Spending Christmas with Mr arrogant

N

attendant said briskly. "We're expecting some light

magined crumpling it up, throwing it in the nearest trash can, and retreating to the safety of my

dragged me onto this trip, convinced it w

n the person you trusted m

tened, and I forced myself to move, to keep walking. I shoved my passport into my bag an

ts, hurried footsteps, muffled conversations. It felt like

ntic getaway I'd been planning for months. Instead, I'd walked into his apartme

king st

lling the memory to dissolve, w

ase report to gat

e present. I blinked and took a stead

ows for my seat-16C. A man with neatly styled brown hair and an unreadable expression sa

into the window seat and doing

, not even a glan

ea

d. But now, that fear seemed insignificant compared to the wreckage of my life. Jake's betrayal was

isted. I gripped the armrests harder, my knu

ptain's voice crackled over the interc

in my throat. My palms slicked with sweat as I squeezed

dn't

crashes? My heart raced as the plane jolted ag

teady hand. His deep blue eyes flicked to mine for

tammered, heat r

to whatever occupied him, his composed demeano

e turbulence worsened, the plane shuddering as if it might come apa

I could stop them. "I can't stop thinking about everythi

an raised an eyebrow, his expressi

don't even know why I'm on this flight. This wasn't supposed to happen.

ned. "Last week, I walked in on him with someone else. His stepsister." The words tasted bitter, even

f it's not? What if I can't hea

ack furiously. The man beside me stayed s

I whispered, mostly to myself. "I keep thinking, this is how I die. Crying over Jake

rcom, startling me. "Ladies and gentlemen, we've begun our desce

he window. Sure enough, the ground was coming int

Without turning my way, he muttered

my God. I'd spent the entire flight s

ag with shaking hands. "Uh... thanks for, um, listening. Or not. Whatever," I

hind me, I thought I heard a soft chuckle, but I didn't turn around. I was

ir voices a blur of noise. I barely registered the signage ove

e arrivals area stood out

moved through the terminal, I couldn't shake the feeling that everything arou

oversized wreaths, and the faint scent of pine mingling with carolers' songs. It was fest

f snowy sidewalks as I climbed into a taxi. The driver nodded a greeting

te confession to a stranger I'd never see again-everything felt like a blur, as though I were suspended between two lives

othing like what I'd imagined. The name Sips and Pines was emblazoned

blending seamlessly with the surrounding nature. Snow clung to the roofli

loaded my luggage, an

flames crackled from the hearth. The warmth of the interior was a w

behind the counter greeted me with a polite smile. "W

vation for a suite," I said, the exh

been a mix-up with your reservation, Miss Parker. It seems we're fully booked, and there are no available suites left. However," she add

gs couldn't get

out sharing a space with a stranger, but I

card and directed

didn't know what to expect-who this other guest might be.

airs, his deep blue eyes meeting mine on