What Happens at Christmas Read Online Free Page A

can hang out with me and we’ll have a great night.”
    “Yeah… um, about that.” Justin cleared his throat. “I’m actually going to bring someone.”
    “Oh my God. You sly dog.” She slapped his arm. “Who? Do I know him?”
    “No, you’ve never met him. He’s been away travelling since March. He’s an old friend from way back. We’ve been best mates since we were kids.”
    “Oh, so he’s not a date date, then.” Jess’s mouth drooped in disappointment at the lack of juicy gossip.
    Justin looked around the cafeteria to make sure nobody else was listening to their conversation and lowered his voice. “Well… technically no. But he’s going to pretend he is.”
    Jess huddled closer, her face animated again. “So he’s going to pose as your boyfriend? To make Andy jealous?” Her eyes widened comically. “Oh! Are you trying to win him back?”
    “God, no. Jess, this isn’t a Hollywood romcom. That ship has sailed. Even if Andy wanted me back, I wouldn’t go running just because he crooked a finger.” Would I? he briefly wondered. “No way.” He said it emphatically to convince himself as much as Jess. “But it might put his nose out of joint to see that I’ve got over him so quickly, especially with someone as good-looking as Sean—because Sean’s really hot. Did I mention that part?”
    “No! What does he look like?”
    “Tall, dark, and handsome. Think Poldark crossed with Mr Darcy.”
    “Ooh, nice. And I presume he’s gay?”
    “Yes.”
    “Damn it. So… this superhot, gay best friend Sean. Have you and him ever…?” She raised her eyebrows as she lifted her coffee cup to her lips.
    Justin felt his cheeks flush. “God, no. Never,” he said. “We’re friends, but that’s all.”
    Jess studied him, and Justin’s blush intensified, heating his ears. He looked down, fiddling with a napkin to give his hands something to do.
    “But you fancy him.” She made it a statement rather than a question, so Justin decided he could get away with not answering. Apparently he was wrong. “Don’t you?”
    “I did, when we were at school. But I thought he was straight then, so it was just a stupid crush. Your typical gay boy pining over his straight best friend. It’s a rite of passage. But that was years ago.”
    “Hmm.” Jess didn’t sound convinced. “Why wasn’t he out at school? You must have been gutted when you found out he really was gay. All that opportunity for teenage experimentation wasted.”
    Justin sighed. He hated remembering Sean’s coming out.
     
    It had been the one time their friendship was truly tested, during the summer after their first year at university. They’d both come back to their home town, and Sean had told Justin one night when they were walking home from the pub. Justin’s initial reaction had been one of hurt betrayal. He didn’t understand how Sean could have kept the secret to himself.
    “How long have you known?” was his first question.
    When Sean admitted he’d known for years, maybe almost as long as Justin had known he was gay. Justin felt as though he’d been punched in the stomach. He would have trusted Sean with his life, and all that time Sean had hidden something so fundamental. Something that Justin would have understood completely.
    “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me” was all he could manage to say. “I feel as though I don’t know you at all.” Hot tears threatened as anger and disbelief warred with the hurt he felt.
    “I’m sorry. But I wasn’t ready to talk about it to anyone,” Sean said. “Please, Justin. You know what my dad’s like. I was so scared he’d find out if I started telling people. He still doesn’t know, and I have no plans to tell him yet.”
    “But you could have told me . You know I’d never have said anything.”
    Sean shook his head. “It wasn’t as simple as that.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” Justin demanded, his voice rising. “Seriously, Sean. I get it. I understand