Ghost of Ex-mas Past

My high school sweetheart left me to pursue his fortune-and I still have to spend every Christmas with him.

It's what I get for falling in love with the boy next door. His parents are my parents' best friends, so even though we went down in flames, every Christmas we had to stay in the same crappy cabin together stuffed with holiday cheer while our families revel in their perfect lives.

I'm not trying to be a scrooge about the whole thing, but it's hard to be stuck in a snowy cabin with my first love.

For Christmas present, things have changed. We're getting a cabin upgrade and Charlie is NOT flying in with his family...

Because I'm his ride.

A ploy from our mothers, no doubt.

And now I'm stuck in a car with the man who broke my heart.

He seems different this year-humble and generous. But I swore that I'm done with dating in the city-I want a small town, charming man in my life, not the disastrous finance and tech bros on the dating apps.

But I still see the ghosts of his past self, though, and after all these years, Charlie's decided he wants me back.

I doubt he's changed that much-he's still a workaholic, and he amassed his new wealth through drive, ambition, and going for exactly what he wants.

And what he wants this Christmas...is me.