Read Online A Christmas Affair by Adrianne Byrd - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Adrianne Byrd
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always did know how to say the nicest things—though I wouldn’t date a single one of you.”
The brothers snickered.
“So Thanksgiving is over with … You thinking about hanging around?” Tess asked.
“Can’t say that I am—though I do miss it around here,” Lyfe said. It was the truth. He loved the simple life and the friendly people. People in the city moved too fast for him, and they never seemed to really take the time to notice things around them. Was it so wrong to like coming home to a house that wasn’t inches from the neighbors? Hell, who could tell all those suburban McMansions from one another anyway?
The urban world was just a place where everyone killed themselves trying to keep up with Joneses. They all had to have the same houses, the same cars, and damn near the same trophy wives and two point five children. It was insane—and yet, there he was, participating in the rat race, trying to prove to the memory ofa seventeen-year-old Corona that he had what it took to be successful in the big cities, too.
He would never admit that truth to anyone, not even himself.
But since he’d been back, he’d been having some odd dreams; one with him living in a nice house with a huge yard and a wraparound porch. He could picture himself, sitting on a porch swing in the evenings with Sadie at his side, listening to crickets and watching the sun go down. A couple of times, he dreamed that Corona Mae would one day join him out on that porch. Maybe in the yard there would be a dozen mini-me’s running around, filling the evening sky with the sounds of their exuberant laughter.
Silly him.
Tess cocked her head and then waved her hand in front of his face. “Hello. Earth to Lyfe. Is anyone home?”
“Huh? What?”
Tess’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “And who are you thinking about?”
With perfect timing, Leanne popped up and set another bottle down. “You’re hitting these pretty hard tonight.”
“I can’t imagine why,” he mumbled under his breath.
Tess smiled. “Maybe because you have someone on your mind? I don’t know. Maybe someone who’s getting married soon?”
Lyfe rolled his eyes and reached for his new drink. Had everyone taken up pouring salt in people’s wounds as a hobby?
“Maybe someone you should call?” She tugged his ribbon. “Hint—that’s not
my
number.”
Lyfe took another look at the number and for the first time noticed the 917 area code. “New York?”
“Yea.” Tess clapped her hands. “Everyone give him a round of applause.”
His brothers, always up for embarrassing and humiliating him, gave her the resounding applause she was looking for.
“Why are you giving me a New York number?” Then it hit him. “Oh.”
Tess twisted up her face. “You know, I think I gave you more points for intelligence than you’re due.”
“A lot of people make that mistake.” Royce chuckled.
Lyfe tried to remove the number pinned to his chest. “In that case, I still don’t think that I need—”
“Of course you do. Corona Mae is getting married … or have you forgotten?”
“Well, good for her,” he said, turning up his bottle again.
Tess laughed in his face. “You two really are pathetic.”
Suspicious, Lyfe lowered his beer and eyed her wearily. “Two?”
“You’re not just going to let her marry that guy, are you?”
“Let her?” He laughed. “I don’t believe I have any say in the matter.”
This time Tess cocked her head and jammed her hands onto her hips. “Wow. Waaaay more points than you deserve.”
Lyfe set his bottle down. Clearly he’d already had too many if he was having a hard time following this conversation. “What are you getting at, Tess?”
“Look, Lyfe, let me give it to you straight. Everyonein this town knows that you still have the hots for my sister.” She glanced around and asked, “Am I right?”
The crowd, all the way up to the bar, yelled back, “Yeah!”
Tess turned back around. “See? Don’t get me
The brothers snickered.
“So Thanksgiving is over with … You thinking about hanging around?” Tess asked.
“Can’t say that I am—though I do miss it around here,” Lyfe said. It was the truth. He loved the simple life and the friendly people. People in the city moved too fast for him, and they never seemed to really take the time to notice things around them. Was it so wrong to like coming home to a house that wasn’t inches from the neighbors? Hell, who could tell all those suburban McMansions from one another anyway?
The urban world was just a place where everyone killed themselves trying to keep up with Joneses. They all had to have the same houses, the same cars, and damn near the same trophy wives and two point five children. It was insane—and yet, there he was, participating in the rat race, trying to prove to the memory ofa seventeen-year-old Corona that he had what it took to be successful in the big cities, too.
He would never admit that truth to anyone, not even himself.
But since he’d been back, he’d been having some odd dreams; one with him living in a nice house with a huge yard and a wraparound porch. He could picture himself, sitting on a porch swing in the evenings with Sadie at his side, listening to crickets and watching the sun go down. A couple of times, he dreamed that Corona Mae would one day join him out on that porch. Maybe in the yard there would be a dozen mini-me’s running around, filling the evening sky with the sounds of their exuberant laughter.
Silly him.
Tess cocked her head and then waved her hand in front of his face. “Hello. Earth to Lyfe. Is anyone home?”
“Huh? What?”
Tess’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “And who are you thinking about?”
With perfect timing, Leanne popped up and set another bottle down. “You’re hitting these pretty hard tonight.”
“I can’t imagine why,” he mumbled under his breath.
Tess smiled. “Maybe because you have someone on your mind? I don’t know. Maybe someone who’s getting married soon?”
Lyfe rolled his eyes and reached for his new drink. Had everyone taken up pouring salt in people’s wounds as a hobby?
“Maybe someone you should call?” She tugged his ribbon. “Hint—that’s not
my
number.”
Lyfe took another look at the number and for the first time noticed the 917 area code. “New York?”
“Yea.” Tess clapped her hands. “Everyone give him a round of applause.”
His brothers, always up for embarrassing and humiliating him, gave her the resounding applause she was looking for.
“Why are you giving me a New York number?” Then it hit him. “Oh.”
Tess twisted up her face. “You know, I think I gave you more points for intelligence than you’re due.”
“A lot of people make that mistake.” Royce chuckled.
Lyfe tried to remove the number pinned to his chest. “In that case, I still don’t think that I need—”
“Of course you do. Corona Mae is getting married … or have you forgotten?”
“Well, good for her,” he said, turning up his bottle again.
Tess laughed in his face. “You two really are pathetic.”
Suspicious, Lyfe lowered his beer and eyed her wearily. “Two?”
“You’re not just going to let her marry that guy, are you?”
“Let her?” He laughed. “I don’t believe I have any say in the matter.”
This time Tess cocked her head and jammed her hands onto her hips. “Wow. Waaaay more points than you deserve.”
Lyfe set his bottle down. Clearly he’d already had too many if he was having a hard time following this conversation. “What are you getting at, Tess?”
“Look, Lyfe, let me give it to you straight. Everyonein this town knows that you still have the hots for my sister.” She glanced around and asked, “Am I right?”
The crowd, all the way up to the bar, yelled back, “Yeah!”
Tess turned back around. “See? Don’t get me
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