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CHAPTER 12: New Year's Eve: Part One

Author: Eleanor Vance
last update Huling Na-update: 2025-12-10 22:59:33

SLOANE

My parents' house was an explosion of gold tinsel and forced cheer.

I could see it from the street. Every window blazing with light. Inflatable snowmen on the lawn. Wreaths on every door. My mother had gone all out.

Of course, she had.

I pulled into the driveway and cut the engine. Sat there gripping the wheel.

Through the front window, I could see them. Peter gesturing with a wine glass. Jennifer chasing one of the kids. My father in his chair by the fireplace. Susan's laugh carried through the glass.

My family. About to meet my fake boyfriend.

"Ready?" Jackson asked.

"No. You?"

"Not even slightly."

We both laughed. The sound cracked something loose in my chest.

I looked at the house again.

"They're going to eat you alive," I said.

"I've survived worse."

"Have you?"

"No. But it sounded brave."

I smiled despite myself. "Remember the story. Christmas sweater party. Two months. We're taking it slow."

"Got it."

"And if Peter asks about your handicap, it's seven."

"It's actually n
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  • The Holidate Pact   CHAPTER 23: The Week After

    February 15th. The day after Valentine's.I woke up to a text from Jackson.JACKSON: Morning. Yesterday was... a lot. You okay?I stared at it for ten minutes before responding.ME: Fine. You?JACKSON: Same. Busy week ahead. Tournament prep.ME: I have the Morningside pitch coming up. Drowning in work.JACKSON: Let me know if you need anything.ME: You too.Professional. Distant. Safe.We texted every day that week. Surface-level check-ins. Work updates. Nothing real.February 16th:JACKSON: How's the pitch prep going?ME: Slowly. You?JACKSON: Teaching all day. Exhausted.February 17th:ME: Survived a client call from hell.JACKSON: Want to talk about it?ME: Not really. Just venting.JACKSON: Fair enough.February 18th:JACKSON: Mrs. Henderson asked about you today.ME: What did you tell her?JACKSON: That you're busy. She wants to have coffee with "Jackson's lovely girlfriend."ME: That's terrifying.JACKSON: Little bit.February 19th:ME: My mother won't stop texting about Easter.

  • The Holidate Pact   CHAPTER 22: The Drive Home

    JACKSONWe left at nine. Two hours of pot roast and psychological warfare disguised as family dinner.I opened the car door for Sloane. She slid in without a word. I went around to the driver's side. Got in. Started the engine.Neither of us spoke.I pulled out of the driveway. Her parents' house disappeared in the rearview mirror. All those hearts and lights and forced romance fading into darkness.Three blocks. Four. Still silence.Finally: "That was...""Exhausting," she finished."I was going to say intense.""Same thing."I drove. She stared out the window. Her reflection ghosted across the glass. I could see her jaw working. Thinking. Processing.Five more blocks."I confronted her in the kitchen," Sloane said quietly.My hands tightened on the wheel. "Veronica?""Who else?""What did she say?"Sloane was quiet for a beat. "That you're different with me. That she barely recognizes this version of you."I glanced over. "And?""And that she doesn't trust it. That people don't chan

  • The Holidate Pact   CHAPTER 22: The Drive Home

    JACKSONWe left at nine. Two hours of pot roast and psychological warfare disguised as family dinner.I opened the car door for Sloane. She slid in without a word. I went around to the driver's side. Got in. Started the engine.Neither of us spoke.I pulled out of the driveway. Her parents' house disappeared in the rearview mirror. All those hearts and lights and forced romance fading into darkness.Three blocks. Four. Still silence.Finally: "That was...""Exhausting," she finished."I was going to say intense.""Same thing."I drove. She stared out the window. Her reflection ghosted across the glass. I could see her jaw working. Thinking. Processing.Five more blocks."I confronted her in the kitchen," Sloane said quietly.My hands tightened on the wheel. "Veronica?""Who else?""What did she say?"Sloane was quiet for a beat. "That you're different with me. That she barely recognizes this version of you."I glanced over. "And?""And that she doesn't trust it. That people don't chan

  • The Holidate Pact   CHAPTER 21: Valentine's Day Dinner

    SLOANEJackson picked me up at 5:30 exactly. He stood at my door holding pink roses and a bottle of Cabernet, looking like every mother's dream in his button-down and dark jeans."You remembered pink," I said."You said red was too romantic.""And the wine?""Cabernet. Your dad's favorite."I stared at him. "How do you know my dad's favorite wine?""I asked him. Last week. Called to confirm dinner time."Something in my chest went soft. "You called my father?""Seemed polite." He shifted his weight. Despite my nerves, I laughed.The drive to my parents' took twenty minutes. We spent it in comfortable silence, his hand on the console between us. I stared out the window at Chicago sliding past."You okay?" he asked."Nervous.""About?""Veronica will definitely be there. Jennifer confirmed this morning."His hand tightened on the gear shift. "We'll handle it.""Will we?"He glanced at me. "Sloane. Last time was a test run. Tonight we know what we're dealing with. We're ready.""Are we

  • The Holidate Pact   CHAPTER 20: Valentine's Eve

    SLOANEFebruary 13th, 7:42 AMI woke up to a text from my mother.MOM: Tomorrow! 6 PM sharp! Can't wait to see you and Jackson! Should I make the pot roast or the chicken? Actually, I'll make both. Does Jackson have any dietary restrictions I should know about?MOM: Also, Susan is bringing her new David. This one's a commercial real estate developer. Very successful. She wants you to know he has all his own teeth.MOM: And yes, Jennifer invited Veronica. I hope that's okay. She's such a sweet girl. Going through a hard time with the tour schedule.I stared at the ceiling.Twenty-four hours. That was all I had left.I typed back: *Pot roast. No restrictions. See you tomorrow.*I did not address the Veronica situation.I got up. Made coffee. Tried to work.My laptop showed a blank document titled: VALENTINE'S DAY CAMPAIGN - FINAL DRAFT.The cursor blinked.And blinked.And blinked.At 9:15, my phone buzzed.JACKSON: Morning. You ready for tomorrow?ME: Define ready.JACKSON: Confident.

  • The Holidate Pact   CHAPTER 19: The Week Before

    JACKSONI was lying to myself and I knew it.I kept telling Sloane that nothing had changed. I told myself the same thing every morning while shaving. I repeated it while teaching Mrs. Henderson how to correct her golf slice during yet another lesson.Nothing changed.Except everything had changed.I could not stop thinking about the kiss. The small sound she made. The way her fingers twisted in my shirt as if holding on. The way the moment stretched far beyond what we planned.I could not stop thinking about our texts.I stared at those words for hours before replying. I wrote and deleted responses multiple times. I finally sent something honest but careful.Then I spent three days in Indiana hitting golf balls and trying not to check my phone constantly.It did not work.---**January 7th, 4:00 PM**I was at the club giving a lesson to a hedge fund manager who paid heavily to hear his grip needed adjustment again.I instructed him to rotate his left hand more until it felt right.He

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