Holding Her Breath (Indigo) Read Free

to spend it with her friends rather than with the losers who always came on to her.
    She was still busy making a name for herself at the firm. Later, she always told herself. She had plenty of time to worry about things like love and marriage and all of that. So Devon was engaged. And one of Aunt Cheryl’s sons was married and the other one had a long-time girlfriend. So what? Like Aunt Brenda had told her, she wasn’t in a race to the altar with anybody.
    She smiled at the memory of Devon’s proposal to his girlfriend over Thanksgiving. Her smile faded when she remembered the look on Devon’s face earlier when she’d asked where Trina was. He’d spat out that she was with her family for Christmas. He’d made a point of mostly avoiding her after that. Whitney liked to help people with their problems. Devon called that being nosy.
    She sat back, picking at her string beans. Her appetite had dulled a little even though her stomach had been growling when she first sat down to her mother’s perfect meal.
    Hopefully Christmas Day wouldn’t be too wild. Something always went wrong, though. And it usually happened when stepdad number one and his girlfriend stopped by on Christmas night. Jo tried to remain civil to him for Devon’s sake, but it was always iffy when those two saw each other.

Chapter 2: But It’s Christmas Eve
    “I’m moving out.” Kelly put her hands on her narrow hips and delivered the news to Chace. Kelly was the only reason he’d moved to this place that wasn’t even a dot on the map.
    “What?” Why was she saying this? On Christmas Eve. They were supposed to be exchanging presents before heading to her parents’ house for Christmas carols and eggnog. Like last year. And the year before that. The big Weiss tradition.
    “Chace, I can’t do this anymore.”
    “Can’t do what?” They hadn’t had any big fights. He wasn’t aware of anything he’d done to piss her off. Anything he’d done wrong at all.
    She put her hands over her face and shook her head. “I’ve been seeing someone.”
    Chace dropped into the chair he’d just risen from. “What do you mean, seeing someone?”
    “Hank.”
    “I don’t understand.” He didn’t want to understand. Hank was a lawyer in town and Kelly’s boss.
    “Remember how I told you I wanted to move back here from Richmond to be closer to my family?” She took a deep breath. “Well, I also wanted to be closer to Hank. We’ve been seeing each other off and on for three years now.”
    “But we’ve only been together for two.” Chace felt sick.
    She crossed her arms over her chest and stared away from him.
    “Hank’s married.”
    “I know,” she said. “But he’s finally going to leave his wife for me. He’s telling her right after the holidays. But I can’t live this lie with you anymore. I’m going to stay with my parents until after New Year’s.”
    Did her parents know what she’d done to him? And he’d thought they liked him.
    Chace stared at the presents under the Christmas tree. That was why she’d barely let him touch her lately? Was hardly ever home? Never wanted to go out anywhere with him when she was? Because of balding, ancient Hank?
    “Chace, you have to know I didn’t want it to be this way. Hank and I had called it off before I met you. I really liked being with you, and I’ll always care about you.”
    “Is it the money, Kelly? Is that why? Because Hank is a big, fancy lawyer and I’m just a freelance photographer with a crappy day job? Because I’m not afraid to follow my dreams and try to be what I really want to be?”
    “Hank and I…we have a very special bond. When I’m with him—don’t make me say these things. I don’t want to hurt you.”
    “Uh, you don’t want to what?” Her words were a brick to his stomach. Two years. And it was going to end like that. He stared at the shiny red wrapping around the box that contained her present. He remembered being so excited about finding the right frame