My head spins as I exhale sharply, my torso hunching like I just took a punch. Braxton flinches beside me, his hand reaching out to me, but I swat him away.
“Gracie, please?—”
I ignore him, reaching a trembling hand into the gift bag and pulling out a jewelry box. The shape is slightly different from Braxton’s present, but they’re clearly from the same store.
He says my name again, desperation edging into his voice, and I turn to look at him.
“Shut.Up.” The words are louder than I intend, and the room falls quiet as everyone focuses on us. I roughly flip open the box, staring down at the necklace nestled inside. A delicate silver chain is coiled on velvet, the pendant in the shape of a silver tree covered in rubies.
“I wasn’t sure what to get you at first,” Paisley is saying conversationally. “I saw this, and it reminded me of the redmaple tree down at the fire station. I didn’t realize how much I missed that tree until my picnic with Braxton a couple of weeks ago, and I know you must love it too.”
“Picnic,” I mouth to myself, my head down as I stare at the necklace and everything it represents. I slowly close the box, looking back up at Paisley.
She’s staring down at me, her eyes creased with mocking concern. “I can take it back and exchange it if you don’t like it,” she says quietly, the perfect amount ofwoundedin her voice—just before she lands the final blow. “I know you missed out on that house you wanted, so I just wanted to cheer you up.”
“Paisley,” Braxton grits out. “What the hell are you doing?”
She widens her eyes innocently. “What?”
I bark out a laugh—one that scrapes against my throat like sandpaper. “Paisley,” I say, voice quiet but firm. “Get the fuck out of my face.”
Her mouth drops open in shock, even as Esther stands up, expression horrified. “Gracie! That is not okay. Why on earth would you speak to her like that?”
I don’t look away from Paisley, my smile wobbly and humorless. “That’s a great question. Let’s pass it on to your daughter.” My tone is pointed as I ask, “Paisley, why would I speak to you like that?” Her brown eyes are brimming with tears as she shakes her head. “No? That’s okay. Let’s ask Braxton.” I turn to look at the frozen man beside me, his skin ashen and his eyes red.
“Gracie…” He closes his eyes, pulling a long breath into his lungs before looking at Paisley. “How the hell did you even know about the house?” he demands.
She looks nonplussed. “I mean,youtold me. The other night, when Nick went to get another round of drinks. I figured if you were telling me, then everyone had to know…right?” Her eyes slide to me, her mouth pursed. “Why wouldn’t the other personbuyingthe house know about it being sold to someone else?”
I stand up, rounding the couch to grab my bag from where I stored it earlier. “You know what? Let’s do your present now, Braxton.”
Nick stands, his expression severe, eyes bouncing between me, Braxton, and Paisley. “Maybe we should do this later,” he suggests evenly, a hint of anger in his tone, but I have no idea who it’s directed at. “With fewer people.”
“I’d rather do it now. Clean break and all that.” My fingers slide against the roughly-wrapped present, and I pull it out, practically throwing it at Braxton. He fumbles for it, his pulse fluttering rapidly in his throat as he stares down at the holly sprig wrapping paper.
Across the room, Joseph is scowling. “I don’t understand what’s happening here, but this is not how we do Christmas, young lady.” He’s staring at me, but I don’t look away, meeting his stare head-on, hiding the way my stomach has sunk to my feet.
I don’t like confrontation on a good day, but this…
“No, I don’t suppose it is.” I look around the room, finding everyone staring at me, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt more alone than I do at this moment—not even growing up in my house, when my parents often left me to open presents with our housekeeper. “I thought I’d found a family here, but I can see that I was wrong. And ifyoucan’t see what’s going on here—” Unsure how to finish that sentence, I shake my head.
Raewyn’s shock wears off, and she rushes to my side just as my knees buckle, my strength dissipating as fast as it came. She grabs my arm, holding me up, but then an arm loops around my waist, yanking me against a familiar body.
“I got you,” Braxton murmurs.
“You’re the last person who’s got me,” I hiss back, trying to pull away from him. His expression is pained, but he only tightens his hold—not enough to hurt, but just making sure I stay put.
Paisley’s mouth twists into a scowl as she watches us, almost like she thought this would end differently. A wry smile curves my mouth, and her eyes flare with alarm.
“I think we’re done here,” Raewyn says firmly, looking over at Stephen. “Show our guests out, please.”
“Of course, love,” he murmurs, stepping toward Joseph and Esther, who ward him off.
“Now, Raewyn,” Esther protests. “We can’t let this drama ruin our day.” She glares at me, but I don’t care, giving her a blank look back. “Gracie doesn’t have a lot of experience with families, but I’m sure we can come back from this.”
Analise surges to her feet, the perfume forgotten, dropping to the carpet. “I don’t know what the hell is going on, but what a horrible,nastything to say!”
Esther blinks, clearly not used to being called out by a twenty-one-year-old. “Now, see here?—”
