Page 26 of The Christmas Exchange

I let out a ragged breath. “Okay.”

Miles slung his arm over my shoulders and led me out of the elevator. “You know that neither of us are going to let you go now, right?”

“I know,” I said softly as he released me and stepped up to the front desk to drop off the key cards.

Julian paused beside me. “If you ever decide you don’t want any of this or that you don’t want either of us, you are always free to speak your mind. We will never judge you or hold it against you.”

I turned to face him. “I won’t change my mind, Julian. Not when I know it’s always been the two of you for me.”

His mouth twitched and he nodded. “Good.”

Miles walked back over to me and Julian with a crooked smile on his lips. “Well, are you guys ready to hit the road? We have a family Christmas dinner to get to.”

“I think you mean lunch,” Julian said with a touch of irritation. “Considering they moved the time up significantly.”

I laughed softly as we headed out to the parking lot. “The time change changes nothing with the three of us. Neither of you are leaving today, right?”

They both shook their heads at me. “I’m not sure I’m going back at all,” Julian admitted.

“Good,” I said with a smile as we reached Julian’s car. He held open the door for me. “Then that means we have more time together before we have to go back to reality.”

“I have a feeling all of our realities are about to change significantly,” Miles concurred as he slid into his seat in the back of the car, giving me the front passenger seat.

I simply smiled at him and offered a wink as I secured myself in my seat. Julian got behind the wheel of the car and turned on the engine. We all fell into a comfortable silence as he pulled his car out of the parking spot and drove through the lot. It had since been cleared from the snowstorm the day before.

And I couldn’t help but replay Miles' words in my head over and over as we headed back to Delmont Ridge.

Our realities are about to change significantly.

I hoped he was right.

Because I wasn’t sure I was ready for any of this to be over… not when we had just gotten started.

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

My mother pulled me in for a hug, wrapping her arms around me tightly. “Oh, Raegan. I’m so glad you guys were able to get home safely.”

I laughed softly, hugging her back before taking a step away. “The roads were fine today, Mom. We had no issues getting home, but there was no way we would have been able to get anywhere yesterday.”

“It’s a good thing we stayed at the resort last night,” Miles said with a smirk as his gaze collided with mine.

Heat crept up my neck before rapidly spreading across my cheeks as I blushed. I ducked my head, attempting to conceal it as I walked over to my father for a hug. The Fosters greeted Julian, as did Miles' family with him. And then everyone was taking turns, exchanging pleasantries and hugs.

It had been a while since we were all together like this and it had been quite some time since I last saw Julian’s or Miles' parents.

Julian’s mom linked her arm through mine and guided me into the kitchen. The boys went off with our fathers, heading into the den to watch football, while the women ended up in the kitchen. It seemed very old-fashioned, but it was their tradition. Almost as if the women got their girl time while the men had their boy time.

It was more of an opportunity and bonding moment for all of us.

And I wasn’t mad about it. I didn’t mind the space from Miles and Julian. They both had the habit of clouding my mind and after what happened last night, I still felt like I couldn’t think straight.

“How have you been, Raegan?” Laura, Julian’s mother asked me as she poured each of us a glass of wine and handed them out. Eleanor, Miles' mother, was checking on something in the oven.

I smiled at her, thanking her for the glass of wine. “I’ve been good. I’ve been rather busy with work, so this has been a nice refreshing break.”

My mother smiled. “I like seeing you like this. I like seeing you happy and not stressed out.”

“I like being like this,” I said softly, not fully trusting my voice. She had been right about living my life. It was a weird adjustment but since I had been back in Delmont Ridge and with the boys, I hadn’t really thought much about work. I hadn’t thought much about New York. I was beginning to wonder what I was even really doing.

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