Chapter 1
Amber.
It was the eve of Christmas Eve, and I was pissed.
After angrily leaving my mother's house earlier in the day after yet another argument, one which was equally as pointless as the many that had come before it, I was currently stuffing my face with spicy potato chips while sitting cross-legged on the living room floor of my best friend's apartment.
"Do you know you paint a very morose picture right now?” remarked a voice coming into the room from the kitchen.
"Of course, tell me something I don't know, Reese." Rolling my eyes, I put down the bag of chips just as someone walked into the room.
Reese Wan, my tiny best friend covered almost from head to toe in tattoos plopped down on the floor beside me, stealing the bag of chips before saying, “Speak.”
“I'm tired, Reese." I said with a sigh.
"What's the matter this time? Mom again?" Reese asked, a hint of concern present on her pretty face.
"If not her, then who?" I whined, unable to keep the frustration out of my voice, "I don't even understand why she keeps bringing that up. I'm not a child anymore, Reese. I can make my own decisions. I can decide what I want and don't want to do."
Reese took a long look at me before saying, "You want me to talk to her? Or maybe my parents?"
I shook my head, "Thanks Reese, but I don't want to bring Ma and Papa into this. They've done so much for me already. Besides, we're not stupid high school seniors anymore that need your parents to bail us out of everything."
"Whatever you say, girl", Reese answered with a laugh, putting her hands up, "I just want you to know I'm here for you. That we're here for you, Papa and Ma and me. Okay?"
"I know that. Thank you. Really. All of you." I knew she wasn't lying.
"Now you should also know there's also no need for thanks between us. We're past that stage already, I've told you." Reese said, taking yet another chip.
"It's kinda hard to remember favors with an overbearing dark cloud looming over you all the time" I said, trying and failing to keep the sadness out of my voice.
Reese, seemingly having had enough of the pity party, placed her palms on my face and looked straight into my eyes, saying "Alright, enough of this. I'm pretty sure you didn't come here to marinate in sorrow. I'll be going to get my cousin from the airport now, then I'll come back and make some chow mein with pork and eggs, just how you like it.” She paused, watching my face light up a bit at the mention of food. “The deal is that you don't get lost in your head, okay?"
"As long as I get some of your food, I'll be fine. Trust me." I replied, my laugh genuine.
"Okay then. His flight doesn't come in till one though, so I'll be heading into the city first to get some ingredients and stuff." Reese said, getting up and grabbing her car keys and purse.
"I won't be right back, but I'll be back soon. There's ice cream in the fridge, and there's a couple of stuff that isn't too bad on Netflix, so knock yourself out. Remember, no self pity." She warned as she put on her boots.
"Yeah, yeah alright. Now get going, I need your food in my life." I said, getting up and heading into the kitchen.
"Later!" Reese called out from outside the door.
"Yeah, bye." I shouted back.
Armed with a gallon of ice cream and a spoon, I made myself comfortable on the couch this time, my half eaten bag of chips forgotten as I flipped through the TV. My thoughts hopped between spending the Christmas here with Reese and her potentially hot cousin, or spending it at home.
The answer came to me quickly.
I got up and decided to head home and get a few clothes, since I was going to be spending Christmas away. The plan was to hurry back before Reese got home, so I wouldn't have to miss out on all that food.
Grabbing my car keys off the coffee table, I dashed out the door, sidestepping Reese's half decorated Christmas tree. In no time, I was back home, a tall woman with serious ice-queen vibes standing in the doorway of the stately mansion I called home.
Natalie Rivers. My mother.
I ignored her stern gaze as I approached, brushing past her as she said, "I see you've come back to your senses.”
I didn't pause my steps as I replied, "I didn't come back for you. I came to get a few clothes, and to announce that I won't be spending Christmas here."
I could hear her yelling in the background as I stuffed some clothes into a small suitcase, but I tuned her out completely, intent on completing my task as soon as possible.
Dragging the suitcase down the stairs, I only said a single sentence, “When you calm down, you know where to find me.”
The drive back to Reese's was short, my thoughts a tangled mess. I barely noticed the Christmas lights hanging from the buildings, or the smell of pine trees that hung in the air.
I'd barely reclaimed my seat on the couch before Reese's bubbly voice came through the door.
"Amber baby! We're back!” Reese walked in, accompanied by a towering shadow behind her.
"And this is Trevor," Reese began, introducing the man who just walked into the room, “the one I was telling you about.”
Holy hell.
He just had to be 6’3”, with messy waves of black hair brushing his shoulders and tattoos peeking from the collar of his coat. When he shrugged it off, the gray shirt underneath clung to broad shoulders and biceps that strained the fabric.
Delicious.
No, wait—that didn’t even begin to cover it.
His rich green eyes swept over me, slow and deliberate, before locking on my face. Heat licked up my spine, following every path his eyes had traced.
“Amber,” I managed, extending my hand. “Nice to meet you.”
His palm engulfed mine—warm, rough, and way too lingering as a smirk tugged at his lips.
Ooh, it was about to be a very fun Christmas.