The Christmas He Loved Her (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake 2)

“Jake, I was so glad to hear you finally came to your senses and are back home where you belong.”

Rebecca waited for a response but none came, and an uncomfortable few seconds passed before Rebecca giggled nervously. “Now if only we could convince Cain and Maggie to return from Los Angeles, we’d have half the Bad Boys back in town and it would be like old times, don’t you think?”

Raine felt Jake stiffen at her side and she stared at Rebecca, loathing everything about the woman. She did not have a brain in her head. It wasn’t possible.

Raine waited for the explosion, the harsh, condescending words that would surely erupt from Jake’s mouth, but he surprised her.

“I’m not real keen on going back in time, because I don’t think things will ever be the same again. But then, that’s the way it should be, no?”

Rebecca shrugged. “Sure, I hear you. I just meant it would be nice if everyone was home again, Cain, Mackenzie…” Her eyes moved to Raine. “And of course, Jesse. None of us have forgotten him. He’ll always be a part of us. Of this town.”

Suddenly, Raine had had enough of the bullshit. Rebecca had meant nothing to Jesse, and she certainly didn’t mean anything to Raine. And other than being Jake’s fuck buddy when they were teenagers, she wasn’t relevant.

She turned abruptly. “Let’s go, Jake.”

The two of them crossed the lobby, and Raine’s tension increased in small increments as she said hello to Mrs. Lancaster, the pastor’s wife, and then Mr. Lawrence, owner of Lawrence’s Tackle & Bait, followed by the vet, Dr. Hannigan.

Her heart pounded and she heard each and every beat inside her head. What the hell was wrong with her?

She glanced to the left and then to the right.

Of course, half the town was out, because really, what else was there to do on a Friday night but grab hold of a frozen turkey and throw it down the ice at ten bottles of diet soda?

I don’t want any of this.

For one moment she considered turning around, making an excuse, and getting the hell out of Dodge. The thought of her sofa, Gibson, and a brainless movie to take her away was almost more than she could take.

Raine hesitated. She was cold. And hot. She felt disoriented.

But then a warm hand traveled up her back and settled at the top of her spine. Long, male fingers. They gently rubbed along the corded muscles there and she held her breath, mouth going dry.

The sensation was bittersweet and so foreign to her that she wanted to cry. It had been that long.

“Hey.”

Her breath held as Jake’s mouth moved to near her ear. He was still behind her, and she supposed—judging from the covert glances tossed her way—they looked almost intimate.

“Let’s buy some raffle tickets to support the community center, watch a game of turkey bowling, and get the hell out of here.”

“Okay,” she whispered. “Okay.”

She hadn’t done a big crowd in months, and she just didn’t know if she had the strength to deal with everyone’s well-wishes.

They entered the rink and bought a bunch of raffle tickets, all for the chance to win various sorts of prizes ranging from barbecue utensils to engine oil to bottles of booze.

Already a robust game of turkey bowling was under way, and the two of them slipped through the crowd, inching closer to the rink for a better look. Someone handed Jake a beer, but Raine declined, her eyes on the ice, already looking at the clock and counting down the moments until she could leave.

There were too many happy people around. Too many couples. Too many stolen glances, soft touches, and kids. Holy Christ, the kids. They were everywhere.

Raine swallowed hard and was about to bolt when Luke Jansen approached, a huge grin pasted to his face. Jansen was tall, the same age as Jake, but already with a thinning scalp and thickening waist. They’d all gone to school together years ago, and Luke had played football with Jake and the boys.

“Christ, Edwards.” Luke stuck out a hand and shook Jake’s vigorously. “Good to see you.” His smiled widened as he glanced down at Raine, though he took a moment and she saw the concern there. The questions.

For a second, she panicked, her chest tight, her breath caught in her throat. The pressure was too tight and she looked away, exhaling slowly as she tried to stay calm. Shit, why had she ever thought it would be a good idea to come to this with Jake?

Because she was so happy to see the back of Lily St. Clare’s head that she invited Jake on a whim, and he surprised her by accepting.

“Raine, how have you been?”