The Bad Boy’s Secret Santa (Christmas in Alpine Valley #9)

Chapter 3

Chapter Three

ELI

Piper Stanton is back in Alpine Valley.

Living in Alpine Valley.

If I hadn’t seen her with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it possible. She had big dreams to chase. Dreams bigger than this little town. I thought it was far more likely I’d stumble across a post or online article touting her big success than run into her in our hometown.

One we were both so damn eager to leave behind as teenagers.

I wasn’t prepared to see her in the flesh. Wasn’t prepared for that sweater she was wearing that damn near gave me a hard on. Even if her narrowed gaze was shooting daggers of fire my way.

God, that woman is sexy when she’s mad.

Thank goodness for Wilma. The old woman’s cool, suspicious expression might as well have been a bucket of ice water dumped over my head. Just what I needed to cool the fire so I didn’t give the ladies a show. I didn’t expect Wilma to go easy on me. She’s always been protective about Piper. But I also didn’t expect her to pull me to the side, give me a hug, and extend her sympathy.

“If you’ll just sign here, Mr. Winchester, the estate is all yours.” Mr. Giles, the local probate lawyer, says with a hint of annoyance. As if he’s said it more than once. He hands me the pen that will transfer my late uncle’s life possessions into my name. Reminding me that this is the reason I agreed to come back. To settle the estate and put my past behind me once and for all.

Piper…well, she was an unexpected bonus. Red has always been her color, but damn, it looks even sexier on her now than it did a decade ago. What I wouldn’t give to mess up the lipstick she was wearing. Or to see it smeared around the base of my cock. Focus, Eli. Not the fucking time .

“You sure we can’t just burn the place to the ground?” I say to Mr. Giles, my chuckle coming out strangled. I clear my throat when I notice he doesn’t smile back.

“The place is in great selling shape. Your uncle took meticulous care of it.”

There’s the reality check I needed. My half-mast cock settles right down.

Of course he did. Roy put all his attention into his material possessions, leaving little to nothing left over for the nephew he never wanted to take in. I bet he threw a fucking party the day I skipped town.

“Would you like me to put you in touch with a realtor?” he offers.

“Sure, that would be great.”

Mr. Giles slides the house keys across the desk as he pushes out of his chair, but I can’t seem to pick them up. I’m sure as hell not sleeping there. “Let me grab that number for you from Dawn up front,” he says.

As I wait, an email notification lights up my phone. My gaze is drawn to the lit up background image I’ve used for years. It’s a picture of Piper and me at the annual tree lighting. Holding onto one another as if our life depended on it. Piper beams that radiant smile toward the camera lens, but I only had eyes for her. It’s the last happy memory of us together—the last true smile Piper ever had for me.

“What a night,” I mumble under my breath.

Piper Stanton in that sparkly red dress was quite a sight to behold. After the tree lighting was over, I drove us to a remote spot on the outskirts of town and ate that sweet pussy of hers until she came on my face.

Another email pops up, mentioning something about Christmas and donations. I swipe it away, promising myself I’ll read it later. I crave another few seconds with the happy Piper on my screen.

After I dropped her off at home that night, I was supposed to come back three hours later. We were planning to ditch this too-small town and start a life together.

I’ve always told myself it was a good thing Wilma stopped me. That Piper was better off finishing high school instead of dropping out and running away with me. We were just kids. I cringe, remembering the places I first lived after I left. Piper has only ever deserved the best. Back then, I couldn’t give it to her.

But now…

I can’t help but wonder if she’s happy in this small town we both used to hate. Now that I’ve gotten my shit together and made something of myself, I could give her the life we always talked about. I could spoil her rotten.

“Here you are,” Mr. Giles says, handing me a business card and interrupting my overactive train of thought. “Carla’s well aware of the situation and on standby when you’re ready for her help with selling.”

“Thank you.” I tuck the card into my wallet. “Is there anything else?”

“There is one more thing.” Mr. Giles leans over the arm of his chair, lifting something off the floor. He drops a metal box on the desk between us. It lands with a thump. It reminds me of a cashbox used to collect admission. What the hell is inside? It’s unlikely that it’s filled with actual money. Roy was always griping about how he didn’t trust banks not to rob him dry. And whenever I needed money for anything, no matter how practical, he always claimed he didn’t have any to spare.

“What’s this?”

“Turns out Roy was a stash-his-cash-under-the-mattress type of guy.”

I sit back in my chair and run a hand over my face. The bastard. “Of course he was.”

“There’s quite a bit in here?—”

“I don’t want it.” The box might as well be crawling with roaches as Mr. Giles scoots it beside the house keys. The money feels dirty.

“Legally, I have to give it to you.”

“Roy has to be turning in his grave right now. You’re sure there’s no other family?”

“The will specifically gave you everything, Mr. Winchester. He wanted you to have this.”

I hop out of my chair and pace behind it in the cramped office. I feel claustrophobic. A familiar itch to get the hell out of this town tugs at me. I knew coming back to Alpine Valley was a mistake. If Mr. Giles hadn’t insisted on doing everything in person, I’d have been more than happy to settle all of this with a Zoom call and electronic signatures.

Except I wouldn’t have gotten to see Piper in the red sweater .

“You can always donate the money,” Mr. Giles suggests after my silence stretches to the point of breaking us both.

“Great idea. Can you handle that?”

“I can’t,” Mr. Giles says, “But you can.”

I run a hand through my hair, mentally counting to ten. I don’t understand why Uncle Roy left me a dime. The night I skipped town was the last I ever saw or heard from the man. He didn’t try to find me or track me down. He simply let me go. I thought he was relieved to be rid of the burden. So what the hell is this inheritance about?

“You might stop by the VFW Christmas party,” Mr. Giles suggests. “I’m sure they would appreciate a donation.”

“VFW.” I stare at the metal box taunting me from the desk. Roy was a Vietnam veteran. He used to go to those meetings religiously. It would make sense to donate the money to them. Maybe some other organizations in town, too, depending on how much he stashed. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. When’s that?”

“Day after tomorrow.”

I suppose two more days in Alpine Valley won’t kill me. Though, if I run into Piper Stanton again, she just might. I can’t help but grin at the memory of her fiery blue eyes. Even if she wants to slap me, I’d be happy for the attention. We always ended our fights with more clothes missing than not. Always smiling. Always sated.

The email referencing a donation pops up on my screen again, drawing my attention back to Piper nestled against me, the lit-up evergreen in the park filling the background. I can practically hear her say, “You know this is a sign, right?”

“Guess I’m staying in town a little longer than I planned.” I shake hands with Mr. Giles before hefting the surprisingly heavy cash box—just how much is in this thing? Scooping the keys off the desk, I shove them in a pocket and head back to my truck.

My gaze lands on the community center down the street, a decision made in a single heartbeat. This Christmas, I’m going to do everything in my power to win Piper back. And this time when I convince her to run away with me, I’ll give her the luxurious life she’s always deserved.