Unwrapped

“We drove,” I explain.

“We?” Juliet raises an eyebrow and looks past me, her eyes widening as she sees who just got out of the car. “Wait, Daniel?” she gasps in shock, looking back and forth between us. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, right,” I realize with a flush of guilt. “I didn’t mention that part, did I? We were on the same flight, so we ended up snowed in together.”

“Congratulations,” Daniel says, moving forward to meet Juliet. He leans in and kisses her on the cheek, then stands back. “Today’s the big day, huh?”

Juliet nods, her excitement dimmed for a moment. “I thought about sending you an invite, but, I figured …” she looks at Daniel, her dark eyes wide with sincere regret.

My guilt twists harder. Bad enough reminding Daniel about everything without messing up Juliet’s special day too. What was I thinking, bringing him into the middle of things like this?

Daniel coughs, glancing away. “Yeah, I’m spending Christmas with my folks, anyway. At least, I was …”

“Wasn’t it a huge coincidence?” I interrupt brightly. “Of all the flights, in all the world, I wound up sitting next to him.” I let out a nervous laugh. “And then the hotel was overbooked, and we had to split a room, and—” I stop. Oh, crap, I wasn’t going to tell Juliet about that part.

“Really?” Juliet turns to me and gives me a curious look. I avoid her stare. “Huh. Anyways, what are we even doing, standing around in the cold?” She exclaims brightly. “Come inside, warm up.”

“I should really get back on the road.” Daniel says, clearly reluctant.

“Nonsense!” Juliet objects. “You’ve been driving for hours, at least have some coffee and food before you go. Come on, Lacey!” she calls to me, steering us both towards the house.

I try to protest, but Juliet overrules me, and before I even know what’s happening, Daniel and I are inside, in the kitchen, with a cup of coffee in our hands and a promise of food on the way. “The groomsmen will be back from the bar in a minute,” Juliet promises, “They’re in charge of lunch.”

I look around the house, taking in the chaos: decorations spilling out of boxes, wedding gifts piled in the living room next to an over-decorated tree, and traces of Brit’s dressmaking materials still scattered around the room. Juliet follows my gaze.

“I know, I know, it looks bad, but, Emerson promised the guys would get everything cleared up before the ceremony at three.”

“What did I promise?” A voice comes, and then Emerson strides through the back door, stamping snow off his boots. He goes straight to Juliet like she’s the only person in the room. “The aisle is all shoveled,” he tells her, his dark hair ruffled at all angles. “But high-heeled shoes are out. I don’t want you breaking your neck before you get to say ‘I do.’”

“Thank you,” Juliet melts into a grin, leaning up to kiss him. “That’s one less thing to cross off the list.”

“Hey Lacey,” Emerson finally looks around the room. Then he lays eyes on Daniel, and his whole body freezes, tense. “What the hell’s he doing here?” he demands loudly.

Emerson takes half a step towards him, threatening, but Daniel stands his ground. He takes a sip of coffee, casual as can be despite the fact Emerson looks like he’s about to rip his head off.

“Daniel drove Lacey,” Juliet explains, quickly stepping between them. “Isn’t that nice of him?”

Emerson regards Daniel with a threatening stare. “Sure. Nice. Thanks.”

“No problem, man,” Daniel regards him coolly. “Happy to help out.”

There’s a tense silence, the two guys staring each other down, and I remember what Juliet told me about the last time these guys met face-to-face: how it ended with an all-out bloody brawl.

Way to ruin the wedding, Lacey!

Finally, Daniel sets down his cup. “I should hit the road,” he says, leisurely, as if he has all the time in the world.

“Don’t let us stop you.” Emerson agrees. Juliet rolls her eyes at him, and moves forwards to give Daniel a hug.

“Thank you again for getting Lacey here. I don’t know what I would have done without her.”

“I didn’t do it for you,” Daniel gives her a crooked smile, then looks past her to me. “Lacey, you take care.”

My heart twists. This is it, he’s leaving. After everything that’s happened, I want to throw my arms around his neck and make him stay somehow; at the very least, taste one last bittersweet kiss.

I fight the urge, with everything I have. There’s no use humiliating myself now, when he’s made himself perfectly clear.

“Sure, you too,” I murmur, looking away. There’s a pause, then Daniel pulls on his jacket. “Good luck, to the both of you,” he tells Emerson and Juliet, and holds his hand out for Emerson to shake. After a beat, Emerson takes it. “Take care of her,” Daniel says quietly, and it makes the knife twist harder—that even after all their drama, he can still be a good man about it.

Emerson nods, solemn. “With my life.”

I busy myself with dishes at the sink, keeping turned away until I hear the front door shut and Daniel’s engine start up in the yard. There’s a pause, while I scrub hard at a breakfast bowl, tears stinging the corner of my eyes. Then Juliet’s voice comes, loud and clear.