Page 88 of The Holiday Clause

CHAPTER 12

“Oh, How They Pound, Raising the Sound”

“Coming!”Wren rushed to the front door as someone’s pounding fist shook the snow off the awning of her house.

She flung open the door and Greyson stood there, fist suspended in midair. His narrowed glare snapped to her face as he thrust the check forward. “What the hell is this?”

She rolled her eyes, leaving the door open behind her. “You Hawthornes sure know how to make an entrance. Did you ever hear of a phone?”

“Cut the crap, Wren. I went to grab a coffee in town this morning, and several busybodies told me you put on quite the show last night at Jocelyn’s event. Mind filling me in?”

She picked up her mug, hiding behind it like a shield. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, you don’t? Well, let me clue you in. Apparently, you and a horny elf got into a bidding war for my brother last night at Hook, Wine, & Sinker. You put on quite the spectacle and endedup mopping the floor with her.” He leaned close and growled, “You severely overpaid, by the way.”

“Actually, I didn’t pay. You did.”

“Yeah, about that. It’s not fucking happening. Soren can buy his own sorry ass.”

“I’m afraid there’s no way out of it now. I told Jocelyn you’d endorse the check, and you know how she is. She takes her town fundraising very seriously.”

“I’m not using my paycheck to buy my brother so you can date him.”

“Technically, it came from an unclaimed paycheck. You said you didn’t want it, so why do you care what the money goes toward?”

He took a menacing step forward, then stilled as if catching himself. “You’re not baiting me today.” Tossing the check on the counter, he said, “Tear it up.”

“Can’t.”

“Wren.”

“Greyson, just because you growl at me doesn’t mean you get your way.”

They held each other’s stare for an excruciating few seconds as the threat in his eyes darkened. “You know the rumors aren’t gonna stop. This is just the beginning. You ready for that?”

Her stomach twisted. As much as she hated being the center of Hideaway Harbor gossip, there was no avoiding it now. Not only did Soren come with a ridiculous price tag, but he kissed her like he was claiming territory. Greyson got his brother’s message loud and clear.

She shrugged. If he planned to act unaffected, she could also pretend. She played it off as if the attention didn’t bother her. “Soren does what Soren wants.”

“Oh!” he laughed. “Is that what you think they’re talking about? That’s not how I heard it. No one’s talking about Soren.”

Her shoulders fell. “What do you mean?”

“They’re talking about you, how aggressively you bid on him, how you wouldn’t let the other women have a shot, how your bid was, by far, the highest of the night.” He cocked his head. “You made a public claim, Wren, and that’s how they saw it.”

She looked up at him in panic. “No. On some level, they all knew it was a joke?—”

“Maybe they would have, but not after…” His words faded away as he searched her face. “Did you do it? Did you kiss him?”

An avalanche of shame swept over her as hurt flashed in his eyes. “Soren?—”

“Did you fucking kiss him, Wren?” he snapped, wanting only the truth. “You either shoved him away or…” His jaw ticked as the air crackled with tension, as if he couldn’t bear to even finish the question. “Did it mean something to you?”

“It was a joke, Grey. We’re just friends.”

“That’s not what you said yesterday.”

“That’s because you pushed me away, and I wanted to push back.”