I got off the phone with Jeremy and gathered up everything for Christmas Eve over at his place. I'd bought him and Austin several things that I had originally planned to take over the next morning.

A knock at my door had me cursing. I'd forgotten that I'd invited Ellen over for a Christmas Eve night of fun.

She smiled as I opened the door and held up a bottle of wine. "Merry Christmas to you!"

I laughed and pulled her into a hug. "I gotta go over to Jeremy's. He's at a fire right now, and his little guy doesn't have anyone to spend Christmas Eve with."

"Awesome." She put the wine down and held up candy canes. "Can I come?"

"Oh yeah. Of course." I moved back and walked to the kitchen. "Let's get everything packed up and then we'll go by the grocery store and get stuff for sugar cookies."

"Oh! I love sugar cookies. The ones you cut out and decorate?" Her eyes grew wide as I shoved all the presents for the boys into a laundry basket.

"Yep. We're going to make a dozen or so tonight." I stood.

"What can I get?" She walked to the kitchen and picked up the bag I had puzzles and stocking making stuff in. "This?"

"Yes. Let's go." I grabbed my coat, the presents, and my purse. "Hopefully the fire isn't too bad. It always throws me for a loop that anything would be able to burn in this weather. It's freezing outside."

"Stranger things have happened." She closed the door behind us and reached for the keys to lock it as I handed them off to her. "So, how's your brother?"

I smiled. "He's doing good. He asked about you today too."

"He did?" She bounced on her toes and then tried to play it cool. "I mean," she lowered her voice and shrugged, "he did?"

I laughed loudly. "You're so stupid. It's one of the reasons I love you."

She moved up beside me as we took the stairs down to the parking lot. "What did he say."

I cleared my throat in a very dramatic manner and glanced at her with my eyebrows lifted. "How. Is. Ellen?"

"Ugh." She popped me with her free hand and rolled her eyes. "You are no fun at all."

"That's not what Jeremy says." I chuckled and walked to the car. The snow was hellacious, which was no fun at all to drive in.

"TMI." She got into the car and buckled up.

I got in and glanced over at her. "So, have you not seen anyone since Rhys left?"

"Sort of." She leaned back and let out a sigh. "Your brother is just so big and manly. Now, everyone I go out with feels like Pee-Wee Herman compared to Rhys. It's disturbing."

"He is huge." I pulled out of the parking lot and drove to the store as she jabbered on about guys in general. I had to stop her when she tried to talk about cock sizes and how my brother compared. That was where I drew the line, and drew it deep in the sand.

"Alright." She lifted her hands as we pulled up to Jeremy's place.

"Weird. Where is Nina?" I got out of the car and jogged up the stairs to knock on the door. After standing there for a minute, freezing my ass off, I texted Nina.

"Where are they?" Ellen got out of the car and hollered up at me.

"They're at Jeremy's mom's house. Nina didn't know I was coming, so she took Austin over there. No biggie. We'll just go over there." I turned and bounded down the stairs, almost busting my ass as I did.

"Be careful!" Ellen yelled and covered her face.

I laughed. "Wow. Thanks a lot."

"What? I hate seeing people get hurt." She got back into the car and huffed. "Why didn't someone tell you that they were at Jeremy's mom's house?"

"Because Nina didn't know, and Jeremy is fighting a fire. Let's go get the kiddo and come back over here. I don't really like Jeremy's mom much. She looks at me like I'm a floozy from the titty bar."

Ellen laughed. "She doesn't know you at all then."

"Nor does she care to."

"Shame." She turned and looked out the window.

I enjoyed the silence on the way over to Jeremy's mother's big ass house. It was beautiful but so odd for the northeast. I wanted to ask Jeremy about it. Maybe his mom was from Louisiana or something. The house was perfect for the outskirts of New Orleans, but up in New Hampshire, it just seemed off.

"You want me to wait here?" Ellen glanced up from her phone as I parked in front of the giant house.

"Sure. Yeah." I unbuckled and got out. After pulling my coat tighter and zipping it up, I walked up the long flight of stairs to the front door, took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

I had no doubt that Ms. Bennett wasn't going to be thrilled to see me on her porch. Not that I'd ever done shit to her, but she was upper class and didn't think I was right for Jeremy. Maybe I'd get lucky, and Nina would answer the door.

"Jeremy isn't here." She opened the door, gave me a blank expression and started to close the door.

I reached out and put my hand against it. "I'm here to pick up Austin. Jeremy had to run out to a fire and asked me to get Austin and take him back to the house."

"He didn't text me." She opened the door a little and narrowed her eyes. "I'll text Nina and see what she says. She took him down the street to Katie's house to exchange gifts."

"Okay. Sure." I reached up to keep her from shutting the door, again. "Can I come in and wait or do you want me to wait in my car? It's too cold to wait out here."

The woman had a way of making me feel completely worthless. She turned and left the door open as she pulled her phone toward her face. Why did she hate me so much? Was she like this to everyone Jeremy dated or wanted to date? Was she like this to Laila?

"Well. It seems you're right." His mother turned and pressed her hip against the counter in the kitchen. "Nina confirmed your claims."

I nodded and turned away from her. "The house looks beautiful. You did a great job decorating."

"Don't be silly, child. I didn't decorate this place. Could you see a sixty-year-old woman in heels getting up on a ladder?"

I turned and smiled, thinking that maybe she was being funny, but she wasn't. She was chastising me.

"Um, no. No. I just-"

"Don't stutter. It shows your ignorance." She walked past me and brushed her shoulder against mine.

Anger and sadness swirled in the pit of my stomach. How much of a chance did I really have with Jer if his mom thought I was a piece of shit? None. He loved her and cared about her and Nina. What did Nina think about me?

"Mrs. Bennett." I turned and called to her before I realized what I was doing.

"What?" Her tone was clipped and filled with agitation.

"Have I done something to offend you?"

"You being here offends me." She crossed her narrow arms over her chest and lifted her eyebrow. "Jeremy is the only male child I have and is heir to a lot of money. As his mother, it's my responsibility to make sure that whoever he marries next is worthy of that treasure."

"And you approved of Laila?" I crossed my arms over my chest and forced myself to stand my ground. There was no way I was going to break down and cry in front of the old witch. At least, I hoped I didn't.

She snorted in disgust. "Not even close. She was riff-raff too. All of you were and are. Rhys included. You come from poor families with pitiful tastes, childish traditions, and pathetic backings. It's honestly infantile for you to think for a second that Jeremy could truly be interested in a plain-Jane girl like you." She took a few steps toward me, and fuck if I didn't want to back up.

Never enough.

"You don't even know my family." I stood my ground. "Or how long I've had feelings for Jeremy."

"Nor do I care." She stopped right in front of me and leaned down. "You, my dear, are a rebound. He's going to love you until he doesn't. The poor boy is still lost in grief over his pitiful choice of a wife from the first go-around. He's nothing like me, but a bit like his father. He loves a good piece of ass, and often confuses that lust for sex for love."

"What?" I stepped back like I'd been slapped. Tears filled my eyes. "I'm a good person."

"Says who? You?" She laughed and pointed to the door. "Get out. Don't come back. Wait on the porch for Austin, and if you let anything happen to him, you will regret it."

She turned and walked toward the living room, leaving me there with tears dripping down my face. Never in a million years had I been treated so badly. Never. Not ever.

I half ran to the door and out onto the porch. I turned to it with it still cracked as if I were saying goodbye and wiped up my tears. No fucking way I was letting anyone see me cry over being cut down by Jeremy's mother, though I was mortified by it.

"Bailey!" Austin's voice caused me to suck it up and turn.

I knelt and swooped him up in my arms as he laughed. "Hi, Buddy. I hear you need a cookie-baking elf to help you tonight."

"I do!" He laughed and clung to me.

"Hey. You okay?" Nina stopped in front of me, her face filled with worry.

I put Austin down and patted his back. "Go get in the backseat, little man. Ellen is in there and we have candy canes and Christmas music already on for you."

"Yes!" He hugged Nina tightly and turned, jogging down the stairs as best he could all wrapped up in his winter coat and boots.

"I'm okay. Just some stuff I'm dealing with from home." I reached up and wiped at my eyes. "It's all good."

"You sure?" She pulled me into a tight hug. "I don't like to see you crying."

"Yeah, well, I'm a girl. It happens from time to time." I moved back and forced a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow maybe?"

"Yep. We're all supposed to be over at Jer's around ten for breakfast and presents. I'll bring mom and the gifts then."

I nodded before turning to go. "Sounds great. Merry Christmas, Nina."

"You too!" She walked into the house as I made my way back to the car.

There was no way I was going to move things forward with Jeremy without first talking to him about the situation with his mother. I couldn't stand the thought of falling even more deeply in love with him only to have him shut me down because of her. He might say that wasn't a possibility, but I knew their relationship... he listened to her just like I listened to my folks, only my parents weren’t evil dark bitches.

At least not most of the time.