Page 143 of Holiday Friend Zones
My head falls back.“Please just stop.It’s over, Tyler.”
“Saylor…” Wren tugs at my shirt.“I need some light purple for my picture.I need you to mix me the color.Can you help me?”
I nod at Wren and slide my hand in hers.“Listen, I gotta go.I’m in charge of this.”I allow Wren to tug me away.
“Can we have coffee?”he calls out and Wren stops.
“I don’t know, Tyler.Just go, okay?”
“I’ll call you?—”
“Okay, I mean, whatever.Just go.”
I wave him off and thankfully he does leave.I return to the craft table and mix a light purple color for Wren.Then I help Leia mix a pink-purple after which I help a four-year-old to finish her craft.
By the time Luke shows up, I’m frazzled, annoyed, and tired.
“Sorry, we got hung up at the station.Anyway, I’m here now, so I’ll get at it.”
He goes to the other side of the table, and I know right away that something’s off with him.I have no idea what it is, but I’m really hope that it’s not that in the daylight hours he regrets what has happened between us last night.
ChapterSeven
LUKE
Idon’t know what the fuck to do.All I know is I don’t want to be at this festival and I sure as shit don’t want to be working the kids’ craft table with Saylor.And I definitely don’t want to keep looking across the goddamn field and seeing Tyler laughing withmyfriends.Not his, he left them all behind just like he did me.I wish I could throw my hat on the fucking ground and hightail it out of here.
All I hear in my head is Saylor telling Tyler it was nothing last night on repeat as I try to help a five-year-old boy glue his snowman together.Of course, the glue isn’t sticking because it’s so fucking cold it hardens too quickly.
Finally, an hour later, we close down the craft table, so everyone can enjoy the festival.But I won’t be staying.
“I’m heading out.Anything else you need me to do before I leave?”I ask Saylor.
“Where are you going?I thought we could drink some spiked eggnog and maybe dance to the Christmas songs.Cuddle up by the big fire.”She elbows me.“Want to sit on Santa’s lap?Tell him what you want for Christmas?”She looks so cute, I want to bend down and kiss her.But then her words ring through my head again like Christmas bells.
“Yeah, well, I’m not really in the mood to celebrate.”I head toward the parking area.
She huffs and jogs after me, stepping into my path.“What’s your deal?What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing.”
“I just… I feel like you’re mad at me.”
“I’m not.”
She tilts her head and steadies her gaze on me.“Talk to me.”
“It’s nothing, right?Just some grilled cheese and tomato soup.”
Just keep your mouth shut and get out of here.
Her head rocks back, and she blows out a long breath.“So you overheard us.Or he told you.Which one was it?”
“I came up on the tail end of the conversation.”My jaw twitches and my hands fist at my side.
“You didn’t show up for a while after he left.”
“I just went on a little walk around before I came back.”I move to step around her, but she steps in front of me again.
