Jingle This! by Stephanie Rowe Read Free Book Online Page B

the crew erupted into animated exclamations. Her cousin Maxine grabbed Angie's arm and hauled her off to the den, muttering something about a Christmas tree.
    "No fucking way!" Heidi's shocked exclamation had Angie whirling around to see what was going on.
    She made the about-face just in time to see Roger remove his hand from her sister's waist…or rather, in time to see her dad yank him away from Sheila, who was standing there with a tray of eggnog, donning a politically correct look of surprise to see Angie there.
    Heidi grabbed her Rudolph nose and hurled it at Roger. "You are a pig ."
    Angie just stared. At Roger, who was looking sheepish in a brand new tie. At her sister, whose cleavage was barely contained in her skin-tight dress that was hardly appropriate for a family holiday party. The smug look on her sister's face left no doubt as to the nature of her relationship with Roger. None at all.
    Roger had left her for Sheila. Suddenly, everyone's reaction to her entrance made sense. They'd all known that Roger had dumped her for Sheila, and they'd thought they could celebrate the new relationship without Angie finding out.
    Dear God. They'd all known.
    Angie was going to be sick.
    The room was totally silent, with the only movement being Heidi as she retrieved her nose off the floor. "Since it hit Roger, I have to go disinfect it before I can put it back on my face," she announced.
    Someone cleared their throat. "Um, Angie? Can I talk to you?"
    Angie turned to find Kyle standing in the doorway behind her. "Did you know too?" she asked him. "And what are you doing here? Did you come by to observe my fall of shame?"
    He blinked. "Did I know what? What are you talking about?"
    His look of surprise made her immediately regret her words. It wasn't his fault. It was Roger and Sheila's. Not Kyle's. She bit her lip. "Sorry," she said quietly, just for him.
    He eyed her carefully before he glanced around the silent room. "I need your help with the article," he said. "I'm very sorry to drag you away from your family party, but I can't do it without you."
    Come to think of it, he did look a little disheveled, and his hair was askew, as if he'd been raking his hands through it in aggravation.
    His gaze landed on Roger and Sheila, and Angie saw him stiffen. He glanced quickly at Angie, then back at Roger, and his eyes narrowed. "This is your new woman? Sheila?" His voice was cold, his eyes flashing.
    In fact, he looked pissed. On her behalf? Something fluttered in Angie's belly, something soft that she'd never associated with Kyle before. He was angry in her defense? Really? Suddenly, the world didn't seem so overwhelming.
    Sheila flipped Kyle a smile. "Now, Kyle, don't be getting all possessive. We broke up eons ago. I'm not yours."
    Oh, crap. That was why Kyle looked upset? Because he still loved Sheila? Great. The only two men she'd ever loved were infatuated with her sister. Suddenly, she felt like a complete fool for thinking that Kyle had been protecting her.
    "Kiss him," Heidi whispered in her ear.
    Angie glanced over her shoulder. "What?"
    Heidi gestured impatiently, pointing to the mistletoe hanging above the door. "Kiss Kyle," she repeated, her voice so quiet that even Kyle wouldn't be able to hear her. "Show everyone you don't care because you're already shacking up with your sister's ex."
    "I can't kiss Kyle." Just the thought of it was starting to make Angie's heart race and her brow sweat, because she'd dreamed of kissing him far too many times way back when. She knew exactly how to fantasize it, and it was more than she could handle right now.
    "He won't stop you. Look how pissed he is. Do it." Heidi elbowed her in the back. "Just do it."
    Her mom trilled a fake, nervous laugh. "Well, I guess it's good that it's out in the open." She turned to Angie. "We thought you would be too upset, so we decided not to tell you right away."
    "Not to tell me?" Angie frowned. "How long have you known?"
    "A while." Her mom grimaced,