Page 98 of The Christmas Tree Farm

She took another swig from the wine bottle she was drinking from and tore off the shiny red paper.

‘Socks,’ she said out loud even though she was completely and utterly alone. Again. ‘He got me socks.’ She wanted to be mad about it, mocking this silly gift but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

‘He got me fuzzy socks with little peaches all over them,’ she whispered, the tears starting up fresh. ‘What a bastard.’ She pulled a blanket off the couch and curled up under the tree. Pine needles stuck to her cheek but she couldn’t seem to care. She’d fucked everything up, what were a few pine needles in her hair at this point?

She snuggled the socks closer to her chest and the sharp edge of a notecard pressed into her hand. Bennett’s handwriting was scrawled inside.

Something to keep your toes warm until you get that boiler.

Merry Christmas

~B.

‘Son of a bitch,’ she cursed between sobs. She pulled the blanket over her head and worked on her next lie: tomorrow she would feel good about her decision. She would feel good that she had chosen not to keep Bennett here just because she was lonely. She’d made a good decision for once. She hadn’t been rash or thoughtless.

She’d done the right thing.

That was what she’d tell herself in the morning.

But right now, she was sure she’d made a terrible mistake.

ChapterTwenty-Six

Kira had slept with her face practically on top of her phone so when it started ringing the next morning she nearly jumped out of her skin.

‘No, no, noooo…’ she groaned, fumbling for the phone with her eyes still closed. She knocked over the empty wine bottle and it went careening across the floor.

Ugh, God, every one of last night’s bad decisions came tumbling back into her. Her conversation with Bennett, her conviction that it was better for him to leave. Finishing off the bottle of wine. She opened her eyes, blinking at the tree branches above her. Sleeping under the damn tree.

Her phone was still cheerfully ringing, and she managed to grab it.

‘Chloe,’ she croaked. ‘Six hours ahead!’

Her sister winced. ‘Oops! Sorry! I can’t seem to remember that.’

‘It’s okay.’

‘Kiki, where the hell are you?’

‘Under the Christmas tree.’

‘Uh… Are you okay?’

‘No.’

‘Do you need me to come home?’

Yes. ‘No.’

‘What’s going on? You’re freaking me out.’

‘How long did it take you to fall in love with Erik?’

‘Kiki, what does that have to do with anything?’

She sighed. Everything hurt. Her back from sleeping on the floor. Her face from sleeping on pine needles. Her pride. Her heart.

‘I just need to know.’