The Holiday Exchange

Prologue

DAWSON

Thursday afternoons around two are always dead at Sip and Savor.

I don’t know what it is, maybe because it’s close to the end of the workweek, after lunch, and no one thinks it’s a good time for a smoothie or acai bowl, but like clockwork, at about one thirty, people start migrating out, and by two, it’s just me and my coworker.

Once in a while there’s a straggler or two still around.

Today it’s someone in the corner, with earbuds and a laptop with an “I don’t know how to make you care about others” sticker on it.

Nice touch, if you ask me.

The slower pace isn’t what I look forward to every Thursday, though. Nope. It’s because it’s when he comes in.

Briar.

An adorable, slightly self-conscious tech guy who works about a block away. It’s not the only day he comes in, but I can always count on seeing Briar every Thursday afternoon.

After the first three weeks, I started to look forward to it, and now, two months in, it’s the highlight of my week…which is maybe a little or a lot embarrassing. Why do I get so excited chatting with a random guy? Especially one that, at least on paper, isn’t my type.

Where my hair reaches my shoulders, his is always neat and styled, along with his clothes, which consist mostly of khakis and button-downs. On days when he’s meeting important clients, he adds a tie and jacket.

He went to college for computer science, and I had no idea what I wanted until two years ago, when my favorite smoothie place went up for sale and I decided this was the dream I didn’t know I had.

Briar is smart, sophisticated in his own way, and…a little like my twin brother, Nathan, if I’m being honest, which is a strange thought since I have the most ridiculous crush on the guy.

Briar. Not my brother, of course.

The thing is, those similarities are all surface level. Nathan is charismatic and knows it, while Briar is slightly shy, unpretentious, and from what I can tell, humble. He’s subtly funny but doesn’t seem to realize it. And he blushes cutely at the simplest compliment.

I like being around him.

I like talking to him.

I have no idea if he’s interested in me, but I’ve finally decided to ask him out.

Today. Only, he’s not here yet.

The door opens, and I look up just as he walks in.

His short brown hair has a bit of a wave today, but it’s still as neat as always, freshly cut, and he’s clean-shaven.

And his brown eyes…I swear they look like the finest cognac.

My lips automatically pull into a grin, Briar chuckling too…

What is he laughing at? I wonder, but then…

then he steps aside, and Nathan walks in behind him.

My stomach twists. My twin and I have an…

interesting relationship. I love him. I care about him.

I’d do anything for him, but I also never feel as small as I do when Nathan is around.

That’s not his fault, of course. He can’t help that he’s larger than life and everyone loves him, but it leaves me feeling insignificant more often than not.

“Hey, Dawson!” Briar gives me a beaming smile that makes me weak in the knees. “I didn’t know you have a twin! We work in the same building. We met today and decided to have lunch together.”

Because of course they did. That’s just my luck, isn’t it?

“Yep. That’s my brother,” I say, trying to hide my disappointment. Not in being related to Nathan, but him having met Briar.

“Big brother,” Nathan corrects.

I roll my eyes. “By three minutes.”

“Still your big brother.” He grins, then nods toward Briar behind him and fans himself, signaling he finds Briar hot.

Yeah, that makes two of us.

“Do you want your usual?” I ask Briar, ignoring my brother. I feel bad about it, but God, can’t I have this one thing? And I admit I don’t know Briar well, and I was just thinking how they’re similar, but the thought of my brother pursuing him makes my gut sour.

Like I said, I love my brother, but he’s not the relationship type.

He cycles through men and women like it’s his job, and while there’s nothing wrong with that as long as they’re both on the same page, I’d rather my crush not be one of them.

He might not mean it, but the truth is, Nathan can be a little selfish. He doesn’t always think about others.

“Yes, thank you. What about you, Nathan? My treat,” Briar tells him.

His treat. I know what that means.

Nathan gives me his order, and I watch as the two of them head to a table and sit down together.

Andrea, my employee, starts preparing their chicken pesto wraps while I make Briar’s latte and Nathan’s smoothie.

Nathan must be saying something charming and hilarious because Briar is laughing again.

I don’t get to have my weekly conversation with him, and when they leave, they’re off together, Briar giving me a kind wave and smile as he holds the door open for my brother.

It’s not his fault. He doesn’t know I’m into him. I can’t blame Briar…or Nathan, for that matter.

Later that night, I’m in bed, when I get a call from Nathan. “Hey, how’s it going?” he asks.

“Not bad,” I reply, hoping my voice doesn’t come off sharper than intended.

Again, none of this is Briar’s or Nathan’s fault.

I don’t have the right to be upset with either of them, and while my brother might not be perfect, he’s still the only brother I have.

“Wanna come over and hang tomorrow night?” I ask.

“I can’t. I asked Briar out.”

My heart drops to my stomach, drowning in the acid. “Oh, gottcha.”

“We could hang out on Saturday. Movies at my place?”

“Yeah, sure.” The words stick like peanut butter in my mouth. Of course Nathan would get Briar first, and I have no one to blame but myself. “I’ll bring dinner,” I tell him, trying not to be too frustrated. No matter what, I like spending time with him.

When they officially start to date, I try to convince myself my crush on Briar is over. Unfortunately, crushes don’t really work that way. But I still enjoy our Thursdays and tell myself that being friends with Briar is enough.