Page 37 of Once Upon a Holiday Vacation
“Oh, before I forget,” she chirped, her tone brightening even further, “are you coming to our New Year’s Eve party? It’ll be just like old times!”
My heart leapt at the thought of seeing Easton again, even as anxiety churned in my gut. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Wonderful! Oh, and Easton’s bringing his new friend, Tanner. He sounds like such a nice young man.”
The world tilted on its axis. My fingers clenched around the phone, knuckles turning white. “Tanner?” I echoed, the name tasting bitter on my tongue.
“Yes, Easton said they met on the cruise. It’s so nice to see him branching out, don’t you think?”
I forced a laugh, but it sounded hollow even to my own ears. “Yeah, that’s... great.”
As Mama B continued chattering about party preparations, my mind raced. Easton, my shy, beautiful Easton, with someone else? The image of him curled up with Tanner, sharing soft smiles and whispered conversations, sent a surge of possessiveness through me so strong it was almost painful.
I wanted to scream, to tell everyone that Easton was mine. But he wasn’t, was he? I’d made sure of that when I pushed him away, too scared to admit how I really felt.
“Weston? Are you still there, honey?” Mama B’s concerned voice cut through my spiraling thoughts.
“Yeah, sorry,” I mumbled, running a hand over my cheek. “Just, uh, got distracted by something at the station.” The lie tasted sour, but I couldn’t bear to explain the real reason for my silence.
“Oh, of course! You must be so busy. I won’t keep you much longer.” She paused, and I could almost see her warm smile through the phone. “I’m just so excited to have everyone together again. Christmas wasn’t the same without you two. I missed you.”
My chest tightened. “I missed you guys too,” I admitted, my voice rougher than I intended. “It’ll be good to... to see everyone.”
As we wrapped up the call, my responses grew shorter, more distracted. My mind was a whirlwind of memories—Easton’s shysmile, the warmth of his hand in mine, the softness of his lips. And now, the haunting image of him with someone else.
“Take care, sweetie. We’ll see you soon!” Her cheerful goodbye barely registered as I ended the call.
The sudden silence in the break room was deafening. My head fell into my hands, fingers gripping my hair as if I could physically hold onto the memories of Easton and me.
“Fuck,” I whispered, the word echoing in the empty room. How had I screwed this up so badly? I’d pushed him away to save our friendship, and now I was losing him completely.
The thought of him finding happiness with someone else should have made me glad—isn’t that what best friends want for each other? Instead, it felt like my heart was being ripped from my chest.
I closed my eyes, picturing Easton’s gentle gaze, the way he could tune out everything else around him when he got lost in a book. The compass tattoo over my heart seemed to burn, a constant reminder of the one person who’d always been my other half. Now, I was adrift, watching helplessly as he sailed away with someone else.
I took a deep breath, feeling as if the weight of the world was on my shoulders as I stood. The station’s hustle and bustle filtered through the closed door, a stark contrast to the turmoil inside me.
“No more running,” I muttered, clenching my fists. “Time to face this head-on.” I’d survived a childhood from hell and fought fires for a living, certainly I could be brave enough to face what was in my own heart.
The thought of the upcoming New Year’s Eve party loomed large in my mind. Easton would be there. With Tanner. My stomach churned at the idea, but I forced myself to confront it.
“I’m not losing him without a fight,” I vowed, my voice low but determined. “Even if... even if it means just being his friend again.”
The station alarm blared suddenly, jolting me back to reality. As I raced out to the trucks, my resolve solidified. I knew what I wanted—what I truly needed—and I was going to fight like hell to get it.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
EASTON
I tuggedat my tie for the hundredth time, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My fingers trembled slightly as I smoothed down my shirt, trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach.
“Okay, Easton,” I muttered to myself. “You can do this. It’s just another New Year’s party. No big deal.”
But it was a big deal. Weston would be there. The guy I was madly in love with but could never have.
I squeezed my eyes shut, willing away thoughts of tanned skin and that crooked smile that made my heart skip. “Focus on Tanner,” I reminded myself firmly. “Your date. The guy you’re actually going out with tonight.” But even as I said it, I knew it was useless. No matter how hard I tried, my traitorous heart always circled back to Weston.
With a sigh, I grabbed my coat and headed out into the crisp winter night. The drive to my parents’ house was mercifully short, not giving me much time to work myself into a panic. AsI pulled up, I could already hear the muffled sounds of laughter and music spilling out onto the snow-covered lawn.
