Page 25 of Holiday Vibes

The only thing I regretted was going to Jessie’s room. Asking her not to marry him. Believing she understood what I meant when I had no fucking clue myself. Falling asleep and waking alone in her bed.

The whole night was an embarrassment.

“If he wanted to marry her, he wouldn’t have broken up with her,” I say, getting to my feet and walking over to the sink for a glass of water. I should feel guilty, but Jessie’s dislike of me wasn’t a secret, and neither was my indifference to her. She chose him—they were cuddled together on a couch in the morning—so he should’ve stayed.

Can I call myself indifferent anymore?

Timothy is silent, but I feel his eyes on me as I slowly drink the water. It doesn’t help my stomach, but it buys me time. When I turn around, he waits me out. I should say good night and walk away from this conversation, but he’ll follow me upstairs. I settle on something to appease him. “Camden wasn’t good enough for her.”

It works. He brightens. “I agree. I’m glad you broke them up.”

“Hey, I was drunk.IfI played a role—”

“You played a role.” He grins. “Pity Jessie didn’t return the favor and break you and Addison up at Christmas.”

Christ. She almost did, though she didn’t mean to.

Addison’s parents are influential in the art scene in California, handing down a fair amount of pretentious snobbery to their daughter. So when Addison turned to me with some snarky commentary on one of Jessie’s paintings, I’d pulled my fiancée close. “Right. You’re such an expert.”

I’d kept my tone quiet and mild, but Addison took it for the dig it was. Her brief stint as a gallerist in one of her parents’ galleries had been an unmitigated disaster. The fight we’d had later that night was epic. Hushed voices and more hurtful words.

I doubted. Thought about ending the engagement. After a long solo walk in the snowy dark, I’d come back to the quiet house, crushed. I needed to marry Addison. I wanted to settle down. And Addison pushed me. She believed in me.

Fucking lies. Addison only believed in herself and wanted me to open as many doors for her career switch into film as possible.

Last I heard, she was dating some producer. I’ve no doubt she’ll be cast as some eye candy in a film soon. Maybe she’ll even find some success. As long as I never have to work with her, I don’t care.

“I wish Jessie had broken us up.” I admit. “Or any one of you had. Addison was a mistake.”

Timothy just nods. “What did you get Jessie for Christmas?”

I couldn’t bring myself to get her something mean-spirited this year. Maybe because I can’t forget how sad she was five years ago.

“An Eric Kouame bag and the framed front page of the Sexiest Men in America cover. Which I’m on this year, by the way.” I’d fallen to number two the last few years thanks to Gabriel Sinclair, but I’m back on top.

He laughs. “Okay, but Eric is sort of like a business partner and I’m betting you had him pick it out.”

“I didn’t.”

Timothy has been involved in helping a couple of young designers expand their brands back in LA and when he asked, I opened my bank account to him. I’d hardly call myself a business partner.

He smirks. “Okay, so Angie did.”

Guilt bites me as I nod. My assistant did my Christmas shopping like she has the last four years. The framed magazine was my idea, but Angie was the one to do it.

“Well, Jessie will love the bag and hate the framed magazine, so give her both. But you need to get her something else. Something you pick out. Lucky for you, we’re going shopping in the morning.”

I stare at him in horror. “Are you kidding? This close to Christmas?”

“Embrace the chaos, Nic. Plus, we need to make sure your suit fits and the measurements the wardrobe people gave me haven’t changed.”

So much for a quiet morning. “So, what am I supposed to give her?”

His grin widens. “What do youwantto give her?”

What I want to give her—more orgasms—isn’t happening, and I glare at Timothy’s suggestion.

“Give her something nice.” He pushes to his feet. “It’s past time you two made an effort to get along. Why don’t you go up to her room and apologize for the caroling thing?”

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