Merry Christmas, Baby by Jill Shalvis Page B

curves are all the rage right now. And sure, you can come off as a little standoffish, but I blame your parents and their inability to love anyone other than themselves for that, not you.”
    Callie choked back her laugh. It was true; she was the product of two college sweethearts who’d been so crazy in love with each other that nothing had ever really penetrated their inner circle—including their own child. They’d raised her kindly and warmly enough, but her quiet upbringing had left her introverted and preferring the company of a computer to that of people. “I’m not trying to catch a man,” she said.
    “Well, that’s a shame. And not to add any pressure, but you do know Eric’s around too, right?”
    Eric. Damn. Just the sound of her ex’s name made her stomach cramp. “Eric who?” she asked casually.
    Lucille cackled. “Atta girl. Perfectly normal tone. But next time, no hesitation. That was a dead giveaway. Just be forewarned that your ex-fiancé—may his soul turn black—has married and has a kid on the way.”
    Callie told herself she didn’t care that the man who’d left her at the altar due to a sudden severe allergy to commitment had apparently managed to overcome said allergy.
    “And I’m not sure how long you’re planning on staying in Lucky Harbor,” her grandma went on, “but I doubt you’ll be fortunate enough to avoid him. He’s the only dentist in town. So the question is, how are your teeth? In good condition? You flossing daily? You might want to make sure you are.”
    Callie thunked her head against the window, and when she looked up again, she was startled to realize that Tanner was back on the dock and looking right at her.
    For a minute, her heart stopped. “I’ve got to go, Grandma.” She needed to be alone to process things. Like the fact that Eric was in town. And also that her very first, very painful, very humiliating crush was as well, and he’d grown into the poster child for Hottest Guy Ever.
    “Wait,” Lucille said. “Bring salads, because you might be right about a diet. The one of us who is going to get lucky needs to stay hot and all that.”
    Oh, boy. “Salads it is.” Still on the phone, Callie forced herself away from the window, heading directly to her refrigerator. More accurately, her freezer, where she had two choices. “Ice cream or vodka?”
    “Tough decision,” her grandma said. “But I’d go with vodka.”
    It was a tough decision, but as it was still early and she wasn’t the one trying to look hot, she passed over the vodka and reached for the ice cream. Breakfast of champions, right? She had a wooden spoon out of the drawer and the lid off the ice cream when she remembered. Ice cream was sugar. Sugar was bad for her teeth. And bad teeth required a dentist. “Crap.”
    “What?” Lucille asked.
    Screw it, she needed this ice cream. “Nothing.”
    “Did you hear what I said about Eric?”
    “Yeah.” Callie took her first bite. “I’ll floss.” She was older and wiser now. No big deal. Plus her hefty armor of indifference and cynicism toward romance and happily-ever-after would help. “I’ll be fine.”
    “Do you want me to set you up with another hottie? ’Cause no offense, honey, but you could do a lot better than Eric anyway. Listen, I’ll start a poll for you on my Tumblr asking who people want to see you with—”
    “No!” Callie nearly went back to the freezer. “No,” she said again, firmly. “No men.”
    “A woman then?” Lucille asked. “Being a bisexual is in style.”
    Forget the vodka. She needed a new life. Maybe on Mars. “Grandma, I love you,” Callie said. “I love you madly, but I don’t want to discuss my love life with you.”
    “You mean your lack of?”
    She sighed. “Or that.”
    “Fair enough,” Lucille said. “But for the record, we can discuss mine anytime you want.”
    “Noted.”
    “I mean, it’s amazing what those little blue pills can do to a man, let me tell you. He can just