Read Online Sleeping through the Beauty by Regina Puckett - Free Book Online

 
     
     
     
     
     
    When we fell in love, it was once upon a dream
     
    “Are you planning on eating takeout again tonight?”
    A leading question from his brother was never a good sign so, to stall for time, Phillip tossed his tie onto the back of the sofa and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt before asking, “Why?”
    “Donna called and told me to invite you over tonight for a Christmas Eve meal at her mom’s house.” Roger paused before clearing his throat. “Her father was killed in a car wreck a year ago today, so even though they are going through the motions of cooking up a nice holiday meal, I don’t think they are in the spirit. Just reading into what Donna is saying and deliberately is not saying, I get the feeling she doesn’t want to be alone with her mom tonight. It’s certain to bring up unwanted memories for both of them.”
    There was nothing like a little guilt thrown in for good measure to make it impossible to turn down a dinner invitation. Phillip rolled his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck. Was it too late to wish for a fairy godmother to magically appear and rescue him from what was certain to be a depressing Christmas Eve meal? Damn. He hated family obligations.
    Roger laughed at the long pause in the conversation. “I know what you’re doing, so stop it.”
    Phillip grunted and switched the cell phone to the other ear. “What do you think I’m doing?”
    Roger’s snort turned into deep chuckle. “You’re over there at this very minute, racking your brain and trying to think of a good reason you can’t come.” He filled in the next extended pause with a lengthy sigh. “Just come with me like the wonderful brother you are. I know holiday traditions have never been big in our family, but maybe it’s time to try to do something better than our parents did. How many dreary Christmas Days have we had to spend with nannies or left at the boarding school? We’re adults now, so maybe it’s time to begin a few of our own traditions. We should celebrate every holiday together as a family from now on. I don’t want to turn out like Mom or Dad. Do you even know the name of Dad’s current bimbo?”
    The mention of their parents always depressed the hell out of Phillip. It was easy to see his little brother wasn’t above pulling out the big ammunition. “This girl must be something special if you’re willing to discuss Mom and Dad. I haven’t heard you talk about either one of them in a couple of years.”
    “I’m going to ask Donna to marry me tonight.”
    Phillip plopped into the nearest chair. “You’re going to do what?”
    “I love her and can’t see living my life without her. That’s another reason I want you there tonight. You’re the only family I have. Dad’s somewhere in France and doesn’t even remember he has two sons. I’m almost certain Mom is, at this very moment, at the house in the Hamptons in an alcohol-induced stupor. You know she never would have had either one of us if she hadn’t been desperate to hang on to Dad. Why, I’ll never know, because he certainly isn’t any prize to be had. Really, all we have is each other. That’s all we have ever had so, if we don’t change that, it’s all we’ll ever have. I want more out of life than lonely holidays and an empty house.”
    That statement of love and loneliness was all it took to convince Phillip to go anywhere his brother wanted him to go. Roger was right about them not having parents they could depend on. While Phillip never spent a lot of time dwelling on his parents or their disinterest in their children sometimes during the times normal families got together for the sheer pleasure of being together, it crossed his mind that there was nothing typical about his family.
    He and Roger had never had a Christmas with his parents. What would it be like to celebrate the holidays like a normal family?
    “Okay.”
    The next few moments were filled with a pregnant silence. “Okay? Okay, as in