His Wicked Christmas Wager. Annie Burrows
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      “Is that any way to greet a nice girl like me?” asked a teasing voice.

      My heart did the weird twist and release thing it did every time Amber called. I knew what I owed her, but she was still a constant reminder of my past.

      I took a breath and put a smile into my reply. “Hey, sweetheart. Bad timing on my part. I thought you were my dad.”

      She laughed. “You’ve got to start remembering who I am.”

      “How could I forget?” I joked.

      I meant it in a light-hearted way, but the second I said it, my mind went to Beth, and I wished I hadn’t spoken. They were cousins. I’d known Amber first, in fact. She was the daughter of one of my dad’s golfing buddies. Our mothers attended the same social functions. At a party one night, Amber had introduced Beth and me, all those years ago.

      “Too late,” I murmured out loud.

      “Pardon?” Amber said.

      “Nothing. It’s just always a relief to hear your voice.”

      She snorted, but I knew she liked the flattery. “You promised me you’d show up tomorrow.”

      “I promise a lot of girls a lot of things,” I teased.

      “I’m sure that’s truer than I want to think about,” Amber said. “But you made this one to me.”

      “Babe…” I searched for the kind of excuse that usually came so easily, and failed. “I’m not going to be great company tomorrow.”

      My honesty was a testament to how on edge I was feeling.

      “I know. You really aren’t all that much fun in general. But you did promise,” she told me in a sweet voice.

      I wanted to laugh at her obvious manipulation. I’m generally impervious to any and all attempts to reel me in, and I was sure Amber knew it. Maybe my emotions were just raw enough, or maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for letting anyone down. Whatever the reason, I found myself agreeing.

      “A promise is a promise,” I said.

      “Yes it is.”

      For one second, I thought I heard a hint of smugness in her voice, and I was immediately regretful of agreeing to meet her. I held my temper in check and refused to back down. I clenched my teeth together and made myself bury the irritation under a chuckle.

      “You’ll have to remind me where I said I’d be,” I told her cockily. “Lots of promises mean lots of forgetfulness.”

      She drew in an irritated breath, and this time I chuckled for real.

      “It’s the market in the commons,” she reminded me, just shy of completely impatient.

      I should apologize.

      I couldn’t make myself do it.

      “All right, sweetheart,” I said. “I’ll be there. I’ll even dress nicely so you don’t regret inviting me along.”

      “Oh, I won’t,” she assured me, and hung up.

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