After the Christmas Party(105)

They were all being friendly, trying to include her, had smothered her with hugs and attention.

But Trinity felt the difference in Riley and knew she had no one to blame but herself. She’d known better than to come here, to become involved with him from the very beginning, and yet she had.

Because she had felt something when she’d looked at him that she hadn’t been able to resist and she’d made the mistake of falling in love with a man she could never have.

“Don’t pay them any mind.” A very tanned, very blonde woman who looked like she’d stepped off a vacation ad for Florida advised her. “The whole Williams clan are nothing but troublemakers.”

Trinity just blinked at the gorgeous woman.

“Hi, I’m Casey, Jake’s wife. You must be Trinity. Come and sit by me. I’ll protect you from the Williamses.”

“Hello,” Riley interrupted with a scowl, stopping Casey from taking Trinity’s arm. “In case you’ve forgotten, you are one of us Williamses now, too.”

The woman flashed pearly-white teeth that contrasted brightly with her tanned skin. “Happiest day of my life.”

Jake wrapped his arm around her waist and planted a kiss on the woman’s mouth right there and didn’t stop with just a quick peck either.

Blushing, Trinity glanced around, but no one was paying the couple any heed. Apparently showing affection was the norm at the Williamses’ house. No mistletoe required.

“Uncle Riley, will you sit with us?” the little boy Riley had called Timmy asked, jumping up and down near Riley as if he had ants in his pants.

“At the kids’ table?” Riley scratched his jaw. “Not this year, Timmy. I’ve brought a guest with me. She needs me at the adult table with her. I have to protect her from the big people.”

Not hiding his disappointment, the boy gave Trinity a disgusted look. “She’s just a girl, Uncle Riley.”

“Just a girl, he says.” Riley ruffled the boy’s hair. “I’ll have to remind you of that in a few years.”

Trinity found herself watching Riley’s family interact, watched the open affection, the laughter, the genuine gladness to be together, and she tried not to feel envious. She also tried not to feel guilty that Riley frowned more than smiled. She wasn’t the only one who noticed and, unfortunately, various family members would shoot them curious looks from time to time, but no one asked what the problem was.

They had to be wondering, though. Why would he bring someone who so obviously didn’t fit in with their wonderful lives? Why did it even matter? After all, she wouldn’t be seeing these people ever again. Riley wouldn’t want her to.

He’d given in to his nephew’s repeated requests to come and check out the new video game Santa had brought him or he’d just given up completely on her. Either way, he’d disappeared some time ago, which was probably for the best because something his brother had said to him had made him almost growl earlier.

In a room full of people, yet oddly alone at an open archway leading into the foyer, she took a sip of hot cinnamon apple cider, liking the mix of sweet and tangy flavors and wishing it would settle her nerves.

Wishing her insides didn’t twist, her mind didn’t doubt, her stomach didn’t roil. That she really was a part of this family and could go and play video games with Riley and the kids. Or even lounge comfortably with the crew that was settling in to watch a football game and talking back and forth about which team was going to win.

She wished she could be a glass-half-full kind of girl, rather than what stared back at her in the mirror. How did one go about changing one’s reflection?

She rested her head on the archway and wished she could blend into this love-filled family.

“She doesn’t seem to be having a very good time. Neither do you, for that matter.”

Ouch. Was she supposed to have been able to overhear Riley’s youngest sister? The pregnant one. She couldn’t remember her name. She’d met so many different people today. Easily more than forty, although it might as well have been hundreds for how they’d made her head spin.

“We are a bit much to take in,” Riley said defensively. Trinity’s heart lurched at his defense but then crumbled at his next statement. “But you’re right. I shouldn’t have brought her here today, but she doesn’t have any family and I didn’t want her to be alone. Not on Christmas Day.” He paused and she couldn’t hear what his sister said. “Maybe, but, regardless, I made a grave miscalculation where she was concerned. One I dearly regret.”

He wished he hadn’t brought her? Well, duh, of course he wished he hadn’t brought her. She was ruining his day with his family. What a Christmas-killer she was.