The Christmas Playbook (Shadow Valley U)

Chapter 17 Fuck. I stare at Mira's entire family, their expressions ranging from horrified to smug. Snide bitches. I feel my friends at my back, but they're secondary to the judgment permeating the air. My gaze ticks from face to face, finally landing on Cammie-the meanest of Mira's siblings and, arguably, the leader of the pack. "You're right," I tell her. "There's no way Mira and I would date." She sneers. I hold up my hand. "But not because I'm better than her. It's because she's the kindest, warmest person I've ever met. She cares so fucking deeply. She's a good person. She's smart.

And for some reason, you hold those traits against her." The table's silence only deepens. I shake my head, my disgust unable to be hidden any longer. "I've watched you all degrade her with flippant comments all week. Why? She's your sister. You're supposed to love her, not tear her down." Thorne's hand lands on my shoulder. He's not telling me to back down. It's a silent show of support. Same as on the field. He's an anchor. "This holiday trip has been nothing but a farce, but not ours-yours.

Cammie doesn't hide her loathing, but not a single one of you sticks up for Mira." I inhale and square my shoulders. "You should all be fucking ashamed of yourselves." Her dad's mouth opens and closes. Her mom seems on the verge of tears. Good. Another part of me wants to push on the bruise harder, but... it's not worth it. Mira is, though. She's worth chasing and pursuing and fighting for, and that's exactly what I'm going to do. I turn away from them and shove through my friend group. They part for me, but Jack doesn't move fast enough. I catch his shoulder with mine.

He stumbles, but he doesn't say anything. He's an asshole for his comment. Thorne follows me out of the lodge and down toward our cabin. Halfway there, he calls for me to stop. I jerk around and hold my hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry, man. I'm sorry I lied⁠-" "I don't even understand what the fuck just happened," Thorne grumbles. "Want to give me the CliffsNotes version?" "Sure." I run my hand down my face and wipe away my smile. "Mira and I were double-booked in the same cabin. She walked in on me shortly after we arrived, and we tried to fix it, but the resort was sold out.

"And of course, there's the little fact that I know her and her family. We used to be neighbors. So when her sisters walked in, shit-talking Mira without realizing she was there, it just kind of happened that Mira went and introduced me as her boyfriend." I wince. "Fake boyfriend. We hashed out the details later, but... I was willing to help her out." Thorne laughs. "Jesus, man." "You should've heard what they were saying." "If it's anything like the preview we got in the lodge, I understand." He steps closer. "You didn't have to hide it from me, you know." "Yeah.

I was just"-I lift my shoulder-"trying to respect her wish to keep it under wraps, even though that normally doesn't apply to you." My best friend sighs. "This trip's dynamics are kind of fucked up with you being the only solo one, huh?" Thɪs chapter is updated by findnovel.net "Oh, you noticed that?" "I'm sorry. The couple-y ness of it got out of hand, but we weren't going to leave you out because you didn't have a girl." I glance over my shoulder, toward my cabin. The door is shut, but I imagine Mira is in there, waiting or stewing... "Well, maybe you have a girl now," Thorne says quietly.

"What?" Thorne slaps my arm. "Go get the girl, asshole." I smile. Because you know what? Hell yeah. I leave him standing there and jog the rest of the way. My boots make for clunky movement, but I bound up the porch and shove the door open. She's packing. "You're leaving?" I blurt out. Mira looks up. Her eyes are red, tears still on her cheeks. She sniffles and wipes absently at her cheeks, nodding slowly. "No point in staying. My family will mock me for years to come for this shit. I'll have a better Christmas at home." "No." She takes a breath.

"No?" "No." I go to her and take her hands, helping her rise. "No, you're not going. No, you're not going to spend Christmas alone. No, your family will not mock you about this for years to come. Just... no." I take over wiping the tears from her cheeks and under her eyes. I tuck her blonde hair behind her ears, hating that she's been suffering-even if it was just for a moment. A heartbeat of suffering is too much for my girl. That's right, I said it. "This isn't fake," I declare. Mira scoffs.

"It's been fake⁠-" "We've lived under the pretense of it being fake to hide from the sexual tension," I interrupt. "But we got that under control yesterday, which means all that's left is the relationship stuff." "The relationship stuff," Mira repeats. "No, Rhys, I think you knocked your head on the trail or something. There's no relationship, remember? We just jumped into bed together⁠-" "Mira Winters." I cup her cheek. "Respectfully, babe, shut up. I'm trying to tell you that the fake shit no longer applies to us. It was quick and unexpected, but I find myself head over heels for you.

I'm pretty sure I'm falling in love with you-if you'll have me." Her mouth opens and closes. Her eyes are even more blue with the sheen of tears, which is ridiculous, but there it is. Butterflies flutter in my chest. Damn, butterflies? I just admitted to love, and she's crying again. I can't quite tell if they're good or bad tears. More spill down her cheeks, and I wipe them away. She's not telling me to get lost, at any rate. That's got to be a good sign. The longer she remains quiet, though, the more nervous I feel. "I've never felt like this about someone before," I whisper.

"Please say something." Her hand comes up and covers mine. "Yes. Yes, I feel it, too. You and me. The... the realness of it. I'm falling in love with you, too." "Thank God." Then, I do what I did from the beginning. I lean down and kiss her.