Page 48 of Santa Daddies

Why couldn’t he just leave me to cry in peace?

“Honey, she’s not my girlfriend. She’s my ex-girlfriend.”

“Yeah, did you throw a tantrum and break up with her because she wouldn’t come to the wedding with you? That’s what Lucas said. He said you were throwing a snit. And basically, I was your revenge to get back at her.” I tugged several pieces of tissue from the pretty boxes on the granite counter and blew my nose. And several more to catch the tears that started to spill over my lids.

“No, I broke up with her because she was cheating on me. And that happened before I ever met you. And to be honest, she was barely a girlfriend to begin with. We were companions. We had nothing in common but an addiction to work, a healthy sex drive, and a desire to have a monogamous partner that didn’t expect too much.”

His voice, closer now, was filled with hurt. And when I turned toward the exit he was standing there. I swallowed at the expression on his face. It was a mix of hurt and of apology.

“Cheating? You’re saying she’s the cheater, not you.”

“Yeah. And it’s the truth. And I’ll give you three guesses who she cheated with, but you’re smart, so you’ll probably only need one.”

I swallowed again and shook my head, suddenly realizing I was the one that fucked up. I didn’t even give the man I’d said I loved just a few hours earlier the benefit of the doubt.

“It was him.” I suddenly knew why Kristoffer had been so upset with my brother when he brought a six-foot surprise for me. And why he shot daggers at Lucas every time he went near me. Lucas was the one Clara cheated with.

“Lucas.”

He nodded solemnly. And my heart, which had felt like a ragged aching wound in my chest only moments before, grew whole again and started beating in a flutter.

“And when I said I loved you and you only kissed me, it wasn’t because you couldn’t say it back because you love Clara; it was because my sister was outside the door, and you were respecting my decision to tell her myself.”

He nodded slowly again.

“And I’m an idiot.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Little Red.” He closed the distance between us. “I should’ve have said it right then and there, regardless of your sister on the other side of the door, even if I had to whisper it in your ear. And then again in the church basement, except I couldn’t stop kissing you long enough to tell you. But?—”

I cut him off. “But now you no longer want to say it?”

“But…”He shot me a firm look. “I’m telling you now.” He took both my hands even though one still had wadded up tissuesin it. “Emily, I have never felt like this for anyone in my life. I’d have scoffed if any one of my friends had told me they’d fallen in love with someone they’d known for less than a month. I didn’t believe in love at all, let alone instant love. But here it is right in front of me, because I’m crazy, head over fucking heels, in love with you.”

“Am I allowed to tell you how insanely in love I am with you? Or have I ruined that by showing you I’m just insane?” Glancing away, I took a shaky breath, and then looked back at him. “I’m sorry I believed my eyes before my heart. And I’m even more sorry my past made it so easy to believe that you could do something that my heart knew you couldn’t.”

“I forgive you. And you have my permission to tell me how insanely in love you are with me. In fact, I demand it.” He smirked and I launched myself into his arms.

We walked hand in hand to look for my siblings. Luckily, they were standing outside the hall with Charlotte when we got there.

“I’m so sorry,” I said with a pleading look. Madeline pulled me to her, but David just stared at our joined hands with narrowed eyes. He opened his mouth, but Charlotte squeezed his arm.

“Let them explain,” she said softly.

“Emily has nothing to be sorry for, but I do. I caused this mess. I should have told you why Clara and I broke up right away, and I should have explained exactly why bringing Lucas here as Emily’s date made me so angry. But I didn’t want to ruin your wedding with stupid drama or ruin your friendship with Lucas over something that was him and me.”

“So spell it out for me.”

“Clara and I broke up because she was sleeping with Lucas and had been for months before I found out.”

There was silence.

“And what about you sneaking around behind my back with my baby sister?”

“That was my fault,” I said, pulling away from Madeline to get between David and Kristoffer. “I was worried you’d be upset because he was your boss and that he was old enough to be my… Daddy.” I looked at Kristoffer when I said it, so we could share our private joke.

I turned to Madeline. “And I was worried you might think it was a bad idea and discourage me because I met him when he was wearing a Santa suit.” I pressed the smile from my lips as she narrowed her eyes playfully.

“It is kind of like luring little children with candy.” Her eyes flicked to Kristoffer, and she lifted her brows playfully.