“Pen, they love you. We all love you. With or without a ring, you’re still a Calhoun.” Charlotte reached over and patted her hand with a contemplative look entering her eyes. “We will win this thing, or we burn it down.”
“That’s my competitive sister.” Christian’s eyes flashed. “We win this for Penny.”
Everyone put their hands in the middle, waiting for me to finish the team cheer. I did it, fighting a smile. This was utterly ridiculous. The wildest thing I’d done in years. My hand was on top of Charlotte’s, her focus on me as she nodded. I understood her. We had to win this thing for Christian and Penny. I’d do anything for my best friend and anything for Charlotte. It was an easy decision to let myself go for the holiday extravaganza.
“Now that we know Char is okay, we can ski or board for the next few hours. I have a holiday drink happy hour scheduled for us at five. Then a quick dinner before the games start at seven. Any questions?” Penny looked like a tree right now, all lit up.
“No, ma’am, we’re gonna have a hell of a time.” I pounded the table. “Go, team!”
Charlotte burst out laughing, her eyes seeking mine. Her gaze warmed. “What’s gotten into you?”
“Holiday spirit?”
“No, no way.” She grinned, her dimples popping out. “It’s more than that.”
“Maybe it’s the drink.”
“Or maybe, it’s the—” she said.
“You coming or what?” Garrett interrupted her, pointing at me.
“I’m not skiing this afternoon. I’ll go in the morning with you. Take off, have fun, break one leg, but not two.”
“Dick.” He laughed and hit my shoulder. “Charlie baby, find me under a mistletoe later.”
“We’ll see how I’m feeling.”
He blew her a kiss, making her laugh. Seeing her dimples, the way she tossed her head back, and the pure joy on her face punched me in the gut.
When was the last time I made her laugh like that? Made her chuckle with her whole body? I used to. When we were teenagers and hung out all the time, we’d laugh together often. I missed it. It was as if my body refused to remember how much I liked her when I wasn’t around her, but the second I was? All restraint was forgotten.
“He’s a goon. I should dislike everything about him, but I think, because I know his heart, I can’t let him go.” She sighed, shaking her head. Her eyes always gave her away, and she looked at Garrett with a softness I wasn’t used to seeing. They had grown closer the last three years.
I rubbed my eyebrow and took a deep breath, steeling myself up for a big ask. “Can we talk, just you and me?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHARLOTTE
Some people lost their composure under pressure. I wasn’t one of them. If chaos happened in the classroom, then I’d keep my game face on and stay calm. A kid having a seizure? No big deal. A fight? Cool cucumber over here.
My face might appear neutral, bored even at his words. But inside? It was the Hot Mess Express going off the rails at one hundred miles an hour. No conductor on this train.
I didn’t know which emotion to follow first. Fear? Regret? Anger? Curiosity? Lust? What did he want to talk about? And why just the two of us? Was this about Garrett? I saw him studying us. Or was this about… before? The time we don’t talk about, ever?
Shit. I was hot. Getting hotter by the second too. Was the fire getting bigger? I fanned my sweater over my chest, wondering if it would be weird to ask the bartender to lessen the flames. I was sure that was a thing.Oh, sir, could you turn down the fire over here? Thanks so much.Not weird at all.
“Char?” Hayden said, my name all soft and deep from his lips.
“Hm?” I squeaked. “Yes? A talk between us pals? Sure.”
He studied my face, his intelligent gaze narrowing at whatever he found. Then he sighed and gently took my elbow in his fingers. “Let’s go somewhere private.”
“Private like my bedroom?” I blurted out, giving away my nerves.
He stilled, his entire six-foot-something body turning to cement. He was a living gargoyle. A sexy one, but still, unmoving. It only lasted three seconds, but they felt like a lifetime. “No. Not your bedroom. Just away from everyone.”
“Of course. Bedroom was a silly guess.”
