didn’t plan on touching her during a serious discussion.

It was disrespectful, not that she complained. If we had a simple relationship, I’d text her and tell her to wear the elf costume later so we could get properly steamy. I’d tear off the stockings with my teeth, kiss up her tempting legs, and …

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