A Christmas Collection by Winkes Barbara

Author:Winkes, Barbara
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2023-09-14T00:00:00+00:00

The handholding didn’t last long. Lauren and Kelli handed everyone glasses of champagne, the toast to family, babies, happy relationships and money barely done when Alison was back in a corner with her business contact. I watched them talk and laugh from afar for a while, then I found myself a seat in a corner where I was hidden by the huge Christmas tree. I only emerged every once in a while for a refill and checking to see if my girlfriend was still busy.

She was.

Earlier today, I’d sympathized with her. I grudgingly wondered if Kelli and the others had a point, if Irin had one too. With Christmas this close, everyone in the mood for celebration, did she really have to finalize this deal now? Except if a business deal wasn’t all that was going down…Jim passed me by with a new bottle but turned when he saw me. I held out my glass in utter resignation. I’d never have champagne this expensive again in my life. I might as well take advantage.

Taking advantage…was I? Most of all, I was confused, and lonely…and tipsy. I needed to hold it together. I might not be able to make Alison happy the way I wished to, but I didn’t want to embarrass her either. The dinner—catered—came with red wine. Someone had the foresight to seat Marc Frasier at the other end of the table, so the evening was starting to look up. Alison sat next to me, her gaze on me long enough for me to get nervous. What now? She leaned in and with a smile, tucked an errand strand of hair behind my ear, her fingers brushing my cheek before she turned to her plate. I sat frozen, feeling my face heat. To an observer, it would look like a casual gesture between lovers. Nothing out of the ordinary. I wanted it to be real more than anything, but it wasn’t. If I wasn’t careful, I might start to cry.

* * * *

Alison

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