A Holly Jolly Christmas: A Second Chance Lesbian Romance by Emily Wright

Author:Emily Wright [Wright, Emily]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Purple Clouds Press
Published: 2023-10-31T16:00:00+00:00

Eighteen

Standing on the Castletons’ front step with a gigantic box of gingerbread in my hands, I was the most nervous I’d been in years. Mum had made Dad dress in his navy blue Christmas shirt, which sported cartoon Christmas trees and Santa hats.

He linked his arm in mine, his aftershave burning my nostrils. He always put on three sprays too many.

Mum turned to flash me an encouraging smile. She’d straightened her dark hair for the occasion and was wearing a tasteful red dress that perfectly matched her lipstick and hugged her figure. She’d been extra nice to me ever since the mix-up with Vicky and our heart-to-heart earlier. I felt some reassurance from her.

If I can go into Cameron’s room and look through his photos, I can do a Christmas Eve dinner with the Castletons.

And Tanya Jones.

The door flung open. Vicky’s mum Denise greeted us with a huge smile, waving us in off the doorstep. Their hallway already smelled like garlic and rosemary, and my belly gurgled at the thought. Denise was a good cook—unlike Mum, who always ended up in a bit of a tangle with most of the ingredients on herself or the floor. But at least Butterbee had a good time.

“Would you like any drinks? Fizz? Wine? Beer?” Denise fussed, guiding us into the living room where their dining table had been extended to accommodate the extra guests. A big Christmas tree stood in the corner, covered in golden beads and tinsel. Vicky’s dad, Jim, greeted us with a big hug before flying into the kitchen at Denise’s request to get the drinks.

Music played quietly from a Christmas best hits channel on the TV, and standing beside it was Vicky and the very long legs of Tanya Jones.

A hot rod stabbed my chest, contorting and twisting it. I couldn’t look away from the slender arm wrapped around Vicky’s shoulder—or the shoulder-length auburn hair and the striped Armani dress hugging her perfect figure. I forced a smile, hoping it came across as friendly and not constipated, and Vicky began the mountain of introductions.

Tanya gave everyone a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and I tried not to recoil at the touch. Where is Jim with that damn drink?

I avoided looking directly at Vicky, and instead found renewed interest in the knitted ornaments hanging on the tree—Denise’s doing, I imagined. Jim brought in our glasses of prosecco, and the festivities could begin. I sipped at my fizz, putting so much energy into forced smiling I didn’t realise I was being directly addressed.

Mum nudged me and nodded at Denise, who was watching me expectantly.

“I’m sorry. Did you say something?”

“I said it’s so lovely to see you again, Holly. We’ve missed having you around.” She smiled at me so genuinely that I had no choice but to believe her. She had the same blue eyes as Vicky—eyes that seemed to look and really see, in a way that made it difficult to look at her right now for fear of being exposed.

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