Free The Christmas Key by Chacelyn Pierce Page A

do this anymore!"
    "Do what, Nathan?" She tried not to grit her teeth, a bad habit she'd been trying to break. "What are you talking about? You can't do what?"
    "Us! Seems like all you have time for is just our vacations. You're either at a big movie premiere in L.A, an interview in some exotic destination I'll never see, or having drinks with movie stars. I can't…I just can't anymore. It's not the same as it used to be, plus…plus, I've met someone else. I want to spend my Christmas with her."
    Shalaine almost dropped the phone when he uttered those last words. Her fist tightened, bending the pen in an arch and cramping her knuckles. A fog settled into Shalaine's mind as she searched through her memory for any sign of blatant disloyalty. Was he really so callous? Had the signs always been there and she was too blind to see?
    "I can't fucking believe you, Nathan! You wait till now to tell me this!" She thought they were doing okay. What a lie. "After everything we've been through."
    "Well, it's a mistake on my part for the timing. As far as all the things we’ve been through, you were hardly there. Our relationship is based off of texts, emails, Skype, and phone calls. I still love you, just not the same."
    What the hell did he mean by that? His measly declaration of love enraged her. "Love? How long have you been cheating on me?"
    "Don't say it like that, Shay."
    "Why not? That's what it is: cheating !" A part of her was scared to hear the truth. Who knew how long he'd been dipping out behind her back. She liked to believe she tried to move the stars for him, but Nathan did have some valid points. Things had been a bit dull as far as the relationship went. She’d been fooling herself, obviously. Here she was expecting a ring on winter break, but what she got was dumped. "How long have you been seeing someone else?" she rephrased, inwardly rolling her eyes.
    " Six months."
    Dear Lord, he was liar, cheater, and a prick. She glared at the phone in disbelief, her grip causing her knuckles to hurt. "Who is it?" she asked even though she had a sneaking suspicion exactly who.
    He sighed , as if the conversation had become boring for him. "No one you know. It's not important. This is about me and you. Not me and her."
    "You vindictive asshole!" Shalaine slammed the phone down and waited to see if he would call back. The phone sat in silence and she removed her shaky hand from the receiver after a couple of minutes. Why would he call back? He'd said his piece and now he could frolic off with his new girlfriend and though he didn't say, Shalaine had a sneaking suspicion of who it was. He'd mentioned his neighbor down the hall a few times more than she cared to hear. He'd helped the lady move her couch, her TV, jump-start her damn car. Plus, there was that night after the Halloween party when the two of them had ogled each other in the hall. She’d had to all but hit Nathan upside his head to get him to snap out of his trance. He’d been pretty intent on little Ms. 1B in her Catwoman suit.
    S he wasn't crying yet, which came as a surprise. She expected after three years for there to be a few tears shed for Nathan. Her body was shaking and she had to flex her hands from them being clamped so tight. Six months of cheating. Why hadn't she known? Were the signs always there and she just turned away in denial? She tried to think back and remembered asking him if they should think about getting a place together. He always said they should wait just a little longer. No doubt he enjoyed being a bachelor on the same floor as Ms. Catwoman and had no intentions of leaving the kitty behind.
    Shalaine thought of the last time they’d had sex and cringed. It had been awhile. Her Aunt Claire's fiftieth birthday party to be exact. That was…well, that was two months ago. She sighed. It had been going down the crapper even then. Two months… She got furious at him all over again. Six months . He’d been seeing his new girlfriend during their