Read Twist of Fate (A Holiday Romance Novella) for Free Online

mother showing up and scaring her away, too—not that Ty couldn’t do that on his own.
    Seriously, how could a night that started off so well end like this?
    Kenzie squeezed his hand. “I’ll call and tell her that something’s come up and it won’t work for her to come this weekend. I can keep putting her off until you’re ready to talk.”
    Ty was tempted to agree, but that would only put Kenzie in a position where she, too, would have to avoid his mother.
    “No,” he said. “I have to talk to her sooner or later so I might as well get it over with.”
    Kenzie bit her lip and then let it go. “I’m so sorry, Ty.” She squeezed his hand. “But maybe she’s learned her lesson and things will be better now?”
    The hope in her eyes made Ty want to laugh. “Go ahead and think that if it makes you feel better.”
    “I will.” Kenzie wiped her eyes once again. “Besides, she’ll be staying with me so you won’t have to see her that much if you don’t want to. Maybe you could just come to dinner Sunday night and give her the chance to tell you whatever it is she needs you to hear. Then I promise to keep her busy the rest of the week.”
    Ty bit back a curse as he threw his 4-Runner into gear and merged on to the road, dreading Sunday already.
     

TY PAUSED WITH his hand poised to knock as muffled female voices met his ears. His mother, the woman he’d spent the entire past year trying to avoid, was on the other side of the door with Kenzie, the last woman he’d ever want to avoid. If that didn’t have the makings for an awkward night, Ty didn’t know what did.
    He knocked.
    Moments later, Kenzie flung the door wide with one of her signature smiles. She’d braided her hair into two long braids, farmer’s daughter style, making Ty want to tug on one of them and pull her into his arms. Elegant Kenzie, working Kenzie, frazzled Kenzie, cute Kenzie—he’d take them all.
    “Hey,” she said.
    “Tyler!” His mom suddenly materialized before him, throwing her arms around him in a giant bear hug. She looked exactly the same. Tall and pear-shaped, with short, graying curls that moved as one because of all the hairspray she used. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you. It’s been way too long.”
    “Good to see you too, Mom.” Ty patted her back before stepping away. He shuffled his feet and glanced around Kenzie’s apartment, not sure what to say. “How was your flight?”
    “Just awful,” she said. “They made me switch to a center seat, and you know how much I hate being squished between two people on a stuffy airplane. And the stewardess was as sour as an unripe plum.”
    “Sorry.” Ty shot Kenzie a meaningful look before heading toward the stove and lifting the lid on one of the pans. Spaghetti. He picked up a wooden spoon and stirred it around. “Smells good, Kenz. Need any help?”
    Kenzie sidled up beside him and took the spoon away. “No, I’m good. Go ahead and take a seat. It’s pretty much all ready.”
    Seeing no other way out, Ty approached the table the same way he would Kenzie’s students and sat across from his mother, drumming his fingers against the counter.
    “What have you been up to, Tyler?” his mom asked.
    “Not much,” he answered. “Work mainly. Lots of programming. You know, numbers, letters, codes—boring stuff.”
    “I hope you’re having some fun, too.”
    “I am.”
    “Good.”
    Ty’s fingers continued to tap the table. “So… are you planning to host the neighborhood Christmas party again this year?”
    His mother nodded. “It’s become a tradition. People have been asking about it for weeks now, which is why I can only stay until Saturday. I need to get back and start planning.”
    Ty’s fingers stilled. Saturday. Six days from now. 144 hours. He glanced at Kenzie, who avoided eye contact, and for good reason. She’d forgotten to mention that tiny little detail. “Well, if you need to get back sooner, don’t let me keep