"That''s because I was lying," Lucas said tly.

Mia looked like someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over her. "Seriously? That''s how you treat people?!"

"I''ll tell you something real this time," Lucas said with a grin.

"You''re not messing with me again?" she asked, half skeptical.

"Of course not. Wanna hear it?"

Mia''s eyes lit up again. "Obviously! Spill!"

"There was someone who got cklisted from the industry... because she got pregnant."

Mia immediately narrowed her eyes. "Name?"

"Heather Fanning."

"Never heard of her."

Lucas smiled innocently. "Well that''s expected, you didn''t know who I was either."

Mia gave an awkward littleugh. "Okay, fair. So whose baby was it? Was it her sugar daddy''s?"

"Nope."

"Then who?"

Lucas finally burst outughing. "No one. I made it up."

Mia stared at him, speechless, wishing she could throw a rock at his head.

"You are the worst. I helped you out and this is how you repay me? Ever heard of repaying kindness with kindness?" she huffed, rolling her eyes dramatically.

Lucas didn''t look even a little sorry. "Don''t forget, you falsely used me earlier." Mia knew she didn''t have the moral high ground there, but she still wasn''t ready to give in. She stomped her foot in frustration-then spotted a rock on the path and kicked it hard.

"Ouch!" she cried out, instantly tearing up as she grabbed her foot. The rock didn''t even budge.

Lucas frowned. "What happened?"

"I kicked that stupid rock. This is your fault!" she said, now sniffling.

Lucas looked around in a panic,

quickly pulling out a handkerchief

"Hey, hey, don''t cry! I''m sorry, okay? I won joke anymore You want gossip? I''ll tell you everything!"  s

Mia stopped crying on the spot, but her foot still hurt like crazy. "I can''t walk. Go find someone to help me."

Lucas nced around. They were at the garden path behind the Emotional Release Center-no one was around.fn2cf3 Find the newest release on find(?)ovel/fn2cf3

He crouched down in front of her. "Climb on."

Mia hesitated. "Is that really necessary?"

"You just said this is all my fault, didn''t you?" Lucas replied, leaving no room for argument. "Come on."

So she climbed onto his back and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly.

Lucas slowly stood up and, slightly surprised, muttered, "You''re lighter than you looked."

"Excuse me?" Mia smacked his shoulder. The sudden motion made her slip a little, so she quickly tightened her grip again. "I am light!"

They walked along the flower-lined path, Mia humming a cheerful tune as shey on his back.

Lucas couldn''t help but smile. He hadn''t felt this rxed in a long time.

He''de to the Emotional Release Center hoping to unwind-but joking around

with Mia just now had made himugh more than he had in weeks.

"Hey, Lucas. You promised me gossip, remember?"

"I did. Alright, let me tell you one..."

The Chancer Residence.

Charlotte had gotten herself ready nearly two hours before James was even off work. She''d even brought in a professional makeup artist to do her makeup.  s

Staring at her wless reflection in the mirror, she felt like she''d gone b?ck in time—back to before sh

had the baby. Her heart was full of ve anticipation, waiting for James to walk through the door.  s

She''d nned out everything.

This Christmas Eve was going to be perfect.

She was going to make things right between them.