13 Secret Santa
SECRET SANTA
Justin
I haven’t been able to get Lucy out of my head since we got back, and I’ve realized she’s a distraction whether I’m with her or not. She’s taken up permanent residence in my head. After finally deciding not to let my fear of distraction get in the way, her dad’s threat put a wrench in my plans. Now, I’m as frustrated as ever, knowing what I want isn’t attainable.
My intercom buzzes as I’m wrapping up for the day. “Justin, a Trevor Alcott is on the line. He says he knows you.” Why the hell is Lucy’s brother calling me? Fuck, is Lucy okay?
“Thank you, Macy, I’ll take it,” I respond, quickly hitting the button to take the call.
“Trevor?”
“Hey, asshole. You remember I warned you about hurting Lucy again, right?” he says, easing my fear that something happened to Lucy. The only thing to happen to her was me.
“Yeah, I remember.”
“What the fuck is your problem? You spend one week with my sister and fuck her over again? Do you get your kicks from playing women, or is it just my sister you enjoy screwing with?” Yep, he’s pissed. Once more, it proves how close these two are if she’s told him about what happened.
“The last thing I wanted to do was hurt Lucy. There’s more to it than that.” I’m not sure how close he is to his dad, but telling him what happened might not be the brightest idea.
“Start talking then because I’ll get creative to take you down if I have to.”
“I’m glad she has you watching out for her, but I think this is between me and Lucy.”
“It would be if I hadn’t just spent the last half hour on the phone hearing about your bullshit. What the hell, man? It sure seemed like more than just a show. To me, it looked like you were interested in the real deal. Are you really that good, and the whole thing was just an act?”
“It wasn’t. If nothing stood in our way, I’d make Lucy part of my future tomorrow. But there are consequences that Lucy doesn’t understand. And maybe she thinks she does, but she shouldn’t have to choose between me and her family. Whether you realize it or not, my decision was for her own good.”
“You mean because of the trust fund or because she won’t be welcomed back?”
“Wait—you know?”
Trevor scoffs. “My dad tells me everything, which is how I know you made the wrong decision. Lucy said she told you she didn’t care about the money. And did you miss the fact that she already tried to get as far away as possible from our parents in the first place?”
“That’s not something she can decide right now. It doesn’t only affect her life; it affects her children as well. Lucy doesn’t know how she’ll feel when her kids have no grandparents. I can’t do that to her.” The thought of her having a family with some other guy irritates me.
He chuckles. “Funny. She did go off about you being some sort of psychic.”
The memory makes me laugh. “Look. This decision didn’t come lightly. I don’t want to be responsible for messing up her life. I’m not worth it, trust me.”
“Too late buddy. And I don’t think that’s up to you. Maybe you should try talking to her. Fuck… encouragement is the last thing I want to give you because, frankly, I don’t even like you, but my sister—she’s fucking miserable. Make it right, man. You screwed up. It’s obvious there’s something between you guys, and if I were you, I wouldn’t let my dad ruin that. He’s a prick. Why do you think my sister wants nothing to do with our family?”
“That doesn’t make me the right choice. It would be easier for her in the long run if she ended up with someone your dad approved of… like Richard.”
“Are you fucking serious right now? He’s a douchebag. You know they broke up because he cheated on her?”
I drop my head and shake it, letting out a heavy sigh. “No, I didn’t.” I pause, both of us remaining silent for a beat. “What’s done is done, man. I’m not sure what you expect from me.”
“For starters, she appears to really like you, and from what I could see, it’s reciprocated. The bottom line is—no matter what, tell her the truth and quit making her feel like shit every time you run off. Basically, fix this.”
My hackles go up. “And if I don’t?”
“Then I’ll fix you.”
“Why are you here if you’re putting me in charge?” Sam asks after I brief him on his New Year’s Eve assignment while we stand near the venue’s entrance. The two-person team shadowing the Dubrees are inside, already at their posts.
There was no hesitation from me when Mr. Dubree asked for extra security at the New Year’s Eve party they were attending. Having received all the details in advance, I knew Lucy would be with them. He didn’t blink an eye when I told him I’d provide two people for tonight, one of whom was myself. He still doesn’t feel comfortable bringing Lily to large events, which happens to work in my favor.
Rather than serving as active security, though, I’ll be focused on Lucy. I need to determine once and for all what I’m going to do about the situation and my inability to stop thinking about her.
“There’s something else needing my attention tonight. I’ll be on-site but not active.”
“Does this have anything to do with the girl you stole from Tom?” He raises his eyebrows in question.
“Stole? Are you fucking kidding me? What are you guys, a bunch of gossips? For the record, I did not steal anyone from Tom. Lucy was never his to begin with. She was always mine.”
His hands go up in defense. “Whoa there, boss. I was just asking since that’s what I’d heard. No offense.”
I decide to ignore his response. “Keep your head in the game and pretend I’m not here. While it’ll look like I’m part of the detail, our team will know I’m not. Don’t let your eyes drift from your assignment.”
“Got it. Good luck with whatever it is you’re here for.”
“Thanks. Looks like they’re pulling up now, so you can take it from here.” With that, I slink back toward the building, out of sight, to observe as I contemplate my next move.
Although my team knows I’m not officially on duty tonight, the Dubrees do not, and I don’t want them feeling less than protected out of the gate. If the situation changes later—which part of me hopes it will—I’ll explain how tonight’s security is set up. I say a part of me because I’ve yet to decide which direction I’m taking. The consequences of Lucy being with me are at the forefront of my mind, and I’m still questioning which path to take.
I watch as the valet opens the car door to see Sebastian and Lily exit first, followed by Eli and his date, then Lucy. What I’m not expecting is the last person to appear… What the fuck? It’s been a week, and already Richard is swooping in to steal the prize.
Lucy
“What’s going on, Lucy? He seems perfect. High school sweethearts, estranged for eight years until fate brings you back together. It sounds so romantic, so why does it feel like I’m missing something here?” Lily asks when we slip into the bathroom while the guys refresh our drinks. Eli and his date have gone MIA, to the surprise of no one.
“It does sound perfect, and honestly, I’m not sure. It just doesn’t feel right.” I shake my head, knowing exactly why it doesn’t feel right. “Dammit, Justin’s the problem. I’m pissed that I’m still letting him get to me after being ditched yet again. What’s it going to take?” I have serious issues if this last time didn’t cure me from being hung up on him.
“The problem is you’ve got it bad. But the thing is, Richard’s here now, so maybe you should try to enjoy the moment and see where it takes you.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Okay, I’m gonna shake this off. Luckily, it’s easy with Richard since we have so much history.”
“Speaking of, why did you guys break up anyway?” Lily asks.
“At senior prom, I caught him kissing another girl. He said it was because he was too drunk, and she cornered him, but whatever. I was leaving for college, so I didn’t care. We weren’t meant to last.”
“Oh wow, that sucks.”
“Exactly, which is why it’s not going anywhere. He was just the easy button for tonight. That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t pull my head out of my ass and start having fun, though. Thanks for the talk.”
“Of course. That’s what friends are for. Let’s go see if the guys got our drinks.” She throws her arm around me, and we exit the bathroom to find both of them waiting outside the door.
It’s no surprise that Sebastian is antsy. He doesn’t let Lily out of his sight in public places for long—poor guy. I don’t think he’ll ever recover from her kidnapping. I’m surprised she does so well with it, although I do notice she’s very protective of her drinks, which was how it happened in the first place.
Sebastian folds Lily into his arms as if he’d been waiting a week to hold her. It’s sweet. Meanwhile, Richard smiles from a few feet away and holds my drink out when I join him.
“Hey,” he says as I take it.
“Hey. Thanks for the drink. Sorry if we took too long.”
“You didn’t. Sebastian doesn’t do lines, so we were fast. Man, he’s an intense guy, isn’t he?”
I laugh, being quite familiar with his intensity. “That’s one way to put it. Did you guys end up talking at all, or was he preoccupied with waiting for Lily?”
“I’m going to go with the latter unless telling me ‘we should get the ladies’ is considered conversation.”
“With Sebastian, you might want to take it. He’s not very articulate unless it’s about work, Lily, his brother, or in conversation with one of those two. So, don’t take it personally.”
“Good to know. Maybe you should consider coming on board with our firm. I’m way more fun than that guy.” He raises a brow, making me laugh again.
We have such easy banter. I think I’m ready to relax and be in the moment like Lily suggested. It’s time to let loose and see where the night goes.