THE BENNETTS' CHRISTMAS (The Bennett Family and the Masters Family #6) - Brenda Jackson Page 0,103

the souvenirs he’d bought for everyone.

But now that he was alone again, he couldn’t help thinking of Monica. More than once since he’d returned, he had been tempted to call her, but he wanted to give her space. Still, he couldn’t help wondering if she was missing him as much as he was missing her?

Landon glanced at a packet he’d left on his dresser this morning, then went over and picked it up and pulled out the contents. The cruise line staff had taken a lot of professional photos and he had bought them all. He’d given Monica most of them, but he’d kept his three favorite photos of them together. Looking at them now made him ache for her even more. He should just trash them, but he couldn’t make himself do it. He couldn’t toss away visuals of their days together, any more than he could forget her.

But like he told Duan, he would get on with his life...without her in it. He refused to pine over a woman who wouldn’t love him back.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

“COME IN, BREE.”

Sebrina walked into Monica’s bedroom, and leaned against the door jamb. “I saw the light still on and figured you hadn’t gone to bed yet,” she said.

“No, I’m packing. I fly out in the morning for Atlanta,” Monica said, placing more items in the suitcase that was spread out on her bed. “Are you still flying out to spend time with your dad and his folks on Christmas Eve?”

“Yes, then I’ll join you, Mom, Michael and Mike for Christmas dinner. I understand Kennedy and Haddison will be there too, after they see his uncle and aunt for Christmas breakfast here in St. Paul.”

“That sounds great,” Monica said. “I can’t wait to hang out with everyone. Kelly and my brothers are coming to the Bennetts’ family reunion too, so I’ll have a chance to see them.”

“I look forward to the family reunion every year. It’s the perfect time of year to get together and catch up.”

Monica glanced at her watch then back at Sebrina. “What are you doing up? Are you off work tonight?”

Sebrina felt there was no need to tell her sister that she couldn’t sleep. That she hadn’t been able to sleep for days. Not since Monica had returned and Sebrina had put an end to her affair with Parker.

“I work tonight. But I slept already today and figured that I’d spend some time talking with you. I haven’t seen you much since you got back. And I haven’t seen your cruise pictures. Knowing you, I’m sure you took a bunch.”

Monica smiled faintly. “Yes, I did. I really enjoyed the cruise, Bree.”

Sebrina came to sit on the stool in the room. “Umm...did you enjoy the cruise, or the guy you spent most of your time with?”

“Both,” Monica said, opening up the drawer to her nightstand and pulling out a packet to hand to Sebrina. “These are the professional ones taken by the cruise photographers. I haven’t had time to download the ones I took on my phone to a flash-drive yet.”

Sebrina opened up the packet and pulled out the photos. “Wow! This guy is hot! And the two of you look good together.”

“I thought so.”

Sebrina gazed over at Monica and saw the sadness in her eyes, and the tears her sister was trying to hold back. “I’m sorry, Monica.”

Monica glanced at her. “Sorry about what?”

“I’m sorry that you wanted more out of the relationship than an ocean fling and that Landon Chestnut didn’t.”

Monica swiped at her tears. “That’s not how it was. In fact, it was just the opposite.”

Sebrina raised a brow. “What do you mean?”

She saw Monica’s eyes truly well up then. “I’m the one who only wanted a cruise fling. Landon wanted more. He even told me that he believed fate brought us together those two times we ran into each other. He was convinced that we were destined to share a future together. He told me that he loves me, but I refuse to believe that.”

Sebrina scooted the stool closer to Monica and took her sister’s hands in hers to stop it from trembling. “Why, Monica?”

“Because you know my plans, Bree. I can’t get serious with a guy until I’m in my mid-thirties. I have to get my PhD.”

Sebrina nodded. “And you don’t think you can do that if you and Landon are together?”

“No. He turned thirty-seven the other day. He’ll probably want to start a family soon…and I’m not ready. It wouldn’t be fair to have him