Page 50 of Home for the Holidays

“Fuck ‘em and forget ‘em,” Iris muttered.

“Exactly.” Stacey shrugged. “Maybe it can be something.”

A tear slid down Iris’s cheek. She wiped it away quickly. “Itissomething. I don’t know if I can let this one go.”

Stacey tetched sympathetically. “Honey, you have to talk to Zac. This is going to eat you up inside, and we both know you are an awful liar.”

“You’ll be pleased to know I haven’t been called out yet.”

“Wow, you must be on the edge of your seat.”

Iris laughed. “You have no idea.”

“Listen, I gotta go. I love you. You’re my best friend in this entire world. All I want is for you to be happy. But you have to take care of it the right way. Don’t be a coward.”

“I love you so much, Stacey. Thank you—seriously. Tell your mom and dad I said Merry Christmas. Especially your mom.” Iris laughed when Stacey flipped her off. “Go, I’ll let you know what happens.”

After Iris disconnected the call, she checked her phone. It had been a good five hours since Zac had said he’d be home soon. She smiled, thinking about him and Evan, hoping they were rediscovering each other on the best of terms and letting go of the past that jailed them.

Zac’s ears must have been burning. Her phone buzzed to life with a text from him.

Where are you?it read.

She rolled her eyes.I’m upstairs in your room.

She heard his footsteps on the stairs. When he finally appeared, he looked like death warmed over. “Good lord,” she said as he made his way across his room and fell face-first into the mattress. “What the fuck happened to you?”

“I’m so hungover.”

“Lightweight,” she said with a laugh.

He rolled over to look at her. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair was a mess, and the sweater he was wearing from the night before had a giant hole in the side. “What happened to your sweater?”

“I fell.” He chuckled. “Twice.”

“You have stories, don’t you?”

“Oh, Iris,” he whispered, rolled onto his back, and scrubbed his hands over his face and back into his hair. “So many stories.”

“I’m assuming you’re going to pursue this?”

He nodded, then looked at her, his eyes filled with tears. “He’s literally perfect. We talked and talked and talked. And then we went back to his parents’ house, who were so happy to see me, and talked more. We drank, too, which was dumb. Should have stopped after the seventh Purple Drank.”

“That makes me want to gag.”

He let out a laugh. “Same.”

“I’m happy for you, Zac.” She placed her hand on his chest, above his heart. “Truly I am.”

His whole face was nothing but an expression of happiness and excitement. “He’s going to come back over later for the Home Alone marathon.”

“Good.” She grinned. “So we can break up?”

“Iris,” he said softly. “Can you just let me get through this hangover?”

She sighed. “Zac, they all know already. Your mom knows. Your brothers.”

“What? How do you know they all know?”

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