Chapter 84

“A bracelet.” She extracts and dangles a silver chain-link bracelet in front of me. A small bow-shaped charm and a heart hang from the expensive metal. The shiny object makes the bracelet on her wrist, my gift to her, look like complete shit.

“Of course it is,” I say under my breath.

Tessa frowns at me, then turns back to them. “It’s beautiful; thank you both so much.” She beams.

“She already . . .” I begin to complain. I hate that they got her a better gift than mine. I get it—he has money. Couldn’t they have gotten her something else, anything else?

But Tessa turns back to me, silently begging me not to make shit any more awkward. I sigh in defeat and lean back against the chair.

“What’s in yours?” Tessa smiles, trying to lighten my mood. She rests against me, kissing my forehead. She looks down at the box on the arm of the chair, hinting for me to open it. When I do, I hold the expensive contents up for her to see.

“A watch.” I show her, trying to humor her the best I can.

Honestly, I’m still fucking irritated about the bracelet. I wanted her to wear my bracelet every day—I wanted it to be her favorite gift.

Chapter fifty-two

HARDIN

Karen beams over the box of pans from Tessa. “I’ve been wanting this set all season!”

Tessa thought I didn’t notice that she added my name to the small snowman-shaped tags, but I did. I just didn’t feel like crossing it out.

“I feel like a jerk because I only got you a gift card when you got me these awesome tickets,” Landon says to Tessa.

I have to admit that I’m happy for his impersonal present of a gift card for the e-reader that I got her for her birthday. If he had gotten something more thoughtful, it would have annoyed me, but with Tessa’s caring smile, you’d think he bought her a fucking first-edition Austen novel. I still can’t believe they got her an expensive bracelet; what show-offs. What if she wants to wear this new one instead of mine?

“Thank you for the gifts, they’re great,” my dad says and looks at me, holding up the key chain Tessa mistakenly chose for him.

I feel a little guilty for his busted face, but at the same time I find the weird coloring slightly amusing. I want to apologize for my outburst—well, I wouldn’t say I want to, but I need to. I don’t want to go backward with him. It was sort of okay to spend time with him, I guess. Karen and Tessa get on pretty well, and I feel obligated to give her the chance to have a motherly figure around, since it’s my fault her and her mother are on such bad terms. It’s good for me, in a fucked-up way, that they are, because it’s one less person in the way of us being together.

“Hardin?” Tessa’s voice says into my ear.

I look up at her and realize that one of them must have been talking to me.

“Would you want to go with Landon to the game?” she asks.

“What? No,” I say quickly.

“Thanks, man.” Landon rolls his eyes.

“I mean, I don’t think Landon would want that,” I correct myself.

Being decent is much harder than I thought it would be. I’m only doing this for her . . . Well, if I’m honest, it’s a little for myself, as my mum’s words that my anger will only give me busted hands and a lonely life keep repeating in my head.

“Tessa and I can go if you won’t,” Landon says to me.

Why is he trying to annoy me when I’m trying to be nice for once?

She smiles. “Yeah, I’ll go with. I don’t know anything about hockey, but I’ll tag along.”

Without thinking, I wrap my other arm around her waist and pull her against my chest. “I’ll go.” I give in.

Amusement is clear on Landon’s face, and I can tell even with Tessa’s back to me that she wears the same expression.

“I really like what you guys have done to the place, Hardin,” my father says.

“It came decorated mostly, but thanks,” I reply. I have come to the conclusion that it’s less awkward when I’m punching him than when we’re trying to avoid an argument.

Karen smiles at me. “It was really nice of you to invite us over.”

My life would be easier if she was a hideous bitch, but of course she’s one of the nicest people I have ever met. “It’s nothing, really . . . after what happened yesterday, it’s the least I can do.” I know my voice sounds shakier and more strained than I want it to.

“It’s okay . . . things happen,” Karen assures me.

“Not really; I don’t think that violence is a regular holiday tradition,” I say.

“Maybe it will be from now on—Tessa can punch me out next year,” Landon jokes in a lame attempt to lighten the mood.

“Maybe I will.” Tessa sticks her tongue out at him, and I smile slightly.

“It won’t happen again,” I say and look at my dad.

My dad looks at me thoughtfully. “It was partly my fault, son. I should have known it wasn’t going to go well, but I hope now that you let some of the anger out, we can get back to trying to develop a relationship,” he says to me.

Tessa puts her small hands over mine to comfort me, and I nod. “Uh, yeah . . . cool,” I say timidly. “Yeah . . .” I chew on the inside of my cheek.

Landon slaps his hands on his knees and stands. “Well, we should get going, but let me know if you really want to go to the game. Thank you both for having us over today.”

Tessa hugs the three of them as I lean against the wall. I was nice enough today, but there’s no way that I’m hugging anyone. Except Tessa, of course, but after my politeness today she should be giving me more than a hug. I stare at the way her loose dress hides her beautiful curves and literally have to talk myself down before I drag her to the bedroom. I remember the first time I saw her in that hideous dress. Well, back then it was hideous to me; now I sort of adore it. She came out of the dorm looking like she was getting ready to sell Bibles door-to-door. She rolled her eyes at me when I teased her as she climbed into my car, but I had no idea that she would make me fall in love with her.