Page 2 of Christmas Agreement
“Oh, for frick’s sake!” I snapped after scanning the words on the textured, cream-colored cardstock inside. With a huff, I threw down the invitation I’d just opened. It was bad enough half my mail still went to my parents’ house, but it double sucked when it wasn’t even something I wanted—and I should have gotten it weeks ago.
“Language, Ms. Johnson,” Rugar chastised while he pulled off his outerwear.
“Shut up,” I told him, rolling my gaze away from him as I pulled off my scarf and coat to hang them on the hook by the door. I narrowed my eyes. “You’re really staying?”
I didn’t know why, but I’d halfway thought he’d been making up being invited to dinner. Not that my mom seemed surprised he was here. Plus she loved him like a second son.
“Your mom’s making lasagna and homemade breadsticks,” he said, lifting his broad shoulders in a shrug. “You know I’m a sucker for those.”
“Yeah, I know,” I said. “For as long as I remember, you’ve always figured out a way to eat over whenever my mom made them. I’m guessing Kyle’s not coming.”
“Nah. He and Mandy are going to the caroling. Plus he’s doing the keto to try to drop a few pounds for January, so pasta and bread are out.”
My brother so didn’t need to drop any weight or cut or whatever term he was using this week, but it wasn’t for me to say. Still, Rugar did beat him out on muscle and speed, so maybe that was part of it. Both seniors, Rugar and my twin brother played for Falls University’s hockey team. They’d played together since junior high and were known all over campus as the “Dynamic Duo.”
For four years, girls had tried to become friends with me, hoping to get some one-on-one time with either, or both, of the handsome young hockey stars. I always saw through it and tried to push away the attention. I’d spent high school surrounded by girls who’d only wanted to use me for the same reason. I had no interest in doing it all through college, too.
Of course, when their interest had gotten me invited to pledge the most popular sorority on campus…I may have loosened my moral code a little. What could I say? I wanted to fit in…even if it meant being used for free hockey tickets every now and then.
“Did you and Kyle have practice today?” I asked, picking up the invitation to reread. I headed into the living room.
“Yeah. So what’s in that envelope that’s got you all in a huff?” Rugar asked.
I growled a sigh.
“The sorority is having a Christmas social,” I groused. With a a heavy sigh, I pulled the fancy invitation from the envelope again. “Dates arerequired. I mean, honestly, in this day and age, I shouldn’t need to have a partner on my arm to drink warm beer and dance awkwardly in a corner.”
“What’s the big deal?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at me. “Guys probably line up to dance awkwardly with you. Just pick one of the many doofuses who follow you around with little heart-emoji eyes. Drag one of them along.”
I stared at Rugar. What was he even talking about? For four years, not a single guy on campus had so much as held open a door for me, let alone asked me out. In fact…no guy hadeverasked me out. If I wasn’t so damn busy trying to graduate at the top of my class, I might have developed a complex about it. I didn’t had time to date, so I just sort of ignored how perpetually single I was.
I side-eyed the muscular, six-foot and four-inch tall man who towered over my five and a half feet while he stood beside me—stats I knew about him due to them being posted on his part of the hockey team’s page. No “guy” on campus compared to him, anyway. Again, that wasn’t something I’d mention to him.
“I can just blow off the party,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s not that big of a deal. I’m not required to attend or anything.”
“Well, I get your frustration,” he offered. “Our team is having a holiday party, too.Dates encouraged.I’ll probably be the only guy there without a girl. Sucks.”
Damn. He had only to say the word and I’d be there in a flash.
But…maybe…
“Yeah,” I breathed thoughtfully, dragging out the word as an idea formed.
The inkling solidified when Rugar’s dark-chocolate brown gaze met my stare. Hopefully, he didn’t see the way my breath caught as awareness fluttered like demented moths low in my belly. I mean, how could I not be attracted to him? He was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. Completely off limits. But, damn, he infiltrated my fantasies more than he should.
He was my twin brother’s best friend. There was no way anything could happen here. If by some miracle Rugar had ever shown any interest in me in the past, Kyle had probably warned him away from me—possibly with threats of bodily harm.
Fine. It was fine. I liked being Rugar’s friend by association. It was comfortable. Mostly. Sort of. And at least, I got to spend time with him.
But now, we were both in a holiday predicament. Maybe, we could help out each other. And maybe, if we went out together, dressed up and alone, I might get my secret wish of kissing Rugar. Of feeling him holding me—likely platonically though, because I was his friend’s sister.
“I smell smoke,” Rugar teased when I kept staring at him. “You’re thinking awfully hard there, Katie-Kat.”
“Don’t call me that,” I snapped, rolling my eyes. “I was thinking…”
“I know. I can tell. You have thatI’m planning somethinglook.”
“Stop,” I growled. “So…look. Let’s make a deal. I’ll agree to go to your stinky hockey party with you, if you’ll agree to come with me to my bougie sorority shindig.”
