Chapter 22

• Aria
• Christmas is just two days away, and the hall already smells like the season itself—peppermint, pine, and that cloyingly sweet sugar-cookie air freshener someone thought was a brilliant idea to pump through the vents. The air is crisp, carrying a slight chill, but the soft glow of Christmas lights strung everywhere adds a cozy warmth to the atmosphere.
• My dress, a festive piece Lucas picked out for me at the boutique, clings in all the right places. I hate to admit it, but the guy has an annoyingly impeccable sense of style.