I pull up to my cousin's Tampa abode, sigh and kill the engine. I pop the trunk, pocket my keys and grab the bags of presents before slamming the hatchback trunk. My shoes slap the black asphalt as I approach his door, rapping on the wood loudly. I hear him talking on the phone loudly, laughing about something and insisting the person stay with us after his recent break up. Who could this fucker be this time?

"Koralyna!" he shouts, embracing me in his muscular arms within moments of opening his door.

I stand 5'9", weigh a tiny 124 and have light jade eyes that pop with my contrasting dark auburn locks. My hair is a wavy mess and I'm dressed down in jeans and a football jersey. "Johnny!" I retort playfully, hugging him with my now empty arms since I dropped the clusterfuck of bags on his door step.

He's only 4 measly inches taller and still has to bend down to hug me! He offers me his phone, his bright blues shining with amusement and I know he's attempting to play cupid again. "Just talk to him, he's a good guy, 'Lyna," he pleads.

"No more cupid, you promised me."

He marks an X over his heart and poses as if he were surrendering, taking the plethora of gifts to arrange beneath the tree. He points to the LayZBoy chair and I flop back in the recliner, smiling at him putting the colorfully wrapped boxes under the Christmas tree. "Hello?" I say into the phone's reciever, checking my cell for missed messages and whatnot.

"Hi?" he nervously responds.

"I'm Koralyna, as you no doubt heard John yell in your ear," I tease, my cousin turning to point at me in a manner that tells me to be nice and I roll my eyes.

"I'm Justin. How do you know him, Koralyna?"

"I'm his cousin, his dad and my mom are brother and sister. You?"

"Met at an awards show a few years back, 2005 I think."

"Which one? He went to a few that year."

"It's been too long, can't remember."

I put my feet up on the raised foot rest, having pushed the button to recline the chair. "True. What do you do for a living, Justin?"

"I'm in the movie and music industries. How about yourself?"

"I'm a family advocate for low income families in the Tampa/Orlando area who are in special treatment centers."

"So you help families with special needs?"

"Mainly in the medical field, but I sometimes help within the community they reside in and at the childrens' schools, but yes."

"Interesting. John was saying that I should spend the holiday with you guys, but I don't wanna impose."

I'm seriously going to kill John. "If he invited you, I have to respect his wishes," I confess, giving the man I consider a deadly glare.

"Are you sure?" he cautiously inquires.

"Of course."

"I can be there the 21st, I hope that's not too soon," he offers.

"No, it's perfect."

"When will you be there?"

"Now until the 5th of January because I'm on vacation."

He gives me his cell phone number and hangs up. John looks at me innocently when I hands him back his phone and I stand, grinning. "What?"

I scowl at him. "You promised."

"I sent him a picture of you and he said he wanted to meet you, informing me he had no plans for the holiday in just over a week," he explains.

When he puts it that way, I feel like such an ass. "No cupid," I enforce, pointing at him.

"No cupid," he agrees, marking another X over his heart and raising his hand as if being sworn into court or something.

"If I find out otherwise, it's me and you to the tap out, Cushing boy!" I threaten.

"Right, Little 'Lyna," he sneers, walking away.

"I let you win every time before!"

"And I'm Nick from that boyband you used to listen to!" he fires back, waving dismissively at me over his shoulder.