A Christmas Affair by Adrianne Byrd Read Free Book Online

proceeded to make a bow and pin it to his shirt. “And to get things started, I’m pinning my phone number here first. Now you just make sure that you don’t leave me waiting like you did back in high school when you were chasing after Corona Mae.”
    He smiled at his old high school buddy and senior prom date, who had recently returned to town from Atlanta to help her father run the bar. She had also been a good friend and bridesmaid to Corona Mae. When her friend blew town without a word, she had been hurt as well.
    “Hell, if he doesn’t call, I most certainly will,” Jacob said, assessing her short hemline.
    Leanne leveled the charismatic playboy with a withering smile. “No offense, Jacob, but I’d rather put my heart through a meat grinder. It’s faster and to the point.”
    The Alton boys winced at the jab.
    “Damn. I guess she told you.” Royce laughed, covering his mouth with his fist and shaking his head.
    Leanne’s no-nonsense gaze shifted to the other brothers, and they all held their breath to see who she was going to take aim at next. “Don’t think that just because most of you boys have moved to the big city that everyone has forgotten about your reputations,” she warned, waving a finger. “Every woman knows about your ridiculous three-month rule.”
    The brothers had the good sense to drop their heads and pretend to look busy.
    “Uh-huh.” Leanne’s gaze turned back to the birthdayboy. “Lyfe is the only Alton that’s worth a girl getting her hopes up.” She winked. “Now you make sure that you call me.”
    Feeling the spotlight, Lyfe smiled through his wave of embarrassment. At the same time, he felt five distinct holes being burned into his forehead by his glaring brothers.
    “I’ll be back to bring you another beer when that one gets too low,” she informed him with another wink before she sashayed off to take care of her other customers.
    “Hey! What about us?” Ace called out, holding up his empty bottle. “We’d like beer, too.”
    Leanne gave no indication as to whether she’d heard him or not. She just shook her hips as she made her way through the growing crowd.
    “It might just be me, but I don’t think that she likes us too much,” Hennessey concluded.
    “Maybe not us, but she clearly loooooves Mr. Romantic here.” Ace jutted his thumb at his youngest brother. “It’s a good thing that he doesn’t visit too often.”
    Lyfe laughed and thumped on his chest. “What can I say? The woman knows a good thing when she sees it.”
    His five brothers turned around and pretended to barf all over the floor.
    Lyfe opened his mouth to respond, but then a petite beauty in painted-on blue jeans walked up to him smiling. The Alton boys jumped to attention. Dorian attempted to shove Hennessey out of the way, but that was like trying to shove a California Red Oak.
    “Well, hello there,” Dorian said, leaning against the table and cheesing like the orange cat on a bag of Cheetos. “I know that you’re not from around here.”
    The young woman blushed and revealed a cute set of dimples. “Actually, no. I just moved here,” she answered, and then turned her smile toward Lyfe. “The name is Colleen.” She reached up and pinned her phone number to his shirt. “Call me.” With that, she turned and strolled away.
    A full five seconds after she was gone, Jacob held up a finger and squeaked, “I have a phone.”
    Lyfe sucked in a deep breath to swell up his chest. “Like I said, boys. Women know a good thing when they see it.”
    For that smartass remark, each brother reached over and whacked him on the back of the skull.
    “Hey, yo! Watch the head.” Lyfe tried to lean out of reach, but the damage had already been done.
    Hennessey frowned. “Why? Ain’t nothing in that big noggin.’”
    Lyfe patted his freshly low-cut hair and then popped the collar of his tee shirt. “Haters going to hate.”
    “Yeah, whatever, man,” Ace said. “Whose turn is it?”
    Jacob cut