Page 3 of Mr. Mistletoe
Mack snorts. “So, you plan on sleepin’ aroun’ when your one true love comes into town? You know what they say, good girls love the bad boys.”
I laugh at his remark. “Definitely the bigger dummy between the both of us if you think Kimberly St. Andrews is a good girl. I’ll sleep aroun’ with whomever I please. No point in hiding it plus she’s got a fiancée, right?”
Mack shakes his head, clearly humored. “You know with the way you just said it, it seems like you plan on doing somethin’ bout it. Ain’t that bout a bitch. You, Deacon Hiram Fairhope just leave a trail of broken hearts even when you don’t realize it.” He says not getting that it is what it is. We all have to have a broken heart to grow the hell up sometimes, I know I did. “Speaking of broken hearts,” I follow the direction of Mack’s eyes to both of our ex-girlfriends.
For me, Annabelle is the one that almost made it. We were engaged and everything but at the last minute she wanted out, it hurt me, but it didn’t break my heart in that way. As for Mack, he was the broken-hearted. Her younger cousin, Stacey broke my brother years ago and ever since then he’s never been serious with anyone. I doubt he’s willing to give her ten minutes of his time.
Annabelle, the tall brunette, walks with the blonde Stacey making their way towards us. They look stunning but that’s neither here nor there.
“If it isn’t the Fairhope boys,” Annabelle starts. “Good to see you, Deacon and of course, Mack.”
“Annabelle,” Mack answers and then he looks at Stacey. He eyes her up and down and right before he walks off, the devil’s advocate number one comes strutting our way.
“If it isn’t my favorite assholes,” Arden Elisabeth Voss, Kimberly’s other best friend, walks over to us.
Mack grins like he always does around her. “If it isn’t the one that crushes my balls at every turn. Assholes? That’s a bit harsh for your two favorite men in Fairhope, no?” He teases.
She finally reaches up to him and pulls him in for a hug. Once she lets go of him, she turns to look at Stacey and Annabelle, “I was talking to these two bitches. Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum.”
Both Mack and I snort trying to hide our laughter. I take my Stetson off and cover my face for a second. Leave it to Arden to brighten things up. “What are you hiding for Hiram? I see you finally trimmed your hair a little as I told you to,” Arden says to me.
I move my hat out of my face, smooth my hair back out of my face and place the Stetson back on. “Of course, I’d listen to Leeeessssa,” I stretch the nickname that I gave her from her middle name and she cringes. She looks like she’s going to kill me. I wink at her taking her attire in. Her fire-engine red sleeveless long dress, red lipstick to match, her sleek long ponytail and I’m pretty sure she’s wearing heels cause she’s taller than usual. She’s usually pint-size to Mack and me. Her dress is a reflection of her bold personality with the deep V-neck. I smirk. “You pulled off the red, it goes nice against your chocolatey skin, Elisabeth.” I wink at her knowing she hates it.
“I could kick your ass, Hiram but I won’t because your parents are here, and I love the rest of your family minus you,” Arden says.
I blow her a kiss. “Love you, my queen Elisabeth.”
“You’ve got one more try tonight, Hiram Fairhope. One more,” she warns, but the grin she’s hiding tells me I have more than one try.
“So, you’re just going to flirt with each other? Did you fuck her too, Deacon? Since you can’t keep your dick in your pants,” Annabelle says to me.
I look at her and smirk. She’s trying to piss me off. I didn’t even cheat on her so that statement is stupid as fuck. She wanted out, not the other way around. I grind my teeth, knowing that it shows because of the damned cursed Fairhope jawline even with my low trimmed beard. “Should I kick you two out myself or should I embarrass the hell of you two first?” Arden steps closer to them.
Mack chuckles. “Come on, baby, let’s not stoop to their level. Let’s go talk about how hurricane Kimberly will be in later on tonight.” I know for a fact Mack threw that information out to get to Annabelle.
I glare at him but Stacey beats me to talking. “Baby? Are you two an item?” She asks Mack. Mack doesn’t even give her the time of day as he walks away with Arden.
Stacey is shocked but I’m not because Mack can be cold when it comes to someone messing with him. She fucked up, not him. I snorted. “Guess that was his way of saying min’ the business that pays you, Stace.” I shrug my shoulders and excuse myself following my brother. “If you’ll excuse me, ladies.” I tip the bridge of my Stetson.
“I was trying to talk to you, Deacon,” Annabelle says, her hand reaching out to touch my bicep.
I involuntarily flex. A bad habit of mine. “Maybe later, Anna, I have things to do so I’m retirin’ early for the night.”
“Oh! Kimberly St. Andrews, huh?”
I nod. “Yep, wanna make sure I get to spen’ some time with her when she comes in. Haven’ seen her in some years.”
“Just like Kimberly to come between it all,” she says.
I cock my brow. “What does that even mean?”
“Nothing,” she says.
“Alright, well I’ve got somewhere to be, so have a good night.” I reach up and tip the bridge of my Stetson at them both once again.
* * *
I’mover this gala already, I sigh as I sit back and nurse my drink. It doesn’t even take a moment as my father enters the family room that I’m taking a break in. I know it seems like I’m hiding but to me, this is a break dammit. It’s not hard to see because of the double glass doors. I don’t have to look as my father takes a seat right by me away from everyone, I know that he’s going to start a conversation with me and I spill my soul out to him, so I cherish the little moment I have of keeping my feelings to myself. The guests can see us but in the family room that we’re in, it’s off limits. Especially to everyone who isn’t family. I look at my dad, Hiram Hirschel Fairhope, the mayor of Fairhope, he cocks his brow and pushes up his stetson. He looks just like Mack while I look like my mom. “Why are you in here while the world is out there?” He asks me.
