Chapter 47

CHAPTER47

Christmas

“Ireally hate Christmas,” Cayley mumbled pathetically as she pulled her hand free from the icepack she’d made around two this morning when she’d finally managed to stop crying.

After that, she’d settled for eating all the cookies, cakes, and pies that she’d picked up from her aunt’s bakery yesterday morning to bring to Rory’s house today. Since she was longer going, mostly because Bryce informed her that he didn’t want to see her again, Cayley decided to drown her sorrows in carbs and an insane amount of sugar. That had led to her tearing through the boxes that she still hadn’t unpacked in a desperate search of Pepto Bismol, a promise to herself never to touch another cupcake, and the decision to start off somewhere new, somewhere far, far away from Bryce James.

After the Pepto Bismol finally kicked in, she’d grabbed a Coke, the rest of the cupcakes, and settled in on the couch and that’s where she’d stayed, watching horror movies as she did her best to stop thinking about the moment that Bryce broke her heart. She hated him, Cayley told herself as she reached up and wiped away another tear, only to wince when the move caused pain to shoot through her knuckles and slid her hand back under the icepack.

“Your dad’s been calling me all morning wondering why you’re not answering your phone,” Sean, who’d she’d refused to call last night simply because he reminded her of his brother, said, and right now, thinking about Bryce was the last thing that she wanted to do.

“I’ll call him tomorrow,” Cayley mumbled as she stared at the television, in absolutely no mood to try to pretend that everything was okay while her father wished her a Merry Christmas and asked about Kevin, her job, and why she couldn’t stop crying.

“That’s probably for the best,” Sean murmured as he reached down and snatched the remote control off the coffee table and turned off her television.

“I’m not in the mood, Sean,” Cayley said, gesturing for him to turn the television back on.

“It’s Christmas,” Sean said as though she wasn’t painfully aware of that fact.

“Which is why I’m wallowing in self-pity,” Cayley informed him

“Well, wallow your ass back into your room and get dressed,” Sean said, glaring down at her.

“I’m not going,” she said, wondering why he was here.

“Why?” Sean demanded, apparently hellbent on pissing her off.

“Because I hate your brother,” Cayley muttered pathetically.

“You love him,”

“I don’t want to talk about this,” Cayley mumbled as she gestured for him to once again turn the television back on.

“Good. Then that will make this easier,” Sean said, tossing the remote on the chair as he gestured for her to get up.

“Easier for what?” Cayley asked, not really caring as she turned over onto her other side so that she could stare at the back of the couch in peace while she wallowed in self-pity.

“Let’s go,” Sean, the annoying bastard that should be at his sister’s house, said as she felt his hand wrap around her ankle.

“No,” Cayley said, pulling her leg away.

“Don’t make me drag you out of here,” Sean said as she reached up and wiped away another tear.

“Leave me alone, Sean. I’m not in the mood to play this game with you,” Cayley said, biting her lip as she struggled not to lose it, but…

God, this hurt.

She never should have let herself fall in love with Bryce. She should have-

“God, you really are a pain in the ass,” Sean said as she suddenly found herself yanked off the couch and thrown over his shoulder.

“Put me down, Sean!”

“And let you ruin all of my hard work? Not a chance in hell, pookie,”

* * *

“Stop being difficult!”came the shouted demand that had Bryce glancing out his bedroom window and felt his stomach drop when he saw her.

Christ, he missed her, Bryce thought, swallowing hard as he watched Sean struggle to keep his hold around her as he tried to drag her back to the front door, only to curse, stumble, and swear to spank her ass when Cayley managed to break free and made a run for it.

For several minutes, Bryce stood there, watching Cayley as she did her best to get away from Sean, slipping, stumbling, and threatening to go for his balls as she raced around her car, only to pause long enough to throw a snowball in his face, and-

He never should have come back here.

With that in mind, Bryce turned around to finish packing his bag and-

“Thomas House?” his father said, throwing the bag on his bed a questioning look.

“For now,” Bryce said, grabbing the stack of shirts he’d placed on the bed and shoved them in the bag.

“And then?”

“I’m leaving,” Bryce said, looking up to find his father watching him curiously.

“You mind telling me why?” his father asked, sitting down on the edge of his bed.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Bryce said because the last thing that he wanted to do right now was talk about Cayley. He-

“I saw the proposal last night,” his father said, making Bryce swallow hard as he turned his attention to his bureau.

“Half the town saw it,” Bryce said as he stood there, staring down at the small box with the green ribbon that had taken him a half-hour to tie for a moment before he grabbed it and shoved it in his top drawer.

“And they also heard Kevin call your mother and sister a whore,” came the words that had Bryce slowly turning around to face his father.

“Seems Kevin didn’t take the rejection well and decided to compare her to your mother,” his father drawled, making Bryce swallow hard.

“Cayley’s nothing like her,” Bryce said hollowly.

“No, she’s not,” his father said, looking thoughtful for a moment. “Which makes me wonder why you’re willing to let her go.”

“It’s complicated,” Bryce said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“She loves you,” his father said, resting his elbows on his knees as he considered him.

“No, she doesn’t,” Bryce said, shaking his head because the last thing that he wanted to think about was Cayley being in love with him.

“And you’re scared that she’ll never love you as much as you love her,” his father said with a pitying look that turned his stomach.

“Can you blame me?” Bryce asked, leaning back against his bureau as he slowly exhaled.

“Yes,” his father said, taking him by surprise as he stood up and moved to head to the door, only to pause as he added, “She’s nothing like your mother, Bryce.”

“I can’t take that chance,” Bryce said, watching as his father absently nodded while he made his way to the door.

“I know,” his father said as he left and-

“Oh, fuck, no…” Bryce said seconds later when three of his brothers walked into the room, every last one of them looking really fucking determined.