CHAPTER SEVEN
Swoosh. Swoosh. Zane’s wipers worked in overdrive as he drove too quickly for the road conditions and thick flakes of snow falling from sky to ground. He sped past houses adorned in wreaths with thick red bows, glowing lights spanning every color of the rainbow, and tacky blow up Santa’s and Rudolph’s. With every mile, his urge, his need to see Wynn grew. He pictured her smooth, creamy skin, her cheeks blushing pink, and her soft, warm smile. He had to find her. Maybe it was ridiculous, but with each passing moment, each minute he had yet to lay his eyes on her face and tell her how he really felt, his heart sank deeper into his chest, leaving behind a hollow ache.
“Um, you want to arrive alive?” Gemma clung to her seatbelt like a lifeline. “You know, this could just wait until tomorrow. She’ll be at her mom’s. We don’t have to go on a wild goose chase.”
Zane glanced at her with fire in his eyes. Surrendering, Gemma put her hands up. “Okay. Okay. Just saying.” She concentrated on the list of addresses Zane forced her to draw up with Wynn’s various family members and friends she tended to visit on her ritual Christmas Eve rounds. “Let’s go to her Uncle Leroy’s. She usually likes to spend at least a couple hours there. Besides, they have good alcohol.”
Zane gave her a sidelong glance.
“What? Sheez. A girl can’t have a drink for helpin’ a man out? You’re such a stickler. Did I mention that Leroy’s oldest son is super cute, too?”
Suppressing a smile, Zane said, “Did anyone ever tell you that you have this, sort of, irritating charm about you?”
Gemma grinned. “Not quite in those words, but I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“I thought we were never getting out of her brother’s house. My God, is everyone in her family that competitive.”
An automatic smirk twisted Gemma’s lips. “No, but that’s Jimmy for you. His place is usually one of Wynn’s first stops. Obviously, she got an early start since we just missed her.”
He remembered his hope of finding her at her brother’s house and the subsequent disappointment when he told them that she had just left without telling anyone where she was going next.
Jim took Gemma and him inside, one arm wrapped around Zane’s shoulders and the other around Gemma’s waist. “Hey, look guys. It’s Wynn’s boyfriend. What’d you say your name was again?” He turned his face to Zane.
Unsure of what to say and not wanting to give the wrong impression, Zane floundered for words. “My name is Zane. And I’m not her boy—”
“Hey!” Wynn’s brother clapped his hands in front of them, rubbing them together as if he had come up with a brilliant plan. “Since Wynn left, we’re down one. Why don’t you take her spot?”
Zane’s forehead wrinkled. “Well, actually, we were just going to find her now?”
“Oh don’t worry; you’ll see her plenty later. You two lovebirds will have all the time alone you want. Now, how do you feel about Gestures?”
Ignoring Zane’s soft protests, Jim led him into the living room with the other couples.
Gemma cleared her throat loudly behind them, to which Jim turned around, unfazed. “Oh, hey Gemma. You can keep score.”
Gemma threw her hands up. “Brilliant. Listen, Jimmy, we don’t have time for this.”
Smiling, Jim plopped down on the couch next to his wife. Gemma’s protests clearly had no effect on him. “You know, that explains why Wynn was out of it. Kind of down. She must’ve been waiting for you and was bummed you weren’t here yet.”
