mentioned a movie precisely because she remembered Rachel loving that tradition. “Are you missing your parents?”
Ben shrugged. “I haven’t spent Christmas with them since college. They’ve gone on cruises the last few years. In Arizona . . .” He cleared his throat and gazed out the window. Andi whipped into a parking spot as a cloud descended on them. “Well, we usually spent Christmas with Whitney’s parents.”
She wondered if Ben was thinking about the text Whitney had sent. She wondered if he was considering getting back together with his ex-fiancée. Rachel certainly seemed to think Ben and Whitney belonged together. Andi opened her mouth to respond, but Ben already had his door open and was out of the car. Obviously he didn’t want to talk about it.
They walked side by side into the theater, talking about their favorite Christmas memories and laughing. Ben held the door open for Andi, making her heart quicken. It had been a long time since she’d been treated like a lady.
The smell of popcorn instantly assaulted Andi when they entered the lobby. She took a deep breath and groaned.
“Smells good, huh?” Ben said. His mouth quirked up in the corner, and Andi wondered what it would feel like to kiss him.
Stop it. Just because Ben actually listened to her didn’t mean she needed to fall into his arms. She quickly looked at the menu above the concession stands. “I’m stuffed from breakfast.”
“Me too. But you can’t see a movie without popcorn. That’s un-American.” He put a hand on the small of her back, spreading fire through her body, and guided her toward the concession line. “C’mon. My treat, since you made breakfast.”
Andi batted her eyes sweetly. “Well in that case, I think I need an Icee too.”
“Only if you’ll share.”
Andi’s mouth grew dry at the thought of sharing a drink with Ben. Of placing her lips on the straw that touched his. Would there be one straw, or two? This was starting to feel a lot more like a date than a friendly hangout between childhood pals.
She hoped there would only be one straw.
Soon Andi held a giant Icee in her hand—only one straw—while Ben held the popcorn in his. Andi took a big sip and gave an exaggerated sigh. “So good. Want some?”
“Andi?”
Andi froze, her eyes wide. It had been six months since she heard that voice, but it still sounded exactly as she remembered it. She looked up at Ben, who peered over her shoulder at the speaker. Mark? Andi mouthed. Ben gave an imperceptible nod.
Why hadn’t she considered he’d come home for Christmas? His parents, his sister, his nephews . . . they were all in Los Angeles. But seriously, he had to be at this theater, at this exact moment? What had she done so wrong that the universe repaid her like this?
She plastered on her best I’m over you smile and turned around. His hair was shorter than it had been the last time she saw him, the dirty blonde locks almost buzzed. He’d gained a few pounds around the middle, but not enough that most people would notice. He still looked as handsome as ever, and rage flared through her.
Seven years. She’d wasted seven years on him.
“I didn’t expect to run into you here,” Andi said, the words coming out harsher than she’d intended.
Mark shifted his weight from foot to foot, a sure sign he was uncomfortable. “Yeah, we’re back for Christmas.” He reached out and pulled a woman forward. Andi hadn’t noticed her before. The woman was completely average in every way—average brown hair of an average length, average weight, average height. “This is Mandy. My fiancée.”
The woman he’d left her for. She stood there, clutching her purse strap and looking like she’d rather be anywhere else in the world at that moment.
This unremarkable person was still somehow more important to Mark than the seven years of history he’d shared with Andi.
Andi couldn’t help herself. She glanced at Mandy’s left hand. A diamond sparkled
Ben shrugged. “I haven’t spent Christmas with them since college. They’ve gone on cruises the last few years. In Arizona . . .” He cleared his throat and gazed out the window. Andi whipped into a parking spot as a cloud descended on them. “Well, we usually spent Christmas with Whitney’s parents.”
She wondered if Ben was thinking about the text Whitney had sent. She wondered if he was considering getting back together with his ex-fiancée. Rachel certainly seemed to think Ben and Whitney belonged together. Andi opened her mouth to respond, but Ben already had his door open and was out of the car. Obviously he didn’t want to talk about it.
They walked side by side into the theater, talking about their favorite Christmas memories and laughing. Ben held the door open for Andi, making her heart quicken. It had been a long time since she’d been treated like a lady.
The smell of popcorn instantly assaulted Andi when they entered the lobby. She took a deep breath and groaned.
“Smells good, huh?” Ben said. His mouth quirked up in the corner, and Andi wondered what it would feel like to kiss him.
Stop it. Just because Ben actually listened to her didn’t mean she needed to fall into his arms. She quickly looked at the menu above the concession stands. “I’m stuffed from breakfast.”
“Me too. But you can’t see a movie without popcorn. That’s un-American.” He put a hand on the small of her back, spreading fire through her body, and guided her toward the concession line. “C’mon. My treat, since you made breakfast.”
Andi batted her eyes sweetly. “Well in that case, I think I need an Icee too.”
“Only if you’ll share.”
Andi’s mouth grew dry at the thought of sharing a drink with Ben. Of placing her lips on the straw that touched his. Would there be one straw, or two? This was starting to feel a lot more like a date than a friendly hangout between childhood pals.
She hoped there would only be one straw.
Soon Andi held a giant Icee in her hand—only one straw—while Ben held the popcorn in his. Andi took a big sip and gave an exaggerated sigh. “So good. Want some?”
“Andi?”
Andi froze, her eyes wide. It had been six months since she heard that voice, but it still sounded exactly as she remembered it. She looked up at Ben, who peered over her shoulder at the speaker. Mark? Andi mouthed. Ben gave an imperceptible nod.
Why hadn’t she considered he’d come home for Christmas? His parents, his sister, his nephews . . . they were all in Los Angeles. But seriously, he had to be at this theater, at this exact moment? What had she done so wrong that the universe repaid her like this?
She plastered on her best I’m over you smile and turned around. His hair was shorter than it had been the last time she saw him, the dirty blonde locks almost buzzed. He’d gained a few pounds around the middle, but not enough that most people would notice. He still looked as handsome as ever, and rage flared through her.
Seven years. She’d wasted seven years on him.
“I didn’t expect to run into you here,” Andi said, the words coming out harsher than she’d intended.
Mark shifted his weight from foot to foot, a sure sign he was uncomfortable. “Yeah, we’re back for Christmas.” He reached out and pulled a woman forward. Andi hadn’t noticed her before. The woman was completely average in every way—average brown hair of an average length, average weight, average height. “This is Mandy. My fiancée.”
The woman he’d left her for. She stood there, clutching her purse strap and looking like she’d rather be anywhere else in the world at that moment.
This unremarkable person was still somehow more important to Mark than the seven years of history he’d shared with Andi.
Andi couldn’t help herself. She glanced at Mandy’s left hand. A diamond sparkled
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