“And his girlfriend?”
For a split second, guilt flashes in his eyes. Then he shrugs again.
I’ve always suspected there was a ruthless streak in him, and this pretty much confirms it. “Why not stay in a hotel?”
“For one thing, every hotel in a fifty-mile radius is completely booked. But even if I found a room, my mother would have a fit. She insists Christmas isn’t the same unless we’re all under the same roof. And she’s right. We stay up late talking, playing games, and watching movies. Mornings mean my parents cook amazing breakfasts. And then, of course Christmas Day wouldn’t feel the same if I was driving in from somewhere else.” I’m surprised by the wistfulness in his voice. “It’s home.”
“Which is why Grant and his poor girlfriend get the broken springs and a pack of wild children.”
Alex catches the sympathy in my tone. “Trust me, Finley, he’ll be fine. Besides, he deserves it for all the crap he’s pulled on me over the years.”
My blood turns cold in my veins. “Wait. Am I part of a practical joke?” The edge in my voice is sharp enough to cut glass.
“What? No!” His eyes widen, panic flashing across his face. “It’s not like that.” My glare lingers until he finally looks sheepish. “You’re not a joke, Finley.” He exhales. “I’ll be honest, when Roland pitched it, I thought he was insane. But the more I considered it, the more it made sense.” He leans forward. “You’ve always wanted a white Christmas, and this is your opportunity to experience it. With all the cliché trimmings.”
I cringe. “I don’t know about cliché.”
“Sorry,” he says, his hand raised. “I didn’t mean it that way. I mean traditional. Honestly, I haven’t done any of that stuff in years. My sister Mallory loves Christmas too.” His expression softens. “She’ll adore you. She’s usually outnumbered by us boys, so she’ll have you for an ally. You’ll have an instant friend.”
I have to admit it all sounds tempting, except for the tricking people. “But Alex, it’s your family. You’re bringing a stranger home. At least Grant’s girlfriend is real.”
For the first time, guilt flickers across his face. “I’ve thought about that. Look, I don’t want you to feel trapped. If my family’s too much, then you can head off on your own. The house is only a few blocks from downtown, and I’ll cover for you if you want space. And if you really hate it…” He shrugs. “I’ll send you home early.”
I blink, stunned. “That’s not what I meant. I meant—how do you think your family will feel about me?”
He looks at me like I’ve grown another head. “They’ll love you, Finley.”
Excitement bubbles up before I can stop it. Then reality smacks me like a snowball to the face.
It won’t be real, Finley. It will all just be pretend.
But isn’t pretend better than nothing?
“Okay,” I say slowly, “but if your family hates me?—”
“It’ll never happen,” he says, adamantly.
“For the sake of argument, let’s say they do, and I go home early. Then you’re stuck with the sofa bed.”
He grimaces. “They won’t hate you, and I’m counting on you to fall in love with the town. But if you feel the need to leave, I’ll buy you a ticket home and figure out my sleeping arrangement later.” A mischievous grin lights up his face. “But they say possession is nine-tenths of the law, so Grant will have to drag me out.”
Which meant once he gets in the room, he has no intention of giving it up.
Walk away.
I should get up and go back to work—to my safe world. But every time he mentions his family or the town it makes me want it more.
What am I doing? I can’t believe I’m considering this.
Alex seems nice, but how well do I really know him? He’s sweet when he comes into the shop, and I’ve seen him drop five- and ten-dollar bills into the tip jar. He’s confident, but not like the finance bros from Hillman Investments on the fifteenth floor. I cringe every time they swagger in, ordering their drinks with a heaping side of innuendo. If one of them had proposed this, I wouldn’t be sitting here.
The truth is—I wouldn’t do this with anyone else.
Which is what makes this even more dangerous. Sure, I might get the Christmas I’ve always wanted, with a family that Alex claims will love me—but it’ll be with a man who thinks of me as his sister and a family that’s not mine. Is the reward worth the potential pain?
Be practical, Fin. Treat this like a business deal.
I clear my throat, aiming for professional. I doubt I’m pulling it off, but it’s worth a shot. “We need to talk money. Tickets this close to Christmas won’t be cheap.”
