Page 53 of The Lie That Stole Christmas

“And for the record,” Lena said, tugging at her snowman earring, a smile curving slightly at the edges.“You two argue like an old married couple.”

“We do not,” they said in unison.

Ashley cut her gaze to Carter, annoyance pulling at the bridge of her nose.Even annoyed, she was still the most beautiful woman she’d ever laid eyes on.

Lena tilted her head, lips swishing back and forth.“So have you two—”

“No!”

“Yes!”Carter said, staring at Ashley, challenging her to continue denying it.

“What about you two?”Ashley asked, wagging her finger between him and Lena.

Carter had to stop himself from laughing.Did she honestly think he and Lena were ever romantic?

“Yes,” Lena said, and Carter nearly fell off his chair.

“Oh.”Ashley’s entire light dimmed, her body sinking in on itself as she plastered a fake smile on her face.“I see.”

Carter arched an eyebrow in Lena’s direction, and she shrugged.

“What?”she asked, mocking innocence.

He knew that look.The woman was up to something.

“You’re lying.”

Lena pressed a hand to her chest.“Would I do that?”

“Yes.”

“Wait,” Ashley said, her eyes bouncing between them.“Are you?”

Lena didn’t say anything for a moment, then a laugh burst from her mouth.“Oh my God, your face.”

Ashley blinked.“Excuse me?”

“Your face!”Lena pointed at her and circled her finger toward her face.“You looked like your puppy got run over by a reindeer.”

“I don’t have a puppy.”

“It’s just a metaphor.Basically, it looked like you were going to cry.”

“I absolutely was not.”

Carter bit the inside of his cheek, fighting a persistent smile.

“I’m sorry, that was cruel of me.We never dated.”

“Not once,” Carter added.“Never kissed.”

“Never held hands.”

“Except for that time you almost fell off the ladder,” Carter said.

“It’s true.He saved my life.I was trying to fix a Christmas light that went out.”

“Instead of asking, she grabbed a ladder and tried to do it herself.”