Page 54 of Wrapped in Red

“That worked out well.” Seth snorted.

Matthias blushed. “I was so in love with him that by the time he acted on his feelings, I was scared that he was going to hit me and tell me it never happened. I had no idea he felt the same way I did.”

“That’s kind of sad but also romantic.” Ezra grinned. “You two are the cutest couple, though. I follow you on Insta.”

Matthias lifted his hip to remove his phone. “Well, now I have to follow you back.”

I smiled as I watched them. Happy that my boyfriend was making friends so easily. When I slid out of the booth to stretch my legs, the two of them were laughing with their heads together like they had known one another for years. I walked over to the jukebox to punch in the code to change the song, andLast Christmascame on. I felt Ezra’s eyes on me the moment the song started, and when I turned to look at him, I felt like I might burst into flames.

The door to my dad’s office opened at that exact moment. All four men wore smiles, and I hoped that had to be good. When they stopped to shake hands with one another, I felt nothing but relief. Ezra was out of the booth, flying across the restaurant so that he could wrap his arms around me.

“Seth, I wanted to talk to you for a second,” Killian called out, and I watched Seth’s eyes grow wide. “Your graphics are amazing. Do you do freelance work?”

“Carson.” Watts was headed toward me with a big smile on his face. “Looks like you’ve got yourself a sponsor.” He held out his hand, and when I took it, he shook it so hard I thought my arm my fall off. “Ezra.” He shook my boyfriend’s hand, too. “I heard this was all your idea.”

Ezra shrugged. “Well, I mean, I just suggested it.”

“You’re coming to the Brooks Racing Christmas party, right? Both of you? Seth, you’re invited, too,” Watts asked.

Ezra looked up at me with surprise written all over his face. “I...are we?”

“Of course.” I had forgotten all about the Christmas party with everything else going on. I could see the hurt in Ezra’s dark eyes, though.

Holt came over to take his fiancé’s hand. “I’m looking forward to getting to know you, Ezra. The party will be a good chance for us to talk. Baby, we should get going. I can already see the exhaustion on your face.”

“Right, sure.” Watts rolled his eyes just as he stifled a yawn. “Well then, I guess we’ll see you next week. Congratulations on your sponsorship.”

Once we had said goodbye to everyone, I turned to Ezra to find him glaring at me. “Princess—”

“No.” He shook his head. “You don’t get to call me that.”

“Because I forgot about a Christmas party?”

“It’s not just that, CC! Am I or am I not your boyfriend?”

“That’s a ridiculous question. Of course, you are,” I assured him.

Ezra took a step back. “Then tell your parents. Tell everyone. Because I won’t be a secret, Carson. Not again. I’ve played that game before, and it didn’t work out for me. I want everyone to know we’re together. Until then, don’t bother coming to my apartment.” Then he went behind the bar, grabbed his coat, and slipped out of the tavern, leaving me alone.