Sleigh Bells Ring: Merry scroog-mas!, #2

CHAPTER 1

The man makes me crazy! Amber Evans said from the back of the plush limousine, refusing to drink the complementary top-of-the-line chilled champagne or eat the ridiculously-expensive caviar. She tossed her pin-straight, super-long brown hair over her shoulder and crossed her arms over her athletic frame, feeling like the elephant in the room as usual, next to her friends.

Her best assets were her whisky-colored, almond-shaped eyes and ultra-long lashes. Or so she’d been told. She was fine with her looks, and had even embraced her tall-girl stature; she’d just given up on men not being intimidated by her. And forget about a man ever swooning over her, especially in the presence of Miss Adorable and soon-to-be Mrs. Gorgeous.

What man doesn’t make you crazy? Her best friend Elfish Ellen Patterson—who was an adorable, petite, short-haired, red-headed, green-eyed pixie—snorted. She sat on one side of the limo, digging into the food with gusto.

A groan came from her other best friend Samantha Darling—a blond-haired, blue-eyed, gorgeous Barbie Doll with curves in all the right places. Samantha leaned back against the opposite seat, sipping her drink and rubbing her temple.

They had known each other forever and had been the Three Amigos for years, working together at a Boston advertising firm, but now Sam was about to get married and change everything. Amber couldn’t help feeling like the wicked stepsister, except she loved her Cinderella. She just wished for a fairy tale of her own.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m really happy for you, sweetie, Amber quickly amended, reaching out to squeeze Sam’s hand.

She adored both of her friends, and had known Sam since high school. Ellen had come along during college, and the rest was history. Blissfully ending up at the same firm was like spreading the icing on the proverbial cake. But now that Samantha had reformed business tycoon McScroogy Nathan Snow, life as they knew it would never be the same. Amber had known it would change eventually, but she still hadn’t quite accepted it. And Caveman Kip Covington wasn’t making matters any easier.

I just can’t stand your fiancé’s best man. He has to take control of everything, she added.

You haven’t even met him, Amber, Ellen said, after taking a sip of her bubbly and wrinkling her nose while wearing a grin over the fizz. Give the guy a shot. He could be hot. She wagged her brows. "He sure has good taste, which tells me the man can’t be all bad."

Trust me. You can have him. Amber scoffed.

Don’t be ridiculous. Have you seen his picture? He has sexy playboy looks, but he’s literally like a seven-foot giant, and I’m a mere five feet tall. Ellen sighed dramatically. Sadly, it would never work. Besides, you’re the maid of honor. He’s all yours, babe. She winked.

"He’s not my anything, and the only reason you don’t want him is because you know he’s not man enough to handle you and all your wild ways. Besides, I heard he doesn’t date. No one is ever good enough for His Highness. I will walk down the aisle with him, and that’s it, Amber grumbled. He could have handled Nathan’s bachelor party and left the bachelorette party to me, but no. He had to try to outdo me, like he has in everything else all year long."

He means well, Sam said. "You would see that if you would ever let yourself get to know him. For my sake as well as Nate’s, can’t you at least try to get along?" Sam asked, wearing a pleading look in her eyes.

Amber felt a twinge of guilt for complaining about the former NBA star, who thought he was God’s gift to women and had the cocky attitude to go along with it. She’d be damned if she’d give him the chance to shoot her down like he did countless other women. She read the tabloids. She knew exactly what he was like, because she’d been burned by enough male athletes back in her college volleyball days, just because they couldn’t handle that she was as athletic and tough as they were. Frankly, she’d had enough of men in general, and certainly didn’t need one to be happy.

I can’t help it—the man has too much time on his hands and not nearly enough to do, other than mess with my life on a daily basis, Amber said, then took a deep breath and counted to ten before adding, "but I’m sorry for upsetting you. I will try to get along with him for you, but I’m still not drinking his stupid champagne or eating his nasty caviar. She sat back stubbornly, knowing she sounded like a child, but she couldn’t help it. The man brought out the worst in her. She stared at the matching limo in front of them as she added, In fact, I hope he chokes on them. It would serve him right for showing off. All I can say is that if he tries to mess with me here, then all bets are off and he’s going down."

The woman seriously drives me nuts, Kip Covington growled from the back of the limo the guys were riding in, his head lightly touching