Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Levi

I tugged at my tie for the hundredth time as I watched Emery walk across the living room in a burgundy sweater dress. The same one that had made me lose my mind in the changing room weeks ago. Combined with those black heels that did sinful things to her legs, she was a walking Christmas fantasy and not just because she was wearing leggings with little sparkly snowflakes all over them.

“Stop fidgeting.” Max nudged me with his elbow, looking annoyingly put-together in his fitted charcoal suit.

“I’m not fidgeting.” I was absolutely fidgeting. “Why did we all agree to this again?”

“Because you can’t avoid your mother forever.” Ronan checked his watch. “And Emery gave you those puppy eyes when you mentioned the party.”

He wasn’t wrong. One look from those big brown eyes and I’d found myself not only agreeing to attend my mother’s annual Christmas extravaganza but also somehow convincing these two to come along.

Emery stopped in front of us and spun around. “How do I look?”

“You look...” I searched for a word or phrase that wouldn’t get me punched by either of my best friends.

“Incredible.” Max was clearly uninventive with his adjectives.

The smile she gave us could have lit up the entire neighborhood. “You guys clean up pretty nice yourselves.”

The drive to my mother’s house was torture. Emery sat next to me in the back of Ronan’s SUV, her dress riding up just enough to drive me crazy. Every time we turned a corner, her thigh would press against mine.

It came as no surprise to me that my mother’s house looked like Santa’s workshop had exploded all over it. Lights covered every conceivable surface, and an army of light-up reindeer stood guard on the lawn. She hired a company every year to decorate the entire house inside and out. It was lavish and ridiculous.

“Subtle as always,” I muttered as we walked up the path to the door.

Emery squeezed my hand. “I think it’s magical.”

The door opened before we could knock, and there stood my mom, Diana, in all her holiday glory, wearing a designer red dress that probably cost more than most people’s monthly rent.

“Levi! And Max and Ronan too! What a wonderful surprise!” She did actually look surprised to see me even though I’d RSVP’d.

“Hi, Mom.” I gave her a hug and handed her a bottle of wine I’d brought.

While this was a Christmas dinner party, there were still five days until the big day. Perfect timing for my mother to show off her wealth and influence to her friends, all while pretending it was about holiday cheer. I’d seen enough of these events growing up to know better. The decorations might scream Christmas, but the networking and social climbing happening inside would put Wall Street to shame.

Her eyes landed on Emery, and my spine stiffened. “And who is this lovely young lady?”

This was the moment I hadn’t properly thought through. We hadn’t discussed how to handle public situations with us all yet, but I couldn’t exactly introduce Emery as the woman I was sharing with my two best friends.

“This is Emery, my girlfriend.” The words came out before I could stop them or fully think them through.

Max and Ronan tensed beside me, their stiff postures radiating discomfort at my impulsive introduction. I couldn’t blame them; this wasn’t how we’d planned to handle things. Not that we’d planned anything at all.

Emery’s fingers tightened around mine, a silent message I couldn’t quite decipher, but she managed a warm smile that could’ve melted the fake snow dusting my mother’s designer wreaths. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Ms. Taylor. Your home is beautiful.”

Her genuine enthusiasm made me want to kiss her right there. Social consequences be damned. She actually meant it too. I could tell my mother’s over-the-top display had completely enchanted her and watching her take it all in made me see the gaudy decorations in a new light.

“Please, call me Diana.” My mother’s face lit up like we’d announced grandchildren were on the way. “And it’s about time! Come in, come in! I thought Levi would never bring someone home.”

As we followed her inside, I could feel the heat of Ronan’s glare burning into the back of my head. Max had gone completely rigid, his mask firmly in place.

“Your girlfriend?” Ronan hissed as my mother led Emery away to meet what would undoubtedly be every single guest at the party.

“What was I supposed to say?” I whispered back. “‘This is Emery, and we’re in a complicated polyamorous relationship that we haven’t even properly defined yet’?”

“We should have discussed this beforehand.” Max’s voice was tight with controlled anger.

“You think?” Ronan looked ready to strangle me with my own tie.

Before either of them could follow through on the murder their eyes were promising, my mother called out, “Levi, darling, come join us!”

I caught a glimpse of Emery’s slightly panicked expression across the room and managed a weak smile. “We’ll figure this out later.”

“Oh, we absolutely will,” Max promised, his tone making me grateful we were in public.

I straightened my tie one last time and headed toward what was either going to be the best or worst Christmas party of my life. Knowing my luck, probably both.

My mother had just pulled Emery to meet another couple. I stopped beside Emery, putting my arm around her waist and pulling her close. “What’s going on over here?”

“Richard, Margaret, you remember my son Levi.” My mother beamed like she’d announced I’d cured cancer instead of finally bringing a date to her party. “And this is his girlfriend, Emery.”

The word ‘girlfriend’ hung in the air like a ticking bomb. I tugged at my tie again, wondering if it was possible to strangle yourself with it before your best friends got the chance.

“Oh, how wonderful!” Margaret clasped her hands together. “How did you two meet?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but Emery beat me to it. “During my Christmas shopping. I was looking for the perfect gift wrap, and, well...” She smiled up at me with such genuine warmth that for a moment I forgot we were in deep shit. “Sometimes the best gifts come already wrapped.”

My mother actually swooned. Actually. Swooned. “Isn’t that magical? And during the holidays too!”

Max and Ronan approached, their presence adding another layer of tension to my already frayed nerves. They took up positions on either side of us like very well-dressed security guards.

“Max and Ronan!” My mother’s face lit up. “You know, I am so relieved that Levi is finally bringing someone home.”

I could only imagine where she was about to go with the conversation.

“After all,” she continued, oblivious to my internal panic. “People were starting to talk. Three handsome, successful men, all living together, never bringing dates to any events...”

Oh, God. Nope. Didn’t see her going that direction at all.

My mother did not just imply what I think she implied, did she? Except she absolutely did, and now Mrs. Henderson was nodding along like this explained everything about my perpetual single status for the past few years. Which, technically, it kind of did, just not in the way they were thinking. Or maybe exactly in the way they were thinking, except with the addition of Emery.

Mrs. Henderson nodded sagely. “Oh, Diana, my bridge club had theories too!”

I was going to die. Right here, at my mother’s Christmas party, surrounded by twinkle lights and gossiping socialites. Cause of death: acute embarrassment complicated by homicide via best friends.

The worst part? The bridge club’s theories weren’t entirely wrong, but they were missing a few... key details.

Max had gone completely still beside me, rigid as one of the ice sculptures dotting the party, while Ronan’s carefully neutral expression promised a very long and possibly painful conversation in my future. The kind that probably would involve extensive PowerPoint presentations about risk management. I had a sinking feeling I’d failed every metric on his checklist.

Emery’s hand wrapped around my waist, and she squeezed. She looked like she was biting back what I strongly suspected was a laugh. “Love comes in so many forms. I think it’s great that three best friends love each other enough to build a life together.”

She was not helping in the least. The way she emphasized ‘love’ made me want to crawl under the nearest holiday centerpiece and stay there until New Year’s. My mother’s friends were already exchanging knowing looks, and I could practically see them mentally drafting next week’s gossip bulletin.

My mother patted my cheek. “I’m just happy to see my boy settled down with such a lovely young woman.”

“Mother, me and Emery just started seeing each other,” I said through gritted teeth. I needed a drink. Several drinks. Possibly all the drinks.

Thankfully, dinner was close to being served, so we went outside to where a large tent was set up for dinner. It reminded me of a wedding reception.

“Dear, why don’t you and Emery sit here next to me, and Max and Ronan can sit across.” My mother had appeared out of nowhere, looping her arm through mine and guiding me to a table.

“The centerpieces are gorgeous.” Emery admired the elaborate arrangement of white roses and crystal snowflakes as she took her seat next to me. “Did you do these yourself, Diana?”

“Oh, heavens no, darling. I have people for that.” My mother waved her hand dismissively. “Though I selected the design myself.”

My mother and Emery started chatting about flower arrangements, and I attempted to relax. Max and Ronan were discussing something that I couldn’t hear, and I just knew it was about me. If the roles were reversed and one of them announced they were with Emery, I’d probably be pissed too.

The first course arrived, and I tried to focus on not spilling it down my expensive shirt instead of the way Ronan was watching Emery’s lips wrap around her spoon.

“So, Emery,” Mrs. Henderson called from three seats down, “what do you do for a living?”

“She works with us, actually,” I answered quickly, then immediately regretted it when my mother’s eyebrows shot up.

“Oh?” She set down her soup spoon. “I thought you had rules about dating employees, Levi.”

Across the table, Max took a very long drink of wine. Ronan suddenly became fascinated with his napkin.

“It’s... complicated.” And boy, wasn’t that the truth.

“I’m in the gift-wrapping department.” Emery jumped in smoothly, as if she’d been preparing for this question. “It’s a seasonal position. Though I’ve been told my bows look like a drunk octopus tied them.”

“A very talented drunk octopus,” Max, Ronan, and I corrected in unison, then shared a panicked look when several heads turned our way. We’d all taken to telling her that because of the cute way it made her scrunch up her nose.

My mother’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You seem to all know each other well.”

“We’re a close-knit company,” Ronan offered diplomatically.

The main course arrived, and the elaborate presentation distracted everyone.

Emery took a bite and made a humming noise of approval. Although, I wasn’t sure if the noise was from the food or the fact that she had her other hand on my thigh. The little minx was trying to kill me.

Emery glanced at me with a small smirk, then looked over at my mother. “This is delicious.”

“Isn’t it?” My mother beamed. “The chef trained in Paris. Levi, darling, you’re looking flushed. Are you feeling all right?”

“Fine,” I squeaked, as Emery’s hand found its way to my inner thigh and slightly dug her nails in. “Just... warm.”

I was going to die at this dinner table, and it would be entirely worth it.

“More wine?” the server asked, appearing at my elbow.

“God, yes,” I said, a little too enthusiastically.

My mother laughed. “The holidays are rather stressful, aren’t they?”

You have no idea, Mother. No idea at all.