Page 55 of The Holiday Ex-Files

I swallowed hard and rubbed my chest. Of course I did, but . . . “The only man I ever shared a bed with left me alone in the dark.” I had to hold back the tears.

Mom let out a heavy breath and gave me a sympathetic look. “For that, he deserves everything he’s gotten—but you, my love, you have the power to turn the light back on if you choose to.” She stood and walked back up the stairs.

“Being in the light means exposing all of me,” I said more to myself than to her.

“Oh, how lucky that person will be.”

I turned to find that she was back to busying herself, as if she knew that was all she should say for now. It was a beautiful, but scary sentiment. I wasn’t sure how we’d gone from talking about my ex-in-laws to my nonexistent sex life. But I did have a question for her. “Why would you think Noah and I are having sex? Did someone say something to you?” That’s all I needed were those kinds of rumors. My Ex-Filers wouldn’t be happy about that.

Mom gave me an impish grin. “Honey, I have eyes to see. Hubba, hubba.” She wagged her brows.

I have to agree with Mom there. He is yummy, Miss Sparkly entered the conversation. Again.

First of all, she’s my mom. Second, you promised me you’d let the Noah thing go. Do you want me to cancel watching It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown? Because I will.

Fine, I’m zipping my lips. She pouted.

Now back to my mother. “Mom! We’re friends. And if you must know, he’s in love with someone.”

“Is that so?” Mom held up the scarecrow. “Who is she?”

“I don’t know for sure, but—”

“Honey,” she cut me off, “let me give you some advice. There are a lot of things you don’t know right now, so if I were you, I would stop trying to guess.”

I slapped a hand against my chest. “Are you insulting me?”

“No, honey,” she used her cutesy voice that said she was totally insulting me. “I’m only trying to save you from looking like a fool.”

My eyes widened to the width of a football field while my mouth hung open and I spluttered, not knowing what to think about what she’d just said.

To make matters more interesting, Noah pulled up in front of his sister’s house. I wasn’t expecting him, especially since it was in the middle of the day and Jaxon was at school and Liam was with Adonis’s mom.

“Well, look who’s here.” Mom was positively giddy.

“Did you know he was coming?”

“I know everything,” she said all mysteriously.

For reals, she was starting to freak me out.

Noah was out of his truck in no time and walking our way, a little dustier and dirtier than I normally saw him. It looked like he had come straight from one of his jobsites. Which got me worried. I popped up. “Is Shanna okay?”

He stopped on the lawn and wiped his brow. He glistened in the sun.

Oh wow. That was a cheesy observation. I couldn’t even blame Sparkles for it.

“As far as I know,” he responded.

“Good,” I replied, relieved. “So, what are you doing here?”

“I thought I should come check on your work,” he teased. “And I try to stop by every day to see if Shanna needs anything.”

Wow. He truly was the best. Before I could respond, though, Mom jumped in.

“Well, that is the sweetest thing. Why don’t I check on your sister while you inspect Cami, I mean while you inspect her work.”

Oh. My. Gosh.

Mom laughed in evil undertones, knowing that she’d said exactly what she meant to say the first time. It was a lost cause. Noah was in love with Annika, and I, well, I was a hot mess who had no business thinking about a relationship—especially with my ex-husband’s best friend. I was barely letting pumpkin pillows back in my life.

“Don’t worry, I’ll check her out, Mrs. J.” Noah winked at my mother before she skedaddled.

I grimaced at him. “Don’t encourage her.”

“Oh, come on.” He approached me. “Let her be happy.”

“Fine.” I stood. I knew he was only teasing her.

Noah peered at the porch. “Wow, Cams. You outdid yourself. Shanna’s going to love it.”

I looked at Mom’s and my handiwork; I would say it was Pinterest worthy. “We had a lot of fun doing it.”

Noah’s brows raised. “You had some holiday fun?” He was obviously taunting me.

“Yes. Okay. I did have fun. I even survived Hobby Lobby.”

“Look at you,” he said playfully, before adding sincerely, “I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks. How’s your day been?”

Noah looked down at his dirty jeans and T-shirt. “I had to fix some duct work in a crawl space today.”

“That doesn’t sound like fun.”

“It’s a living.”

That actually reminded me of something I had been thinking about, in my pursuit to find me. I thought it would be good if I finally made my condo truly my own place. “I’m thinking about renovating my place. Probably starting with the kitchen. Can you recommend a good contractor?”

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