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With that said, Quinn adored Tristan. For good reason. He was an amazing uncle. I was very grateful he’d been there for Quinn in my absence. But I was here now, and I didn’t need him around. Especially when he was causing so much inner turmoil. The last thing I needed was to feel anything but hatred for the man.
With a huge exhale, I trudged out into the snow and cold. I swore this place was out to get me. Every snowflake was begging me to remember the magic of Aspen Lake, Tristan included. I wholeheartedly refused. I didn’t care that my nickname was permanently inked on his back. For all I knew, he did it on a dare. Or maybe he was drunk. It was kind of apropos, considering I felt as if he’d stabbed my heart with a dagger. Maybe that’s what his tattoo really meant: he’d slayed the crusader. Well, he wouldn’t be getting another chance to do so.
I carefully walked up the back stairs, doing my best not to slip. It gave me an unfortunate moment to admire the lake. It, too, called to me, compelling me to remember how magical my hometown was. There was no denying how beautiful the lake was this time of year, with snow-frosted pine trees surrounding it. The falling snow on the icy water made the lake look as if Mother Nature had crafted it out of glass. I didn’t want to remember Tristan and me planning our future during walks in the snow around the lake, or impromptu polar bear plunges. Yet the sweet memories assaulted my mind, making me ache for such times. And a person to share moments like that with.
I pushed those thoughts out of my head. I only came back to Aspen Lake for Quinn. Once she graduated from high school, I was out of here.
Shivering from the cold, I walked into the warm kitchen to the smell of garlic and oregano. My stomach immediately growled, reminding me I’d only eaten two protein bars all day.
“Aunt Calista,” Quinn sang as she set the plank wood table in the kitchen nook. “We made your favorite, spaghetti.”
I knew who she meant by we. The fool was staring at me as he pulled the buttery garlic bread out of the double oven. I didn’t even bother not looking at him. The vow was dead, and I hated him even more for it. More so for smiling that charming smile of his.
“I’m tired” was all I could think to say. I couldn’t stand another evening in his presence after our scene in the ER earlier today. Even though the food smelled amazing and I was starving. Better for my stomach to suffer than my heart.
Quinn slammed the plate she was holding on the table, making an ear-piercing clang.
I whipped my head in her direction, sure she’d broken it, but it was intact.
Quinn glowered at me.
I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen her glower. Certainly never at me. It hurt enough that I dropped my backpack and rubbed my chest.
Tears formed in her eyes. “I don’t know exactly what happened between the two of you, because no one will tell me the whole truth. But I’m tired of you acting like children,” she scolded. “For once in my life,” she cried, “I want family dinners and a merry Christmas. And you two are going to make it happen. You’re going to start by getting along and moving on from the past. Do you hear me?” She channeled my mother again.
Dazed by her rebuke, I nodded, worried if I didn’t, she would ground me for the rest of my life.
“Good.” She ran to me and threw her arms around me, resting her head on my shoulder, bawling.
I wrapped my arms around her, feeling ashamed of my behavior. There was nothing like my niece calling me out to make me realize exactly how childish I was being. It didn’t matter how much Tristan had hurt me; she loved him. And as much as I hated to admit it, she needed both of us. I knew how much her parents had fought over the years, or worse, just ignored each other. She’d called me many times, crying and upset. A few times I’d had to call Stella and Jonathon and read them the riot act. Like Quinn had just done to me. She didn’t deserve more adults in her life behaving badly, especially after everything she’d been through.
“I’m sorry,” she muttered against me. “I just want us all to be happy together. I just want to be happy for once.”
“Shh.” I stroked her hair. “I’m the sorry one, honey. I’ll try harder,” I promised. She really was my kryptonite.
Tristan caught my eye. He was standing there holding the pan of bread, steam rising off it, looking as floored as I felt. Yet, I saw the corner of his lip ticking up like this was good news for him. I assure you it wasn’t. I still hated him. You can’t just switch off that emotion. Just like love. Oh, how I wished I could turn that feeling off on demand. Tristan could never know those feelings still existed. I was only going to pretend not to hate him. It was for a noble cause. I would do anything for Quinn, even if it meant putting on an Academy Award–winning performance.
“New rules,” I said. “From now on, we will be friendly,” I emphasized resolutely. Friendly did not mean friends. Especially not lovers. But I would act more like an adult from now on and make a better effort to give Quinn exactly what she needed and wanted, even if it went against my principles.
“I like friendly,” Tristan crooned in the sexy way only he could.
He better not be thinking of the kind of friendly we had been before. If he thought that was a possibility, he was living in la-la land. “Don’t even think about it,” I mouthed to the gorgeous imbecile.
He chuckled, and in his laughter, I heard hope—and maybe even a challenge.
I would have thought he knew better than to challenge me, but if he was dumb enough to try, I was up for some fun.
“Shall we eat?” he asked.
Oh. I was going to eat him alive.
CALISTA
“WE HAVE A SURPRISE FOR you.” Quinn smiled at me from across the table. We’d devoured half the food already.
I stilled, not sure I could handle any more surprises. Not after being placed next to Tristan at the table. I could feel his body heat and smell his yummy cologne. If that wasn’t enough, he’d already “accidentally” brushed up against my arm twice as we reached for the parmesan cheese at the same time. When our fingers touched, my entire body tingled. It was wholly unfair. But I was being an adult about it and didn’t complain, at least not out loud. In my head, I was saying all the swear words.
“Oh, really?” I faked my excitement.
