Page 1 of Filthy, Dirty Christmas

Chapter One

Poppy

“He’s got fuck me eyes.” I stare at my friend Mae and wait for her to burst into laughter.

She doesn’t. Instead, her eyes widen, and she nods slowly. “He really does, but we should click away. We don’t want to like this picture by accident.”

“Oh God. I did that last month and I nearly pissed myself.”

Mae huffs out a sigh and pinches her lips together as she crosses the small cabin floor toward the kitchen. We’ve been friends since grade school and we’re about as different as two people come. I’m not sure how we’ve sustained a friendship as long as we have. Maybe it’s the whole opposites attract thing.

Where Mae loves everything and everyone with a passion, I prefer to stay isolated and remove myself from the public as much as possible. Where she loves parties and drinks with friends, I love a quiet night indoors, nuzzling under half a dozen cozy blankets with a good book.

“So, is this what you’re going to do? You’re going to sit here and stare at Bodie forever?”

“Staring is all I have left. It’s a twelve-step process.”

She laughs. “What step are you on?”

“Bargaining, I think.”

“Oh, you’re serious.”

“Yes!” I bite back a laugh of my own, realizing how ridiculous I must sound.

“You need help. Let’s get you help! I know a guy who knows a guy.”

My eyes roll back into my head playfully. “I’m sure you do. I’m fine, really. I’m doing so much better than I was a month ago.”

“Right. You look totally fine, drooling over pictures of him.My bad.” She twists her hair to the side and grins. “This is totally normal behavior for a twenty-four-year-old woman. We all lust after older men we can’t have.”

“Look at him!” I point the screen toward her. “He’s everything. Big, inked, tall, the nose to chin ratio is golden, plus his voice… have you heard his voice?”

“The sooner you quit obsessing, the sooner you’re going to bump into some other guy who, one… may be age appropriate, and two… will be into you in return.”

“How do you know Bodie’s not into me?”

She huffs. “This sounds like denial, not bargaining.”

I twist my lips to the side. She might have me there, but I don’t remember which one means I’m further along.

“Denial implies I don’t realize what I’m doing. I do. I know how this whole thing sounds… and looks.”

“Okay, so it’s bargaining because you know how the denial looks?” She smirks and pours herself a cup of tea. “Last time I talked to the guy, he was kind of a dick.”

It’s true. To most people, Bodie is known as the guy who‘tells it like it is.’

“He’s honest.”

Mae laughs. “Right. So, he’s a dick?”

“No, he’s straightforward. There’s a difference.”

She grins. “So, what you’re telling me is, you like it.”

“What? No. I don’t like jerks. I’m not that girl. Trust me, it’s—”

“Trust you?”Her laughter is more like cackling. “You said you were over this guy in the seventh grade, yet here we are, still wrapped up in him. I mean, what’s wrong with Adam? He’s our age, and he’s nice. I mean, the man is volunteering for the animal shelter as we speak. He’s also got a huge crush on you.”

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