Hating Christmas (Holiday Series) Read Online Free

locked on Levi’s face
with a startled expression in the blue depths.
    His dad waved a hand, as if chastising himself for
forgetting. “That’s right. Zambia. I get those countries mixed up.
Holly was filming in Zambia when Audrey and I up and decided to get
married after we found each other again.”
    “It was a little sudden.” Levi continued to stare at
Holly. The name seemed to fit her, but he couldn’t get over the
fact that the sexy redheaded, irritated woman in the airport was
actually his new step-mother’s daughter.
    “Yes, it was. Sudden, I mean.” Holly stepped forward
to shake his hand, her expression speculative.
    “Actually,” Levi said with deliberation, their hands
still locked, “Holly and I flew in on the same plane from
California this morning.”
    “Yes, we did.” She took her hand back from his
grasp.
    “You did?” His father looked delighted as he waved
them into the living area.
    “Yes.” Holly slipped into a chair by the fireplace,
across the room from a Christmas tree that was so heavily
decorated, it was hard to see the green boughs. “He tried to steal
my seat and then he took my bag from the carousel.”
    Levi glanced around. Christmas decorations seem to
sit on every surface.
    “That was before she jammed on her rental car brakes
and made me rear end her.” He smiled thinly at her.
    “I did not make you rear end me,” Holly
retorted. “You did that all on your own.”
    “Well, since you’d cut me off and there wasn’t any
room to stop—“
    “Now children,” his father interrupted with another
hearty-anxious laugh.
    “You had an accident? I’m glad neither of you were
hurt,” Audrey said, glancing at her daughter. “Was there much
damage to the cars?”
    “Hardly any.” As Holly reached a reassuring hand out
to her mother, she threw Levi an annoyed glance. “And I did not cut
you off.”
    “I’m sure my insurance will cover everything,
regardless,” he assured her, returning look for look.
    “Well,” his father started again as they all sat down
in the chairs grouped around the Christmas tree, “I’m certainly
glad you could both be here.”
    He smiled fondly at his wife, whom he’d sat by.
“Audrey just loves the holidays, don’t you, honey?”
    His wife, who had struck Levi from the first as being
on the quiet side, just said, “Yes.”
    “That’s why she named her baby girl Holly,” his dad
joked.
    “Thanks, mom,” Holly stuck in, making a face.”
    “Don’t you like the name?” Levi asked. He knew he’d
seen her somewhere before, but he didn’t remember where. The face
didn’t ring any bells, but her name was elusively familiar.
    Holly’s smile was strained. “It’s fine. I’m just not
a fan of all the Christmas crap.”
    “Holly.” Her mother chastised her with the word.
    Levi didn’t feel this was the time to agree with his
soon-to-be ex-stepmother’s daughter. “Really?”
    “Mom, you know it’s just another month for me.
Besides people are annoying at this time of year—spending money
they don’t have and acting all fake-happy with people they don’t
even like.”
    Levi had to agree with this assessment, but he
couldn’t resist saying, “Not to mention how irritating they are to
travel with.”
    She looked at him. “Don’t start with me. You’re the
one who took—“
    “I know.” He shook his head sadly. “I sat in your
seat by accident and grabbed your bag by accident—“
    “Making me have to run after you just to get it
back!”
    “I probably deserved you cutting me off in the rental
car and causing me to run into you.” He smiled disagreeably at her
again,.
    “You certainly have a lot of accidents ,” Holly
stuck in, her voice snide.
    “Now, now. Let’s don’t start all that again.” His
father’s chuckle was forced. “We need to get along if we’re going
to enjoy the holidays.”
    Levi decided not to respond to this.
    “Let’s go in to lunch,” Michael said with the forced
cheerfulness