Brianna’s eyes met mine. She glared at me, but didn’t utter a single word of denial. I never wanted it to be this messy or become the same self-righteous asshole that Scott was, but my gloves were off. I was fighting for the woman I loved and wasn’t backing down an inch.
She pushed on Scott’s sweater covered chest and he stumbled back a step. “Stop it. Look, we need to talk about this—”
“Talk about what?” I roared, feeling some of the desperation I taunted Scott for. “You can’t kiss me then get engaged to him the next day!”
Scott pushed past Brianna to lunge at me. “You kissed my fiancée? You fucking asshole!” Brianna’s dad stepped between us to push us apart.
“The two of you need to get ahold of yourselves, for Christ’s sake,” Mr. Morgan roared as he gazed between us.
“No, what you both need to do is leave.Now.” Brianna’s breath quickened as she glared at us both.
“Babe, come on.” Scott reached for her arm, but she flinched it away.
“Cupcake—” Brianna’s head jerked in my direction, murder in her eyes. The both of us fighting over her didn’t do anything but piss her off.
“Fine. WhatIneed to do is get the hell out of here. I’m sorry, Mom and Dad, but this . . . I can’t stay here. I’ll spend Christmas by my fucking self.” Brianna let out a long sigh as she wrapped her scarf around her neck and grabbed her purse.
“Language, Brianna!” Mrs. Morgan gasped.
“Sorry, Mom.” Brianna stormed out the door with Scott hot on her heels.
I grabbed my jacket and ran out behind them. Scott screamed her name, but Brianna wouldn’t turn around. Sure enough, snow fell from the sky the second Brianna made it across the street. So much for a magical white Christmas.
“Stop and talk to me!” Scott bellowed as he caught up to Brianna and grabbed her arm. I stayed behind on her parents’ front porch, not having a clue how any of this would end up. I wanted her with me, and now she had no choice but to make a decision.
“Now you want to talk? We talked about marriage once. Once! Over a year ago at Mia’s wedding. You called her husband a poor bastard and laughed. Not a word since. Now, you come to my parents’ house with a ring on Christmas, and it’s a foregone conclusion I’ll say yes? Why should you ask me how I feel about our future? You proposed because you felt cornered.”
“Bri,” Scott pleaded as he raked his hands through his hair. “That’s not—”
“And that isn’t something I’d ever say yes to. I’m not sure you’d have even thought about it if Josh wasn’t around.” She crossed her arms and tilted her head. “In fact, whatwouldwe be if Josh wasn’t in the picture? If you only want me because you think someone else does, it’s all pretty pointless, isn’t it?” Her voice dropped to a gravelly whisper.
Scott’s hands fell to his sides in defeat. His gaze dropped to the frosting of new powder on the concrete. If he wanted to make a grand gesture, now was the time.
He picked up his head and glared at Brianna. “Pointless is exactly what I’d call this, Brianna.”
My heart soared into my throat. Was this it? Was she finally mine?
Brianna scowled at me from over Scott’s shoulder and stalked toward me.Not quite.
We stood chest to chest as she leveled her eyes at me.
“Do you know how long I loved you?” Her eyes narrowed to slits and filled with tears. “Do you?So long that I don’t remembernotloving you! I just didn’t have a label for it until I was a teenager.” She sniffled even though her nostrils flared. “You wereeverythingto me. I watched you spiral out of control, and it broke my heart. But what gutted me, whatdestroyedme, was when you told me to forget you.”
“Cupcake—” Brianna lifted her hand and shook her head. She wasn’t done.
“For almost a decade, letters were all I had from you. I saved each one like it was gold. Within those slips of paper over the years, you opened up and became my best friend again. The Josh I remembered. I was happy. But sad, too. Always sad because the boy I loved didn’t love me the same way. What choice did I have but to move on?” She shrugged.
“I never really wanted you to move on—”
“But you never said that, did you?” A humorless laugh fell from her lips. “I was supposed to read your mind? Now, you’re here. With your hand holding and Cupcake and blinding kisses and it’s my dream come true. But onyourtime, whenyoufelt you were ready. It didn’t matter where I was in my life. You figured I’d drop everything for Josh Falco because I’m that pathetic and needy, right?” She crossed her arms over her chest as if she were erecting a barrier between us.
“No, Bri. Never. I just . . . never thought I deserved you.”
“That was my choice to make. And, as usual, you took my choices away.” She pointed at Scott behind her with her thumb. “Just like he did. But that ends now.”
Brianna gazed at me and then back to Scott.
“I choose me. Merry Christmas to you both.”
