Page 45 of War

Xander: What time are you coming over, angel? We have Christmas dinner at my mom’s at three.

Xander: Hello?

Xander: Pick up the fucking phone.

Xander: I’m at your apartment. Where the fuck are you? If you ghost me on Christmas and make me go to my family dinner alone, we’re done.

Xander: You’re going to regret this.

SIXTEEN

AVA

“Then he saidhe was his boyfriend and she was his girlfriend. It was literally the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,” Lennox is saying as Josie, Scarlett, and I approach the table. War and Brayden dropped us off on the way to the rink, and out front, War hopped out to pull Scarlett’s stroller from the trunk and show me how to open it up.

The past two days have been a whirlwind. After cleaning up Christmas brunch, we bundled up and went outside in search of reindeer tracks. That turned into a snowball fight.

The kids and I ganged up on War and won, though I suspect he threw the game, which is annoyingly adorable.

After we were all sufficiently frozen, we went inside, where War gave me one of his comfy sweaters and another pair of enormous sweats. When he came out in a short-sleeve tee, his tattoos on display, I practically choked on my tongue.

Somehow, I’d forgotten all about the panty-melting tattooed arms, but as I watched him carry sweet Scarlett around, the image was burned into my memory. And when she fell asleep on his chest duringElfand one of those arms was the only thing keeping her in place, I knew I was screwed.

Because I’m extremely attracted to my future husband.

While she napped, War arranged for acar to pick me up so I could get some things from my apartment. Josie was adamant that she come with me. It was more of a blessing than I would have imagined, because it kept me from sitting alone in the silence and overthinking what I’d done over the previous twenty-four hours.

It tempered thoughts of how I had moved into that apartment two years ago on the heels of one of the worst days of my life, how it had been my escape and my salvation. How I was up and leaving this haven now, when I wasn’t sure I was making the right decision.

Rather than dwell on any of that, I quickly packed enough to last a week. Because taking this one week at a time was far more palatable than preparing for a sixteen-year stretch.

I didn’t see the messages from Xander until I got back to War’s house. I’m not sure how the jerk could think I’d still plan to go to Christmas dinner with him after he left me at War’s house. In what world—even if I didn’t know about the strippers and have photographic proof to remind me of what an ass he is—would any woman welcome her boyfriend back into her arms after being left on Christmas?

Nope. Instead, I went and got engaged to his stepbrother. Because that’s way more normal. I’m just thankful that Maria will be back tomorrow and Tyler will leave for an away game the following day. That will give me time to slowly adjust to all these changes.

“I still can’t believe Fitz has two people to fuck, and I’ve got none,” Hannah whines.

I cup my hands over Josie’s ears, although it’s probably too late, and gasp.

The sound garners Hannah’s attention, and when she locks eyes with me, she blanches and mouths an “oh my fuck, I’m so sorry.”

Sara whacks her in the arm. “Duck.God, it’s like this is your first time.”

Hannah shoots daggers at our blond friend. “Is that a dig at my lack of sex life?”

“Little ears,” Josie pipes up.

Hannah throws her arms out wide. “Come to me, my favorite nine-year-old, and tell me all about your magical Christmas.”

Josie peers up at me and whispers, “Your friends are weird.”Despite the observation, she happily skips to the table and launches herself into Hannah’s arms.

“I need a hug,” Lennox whines.

Josie, eating up the attention, makes her way around the table, doling out hugs before settling in the seat between Sara and me.

“Where are Millie and Vivi?” I ask as I pull Scarlett from her stroller and study it, looking for a way to fold it up. Sara hops up and does it for me—how the hell did she figure that out?—then puts it in the corner.

“Paris. Gavin swept them away on Christmas morning. Pretty sure he’s trying to knock her up. Give Vivi a sibling,” Lennox says.

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