Page 8 of Another Christmas from Hell

Nodding, Cayley said, “There is something seriously wrong with you.”

“You hated that job,” he said, shrugging it off like it was no big deal.

“So, you slept with my boss?” Cayley asked, shaking her head in disgust as she found herself once again wondering why she’d put up with him for so long.

“I like to be helpful,” Sean said, shrugging it off as he stole another fry.

“By sleeping with my boss?” Cayley asked even as she had to admit that she wasn’t exactly mad about losing that job. Granted, she would have preferred leaving on her own terms, but at least now she had a job that didn’t destroy her will to live. That was something, Cayley thought as she glanced at the flyer announcing Strawberry Manor’s third annual Christmas Eve party to raise money to build a new children’s medical center that someone left on their table and-

“Not happening,” Sean said, making her frown.

“I didn’t even say anything,” Cayley said as she looked up and sighed when she realized that at some point in the last thirty seconds that he stole her burger.

“You didn’t have to. I know that look,” Sean said, reaching over to pull her plate closer.

“What look? All I did was look at a flyer and-”

“No,” Sean said with a firm shake of his head as he popped one of her fries in his mouth and washed it down with her milkshake.

“But I-”

“I’m not going,” he said, making her frown.

“I don’t remember inviting you,” Cayley pointed out.

“Good because I’m not going,” Sean said while Cayley bit back a sigh as she glanced back down at the flyer and found herself worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she read it over. She didn’t get a chance to go last year because Kevin refused to go, but-

“And you’re not going, either,” Sean announced, making her frown as she glanced back up to find him watching her with a pitying look that was going to get him kicked.

“Since when do I need your permission to do anything?” Cayley found herself asking as she debated kicking him now or waiting until they were outside so that she could shove him into a snowbank.

“You don’t, but I’m not going,” Sean said firmly as he leaned back in his chair.

“I didn’t say that I was going,” Cayley said, glancing back down at the flyer even as she had to admit that it did look like fun.

“Good. Then, we don’t have a problem,” Sean said as Cayley found herself worrying her bottom lip between her teeth again, more than a little tempted to buy a ticket.

“I could go by myself,” she said, glancing up to find him watching her.

“You could, but you’re not going to,” Sean said, shrugging it off.

“And why is that?” Cayley asked, moving to grab a fry off her plate only to pull her hand back with a sigh when the greedy bastard glared at the move.

“Because you don’t like being alone,” Sean pointed out as he grabbed a fry and popped it in his mouth.

“Yes, I do,” Cayley said, unable to help but frown as she tried to figure out what the hell he was talking about.

“You won’t do anything unless you have someone to do it with, which is why you never did anything when you were dating the asshole unless I dragged you out.”

“How is it my fault that he never wanted to go out?” she asked, moving to grab her milkshake only to resign herself to packing a lunch from now on, otherwise, she was going to starve.

“It’s not,” Sean said, pausing to take another sip. “But you used him as an excuse so that you never had to do anything.”

“That’s not true,” Cayley said, drumming her fingertips against the tabletop as she glared at the bastard that clearly had no idea what he was talking about.

“It really is,” Sean said, nodding absently before adding, “I know you better than you know yourself.”

“And yet, you don’t because I have no problem doing things on my own,” Cayley said with a firm nod, only to add, “None whatsoever,” just to make sure that they were clear about this.

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