Page 13 of Grumpy Santa

My heart would break over and over again until I was nothing but an empty shell.

I need some advice, but I’ve got to lay this info out carefully. Otherwise it’ll be blasted on the Saddle Peek, and I won’t be able to control the spread.

I pull up my most recent group chat with my favorite girls. Despite the fact that they’re all married now, they still include me in most things they do.

Just rip off the bandage.

Me: Jared and I hooked up.

Harper: When? I demand all the details!

Savannah: About damn time!

Olive: So how big is he? Baker is sizable. Not that I have anything to compare him to.

Harper: That’s my brother! Gross! Overshare, Olive.

Savannah: I kinda wanna know too. I mean Jared is a beast of a man.

I shouldn’t be surprised they’ve asked this. I’ve been to their girls’ nights and they’re always talking about their sex lives. I know more about Johnny Crawford—whom I grew up with—than I ever wanted to know.

I sneak a glance at Jared. He looks like he always does. One hand on the steering wheel, backwards ball cap sitting on his dark brown hair. His beard is thick, but trimmed tight to his face. How does he look so calm right now when my insides feel like they’ve been tossed into a blender?

I refuse to drop my gaze to his lap where I know he has an anaconda between his meaty thighs. I shiver at the thought of how good he felt sliding in and out of my body.

Get it together, Audrey. You cannot fall into that trap again.

Me: Big. He’s really, really big.

But also perfect. I exhale a shaky breath. So very perfect.

Me: This is only part of the story.

Harper: When did this happen?

Me: A couple of months ago.

Savannah: And you’re just telling us now?

Olive: Ouch

Harper: So, wait a minute. Y’all have been together for months and you waited this long to tell us?

Me: We’re not together.

Olive: What?

Me: It was just a one night thing. We’ve never even talked about it.

Harper: Asshole!

Savannah: I’m pretty sure Ren could kill him and make it look like an accident.

Olive: Baker will help.

Olive: But also, what do you mean you never talked about. You shagged a couple of months ago and then what? You’ve just gone about working together as if you haven’t seen his dangly bits?

I snort a laugh.