Billionaire's Christmas Vixen Read Free Page B

heard her mother’s voice in the background, muffled and barely audible, asking who was on the phone. Brandy answered, and Brea cringed, waiting for the insults to begin.
    Brea heard a cruel laugh and then her mother muttering under her breath. “Well, what happened this time? Couldn’t pull herself from that coffee pot? Too busy slaving around?” Brandy interrupted her mother, but Brea had already heard enough to bring the tears burning to her eyes.
    Brea bit her lip and refrained from saying what she truly wanted to say, even though she didn’t have to defend herself to her sister. She knew that she didn’t have the highest paying, most respectable of jobs, but it was what she loved doing, and she only wished that her parents were more supportive of her. It was one of the many decisions that her family saw as disappointing and one of the many things that made spending time with her family uncomfortable. “Just please tell them that I won’t be able to make it until tomorrow,” she said solemnly.
    “Don’t let her get to you. She’s a few glasses in, so you know how she gets.” Brea didn’t reply, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes and to forget her mother’s words. “I’m drinking all of your eggnog, then!” Brandy said lightheartedly.
    Brea sighed. “That’s fine, Brandy. Just tell them, please.”
    Brandy relented. “Okay, don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of them. So,” she paused for a moment, “I’m actually glad that you called. Mom has a surprise for you, but I’m not sure it’s a very good one.”
    “What do you mean? What kind of surprise?”
    “Um, well she kind of invited someone.” Brea didn’t respond, forcing her sister to continue. “She invited Eric.”
    “What?” she shrieked into the phone, lowering her voice so George wouldn’t be able to hear about how horrific her Christmas had just become. “Why would she…how could she?” It wasn’t that she didn’t want Eric to be there. Really, it was quite the opposite. The problem was her mother getting involved and trying to win Eric back for her.
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t find out about it until I got here this morning, or I’d’ve given you a heads’ up. I thought she’d’ve told you, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”
    “It’s okay. I guess it’s a good thing that I have a bit of time to figure out what I’m going to say to him, then.” There wasn’t much of a silver lining to this, but at least there was something. She’d have enough time to plot her plan of attack. 
    “Well, where should I tell them you are?”
    Brea hesitated on what to tell her. She couldn’t say that she was with the one and only George Clark. She wasn’t entirely sure that her sister would believe her anyway. “I stopped at a house when the car got stuck.”
    “A house? As in, a stranger’s house?”
    “Yes, Brandy. I’ll be there tomorrow.”
    “Oh no, you’re not getting off that easily. Is he hot?”
    “What are you talking about?” She knew her voice would give her away, but she had to try.
    “Not a guy?” she replied in disappointment. “You know, stranded in the middle of nowhere during a snowstorm and you end up at a stranger’s house? It has to be a hot guy, right?”
    Brea was reluctant to respond. She had always been a horrible liar and knew that if she tried to lie now, the conversation would go on much longer than she wanted. She already risked George overhearing. “Yes, okay. It’s a guy, but it’s nothing like that. He’s only letting me use his phone.”
    “But, he’s hot, right?”
    Brea sighed. “It’s just a guy, Brandy. Not every guy is hot.” She realized she was talking louder than intended and peeked around the corner to be sure that George hadn’t heard her words. “I have to go.”
    “Oh, I bet you do! Go get you some before you come home. Maybe it’ll actually help you to get over Eric.”
    She couldn’t help but to crack a smile, though, even if she knew she