Page 73 of Holiday Friend Zones
Derek’s gaze flicks to me and his smile sharpens as I step up beside her.“Speak of the devil.”
“Derek,” I say, my voice coming out even, but it costs me.“Surprised to see you sticking around town for Christmas this year.”
“For the week,” he says easily.“Thought I’d spend Christmas with my family before heading to the sun.”His eyes slide to Ava as he reaches for her shoulder.When he strokes the fabric of her jacket with his palm, my back stiffens.“Maybe grab coffee, just the two of us.For old times’ sake.”
Something cold knifes through me.I want to tell him no, that she’s with me.That he had his chance and blew it, but this isn’t my call to make.It’s hers, and I need to let her decide for herself.
So, I just plant myself a little closer, close enough that my sleeve brushes Ava’s.Close enough that if she needs to step back, she’ll have me to lean on.
She doesn’t say yes.She doesn’t say no either.Just stares at Derek, lips pressed tight, like the weight of the past is dragging her under.
The silence stretches, and every beat of it hammers against my ribs.Finally, Derek gives a little shrug, like he’s already won something just by making her hesitate.“Think about it,” he says, “you have my number.”Then he strolls off toward the coffee cart, as smug as ever.
I watch him go, my hands fisting inside my gloves.What I want to do is chase him down and tell him she’s not his to circle anymore.What I want to do is grab Ava by the shoulders and tell her I kissed her like I meant it because I did.
Instead, I turn to her and watch her face pale in the glow of the Christmas lights, her eyes fixed anywhere but me.
“You okay?”I ask softly.
She nods too quickly.“Fine.It’s fine, Liam.”
But it isn’t.Not for her.Not for me.Not with Derek back in the picture and the taste of her still on my lips.
ChapterNine
AVA
Ibarely slept.Every time I closed my eyes, I felt Liam’s mouth on mine.The way he kissed me, warm and steady and too much like something real.I’ve never been kissed like that before.A kiss has never felt that good.And then Derek’s voice slips in, smug and smooth, reminding me of all the ways I’ve been wrong before.By morning, I’m knotted so tight I don’t know which way is up.
After the tree lighting ceremony last night, Liam had pulled me straight back here to his house and refused to let the night end heavy.I can still hear his laugh, low and unguarded, as we sprawled on the rug playing a board game like we were ten again.I can still feel the brush of his knee against mine, the way his fingers lingered when he passed me a mug of wine.
He’d been working at it, I realized.Working to make me laugh, to remind me why we’ve always gotten along so well.Like he knew I needed to relax, to shake off Derek and all the noise, and he was determined to be the one to give me that.
And it worked.I’d smiled until my cheeks hurt, and somewhere between the spilled cards and the firelight, the air had shifted into something charged and breathless.My chest tightens now just remembering it because he’s right, and that scares me more than Derek’s sudden reappearance ever could.
After brushing my teeth and throwing a hoodie on over my t-shirt, I make my way down the hall.Liam makes coffee in the kitchen like nothing’s changed, humming under his breath, hair sticking up in every direction.He’s shirtless, wearing only a pair of gray joggers slung low on his hips, the waistband clinging to the cut of his body.My gaze snags where it shouldn’t—on the defined slope of his pecs, the ridges of his abs, the sharp V cutting down into those joggers.There’s a faint trail of hair leading from his navel that disappears below the waistband, and the glimpse of it has heat crawling up my neck.
His body rivals any professional athlete.He’s gorgeous and makes everything he does looks so…easy and comfortable.Watching him move around the kitchen makes me feel like this could be normal.Like I could actually belong here with him.
Which is exactly what terrifies me.
“Morning,” he says when he notices me taking a seat at the table.He slides a mug toward me, catching me staring.His smile is soft and hesitant, like he’s waiting for a cue.
“Morning,” I say as I take the coffee cup, wrapping both hands around it, avoiding his eyes.
We sit in silence longer than we ever have.The air between us, once so easy, now feels fragile.I sip, stare out the frosted window, and finally mutter, “About last night…”
Liam stills, mug halfway to his mouth.“Yeah?”
“It was the contest.That’s all.”I keep my gaze on the snow outside, because if I look at him, I’ll see the lie reflected back at me.
For a long beat, he doesn’t say anything.Just sets his mug down gently, the ceramic clink loud in the quiet.
“Right,” he says finally.“The contest.”
The way he says it, so flat and careful, cuts more than if he’d argued.I push to my feet too quickly needing to walk away from him before he can see the hurt in my eyes.“I should—uh—check on my parent’s cabin.See if the heat’s working yet.Make sure the place is still standing.”
“Ava—” his voice is low, rough around the edges.“It wasn’t?—"
