Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Pierce

W hen we land, I stare at the bag of Skittles shoved in the pocket of the seat in front of her. She never touched them. Heaviness invades my chest.

The only thing buoying my mood right now is that she was either remembering our time together or dreaming of me because those two words, “God, Pierce,” were in her throaty turned-on voice. That moment repeats through my head like the lyrics of a favorite song.

I allow her to head down the aisle first, after Kenzie and Andrew walk out with a wide-awake Nolan. They wait for their stroller while Brynn and I continue into the terminal to wait.

“Are you excited to see your family?” I ask.

“Yes. Where is your family this Christmas?” she asks. “Aren’t they going to miss you?”

“Andrew is my family,” I answer. A quick, easy answer that hopefully won’t spur any more questions.

She turns toward me, and I recognize the determination in her eyes from when she was in my class. She’s going to hit me with a hard question. I don’t think Andrew would have told her about my past, but I feel unprepared.

“Finally, let’s go.” Kenzie walks by us as Andrew pushes the stroller.

Thank God.

We fall in step behind them and go down to retrieve our luggage, then the rental car. By the time we’re on the road, Brynn is on one side of Nolan’s car seat, and I’m on the other. Not exactly what I was hoping for.

“I can drive,” I say to Andrew. “That way you two can sit back here with the little guy.”

“Have you ever driven in the States?” Andrew asks.

“I think the concept is the same as in Britain,” I say. “Stay on your side of the road.”

Brynn’s head is buried in her phone, and I’m sure she’s not paying us any attention. Maybe she’s as exhausted as I am. The early wake-up for my interview, the lack of sleep I got last night, and the nerves from being around Brynn is a lot to handle. Although she’s already the highlight of my trip even if she doesn’t want anything to do with me.

“I can’t wait to see it in the morning,” Kenzie says, staring out the window into the dark.

There’s a lot more snow here, that’s for sure. I don’t know much about where we’re staying. Andrew didn’t go into a lot of detail when he ambushed me into this trip.

My mistake was telling him I was coming for an interview right before the holidays. Before I could make up an excuse, he told me I should stay for a visit and come on a skiing holiday with him and Kenzie. I had no idea he was going with another family until I had already asked Mancini Advertising to book my return flight to Utah.

Who would have guessed I’d be lucky enough to be on holiday with Brynn?

“Let’s play some Christmas carols.” Kenzie has definitely found a little pep since the flight.

Nolan’s feet kick up and down, and she grabs Andrew’s phone that’s hooked up to the vehicle for the GPS.

“Kenz, I don’t know where I’m going,” he says, reaching for the phone.

She giggles and doesn’t give it to him. We swerve, but Andrew corrects immediately. They continue to go back and forth, and I’m not gonna lie, I really think I would’ve been the safer bet to drive.

“People will ask, how did Brynn die? Went off a mountain cliff because Kenzie wanted to listen to ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.’”

Kenzie scoffs and glares at Brynn. “Give me some credit. ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town.’” Her gaze travels to Nolan. “Our favorite, right, buddy?”

He squeals in excitement.

Andrew gets the phone in hand, and we’re back on track.

“You guys are no fun.” Kenzie huffs.

“Believe me, there will be a ton of Christmas fun once we get there.” Brynn circles her head as if her neck hurts, her eyes landing on me.

“I’d be happy to work that out for you when we get there,” I say.

Andrew and Kenzie talk in lower tones.

“I’m good, thanks.” Brynn goes back to looking out the window at the pitch darkness except for the other cars on the road.

Andrew eventually hands Kenzie the phone and instructs her how not to change the screen on the dash so he can still read the map whilst she acts as DJ.

Nolan laughs as his mom pretends her fist is a microphone and sings. Soon she’s leaning into Andrew, and he’s smiling at her the way a husband should his wife—as though she’s his everything.

It doesn’t take long for Brynn to join in, and hell, I finally do too, all of us singing “Jingle Bells” as we roll through the entrance of our resort. All the evergreen trees are wrapped in an array of twinkling lights. One tree red, another green, and another white.

“Oh, look at the lights, Nolan.” Kenzie points toward the window, and his attention turns that way.

“So pretty,” Brynn says.

I admire the wide-eyed innocent look on her face as she stares out the front window.

“You like Christmas,” I say because anyone could tell she does from the look on her face. “You hide it well.”

She chuckles. “I love spending it with my family. I was just bummed it was going to be different this year. Get ready, because as soon as we pull into the parking lot, we’re going to be bombarded.”

“By the Russells!” Kenzie puts up her hands and waves them. “You’re going to love them, Pierce. They even get my stodgy old husband to participate in their games.”

“Games?” I ask, panic stiffening my muscles.

The only family I’ve ever spent time around is Andrew’s. My aunt and uncle are nice and loving, but there aren’t a lot of other family members. Most often, it would just be the four of us for holiday break.

“Oh yeah, I hope you brought your game because the Russells have a competitiveness that could challenge an Olympian’s.”

“She’s not lying, Pierce,” Andrew chimes in, glancing over his shoulder at me.

A little warning would’ve been nice. He knows my history. Knows how uncomfortable I am around families.

Andrew rounds the primary lodge area and heads down another road and up a steep hill toward a bunch of smaller buildings.

“That must be our shared area in the middle. It’s so cute.” Kenzie turns to Brynn with excitement etched in every feature of her face. “Come on. You know it is.”

Brynn shrugs. “It does look nice.”

Andrew parks the SUV and shuts off the engine. A barrage of people file out of the house before we’ve even opened the car doors.

“How many people are there?” I ask anyone who will answer me.

No one does, and we each file out of the vehicle. Kenzie runs up to a woman with long dark hair and hugs her. Brynn walks up to who I assume is her mum, and she envelops Brynn in a hug. Everyone huddles around, and I stand as witness, unsure how I feel about spending the next week with this family I don’t know.

Close families do everything together. Close families are going to ask questions. Close families will want to get to know the new guy because they’ll want me to feel comfortable, but I’ll be anything but.

Andrew slides by me, getting Nolan out of his car seat.

“A little warning would’ve been nice,” I whisper.

“Sorry, mate,” Andrew says. “But had I told you, you wouldn’t have come.”

He’s not wrong. “Why did you want me to come so badly?”

He unstraps Nolan and carries him out of the car. “Reinforcements. I’m sick of being the only English fella.” He laughs and walks toward the group. “Come on, show them that sparkling personality of yours.”

I follow him, and by now, Brynn and Kenzie have made the rounds. A woman and man, who I assume are Brynn’s parents, approach. I really want to make a good impression on them even if we’re not anything.

“Andrew!” The woman swarms him in a hug and kisses Nolan on the cheek. “He’s adorable.”

“Merry Christmas, Gwen,” Andrew says and puts out his hand for Brynn’s dad. “Abe.” He shakes his hand. “This is my cousin, Pierce.”

Gwen’s face lights up in a welcoming smile, and a sick feeling hits my stomach. She’s going to dig everything out of me, I just know it.

“Merry Christmas, Pierce. I’m Gwen. We’re so thrilled you could join us.” She opens her arms, and I’m unprepared when she hugs me. My body stiffens, and I pat her back as if I can’t move my arms while her palms run up and down my back. “Relax, we’ll take it easy on you.”

Somehow, her words do calm my nerves that have become frazzled as fast as a handful of sparklers, one exploding after the other.

Her dad comes by and holds out his hand just as he did to Andrew. “Welcome. I’m Abner, but you can call me Abe.”

I take his hand. “Thank you.”

The rest of the family heads my way, and I meet Kenzie’s best friend, Tessa, and her husband, Tre, who is Brynn’s brother, along with their little girl, Ryah. Then I meet Brynn’s other brother, Carter, and his girlfriend, Faith. I can’t help but notice everyone is coupled up, even the two toddlers who are now being held face to face by their parents.

“Come on in. We have some snacks for you guys in case you’re hungry.” Abner waves toward the building.

“I really just want my villa. Which one is it?” Brynn looks around.

There’s one big building in the middle that I think must house the gathering area and kitchen, then there are little villas circling it with plowed pathways to the middle building.

“Yeah, let’s eat first,” Gwen says and puts her arm around Brynn’s shoulders, guiding her toward the building.

“Oh, no.” Brynn circles out of her mum’s hold. “What’s going on?”

“Can you wait until we can get some popcorn?” Carter says, chuckling.

Faith lightly smacks his stomach with the back of her hand.

“Oh my god, just tell me,” Brynn says, obviously knowing her family well.

“It’s really not a big deal.” Gwen glances in my direction.

I look behind me because I’ve pissed Brynn off enough, and I don’t have anything to do with this. Brynn follows her mum’s line of vision, and her eyebrows scrunch.

“I need to get Ryah inside,” Tre says and walks toward the big house.

“Oh yeah, let me make her a bottle.” Tessa follows him, waving Kenzie to follow her.

Carter rocks back on his heels and crosses his arms with a mischievous smile plastered on his face.

“So, um…” Gwen says.

“There was a mix-up, and there’s only one villa left. We looked in town to see if we could find an AirBnB and at the other resorts, but they’re completely sold out.” Abe cringes. “It’s the holidays. We thought maybe you and Pierce could share.”

“What?” Brynn’s mouth drops open.

Oh. This is terribly awkward. Andrew is still here, and I toss him a pissed-off look since he’s the reason I’m in this mess. Although sharing a villa with Brynn isn’t the worst thing that could happen, I’m sure she’ll think it is.

“I know.” Gwen raises her hands. “The only other option we could think of was if Pierce was to stay with Andrew.” She looks at me, and I look over at Andrew.

“You really want to sleep in a room with a child who wakes up through the night?” My cousin arches an eyebrow.

“Good point,” I grumble.

“I’m sure you don’t want to stay with Carter,” Gwen says.

“Um, she’s not invited to stay with Faith and me unless she wants to hear?—”

“Go inside, Carter,” Abe says, pointing at the big house.

Carter laughs and takes Faith’s hand, leading her inside. I see now that all the others are staring out the window.

“The couch pulls into a bed,” Gwen adds in a hopeful voice.

“I can stay with you then,” Brynn says to her mum with a hopeful expression.

Gwen sighs. “Our couch doesn’t pull out, and…” She looks at her husband.

“And Dad’s snoring.” Brynn groans. Her gaze shoots to mine. “Fine,” she grumbles. “Which one is ours?”

Andrew raises his eyebrows at me. Although I haven’t been able to tell him the entire story with Brynn, he looks at me as though this is a good thing for me.

And maybe it is. Sure, Brynn is pissed off about this, but how much easier will it be to win her over if we’re sharing the same villa? Thanks, Santa.