“No,” I say, my eyes burning. “They were full of shit.” The words sting more than I want to admit. I can see Roland pulling a prank. But Alex…
“I don’t think they were,” Bethany says. “I heard that conversation, Fin. I think Roland was serious.”
“Roland was serious,” I counter. “Alex is supposedly the one who needs a girlfriend, but Roland’s the one who pushed it.” All the more reason to believe it was a setup.
“Just hear him out,” Maggie pleads. “Every Christmas you say how much you wish you could have a real one—snow, a tree and all the trimmings. That place has sleigh rides, for Christ’s sake. At least hear him out. Especially since it’s all expenses paid.”
Weirdly, I haven’t thought about the cost. Not that it matters. Every penny I earn goes to bills. Maybe someday I’ll be able to afford a trip like Hollybrook over the holidays, but not now. Hell, I can’t even afford to take the time off work.
I shake my head. “This is insane. There’s no way I can do this.”
“There he is!” Bethany squeals, clutching her hands to her chest. “He just got off the elevators, and he’s headed this way!”
My heart hammers as Alex strides across the lobby. He’s wearing the blue button-down and gray tie he had on this morning. His dress trousers cling to his hips, and I know I’m in trouble.
Alex King is too good-looking for his own good. Or mine.
Bethany’s eyes go dreamy. “Fin, you could do a hell of a lot worse than Alex King.”
Maybe so, but I’m equally sure that I am not the kind of woman he’s looking for. Besides, I have a plan for my life, and it doesn’t include a boyfriend. If I get the scholarship I applied for, my next two years will be busy with nursing school.
When I’m an RN, then I can think about a romantic life. For now, I need to stay focused.
Barb’s voice echoes in my head. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a fling.
Not helping, Barb.
Maggie squeezes my hand. “Fin, just hear him out. The fact that he’s here means it’s real.”
“Unless he’s here to say the whole thing was a joke.”
She frowns. “That boy would never do that to you. What’s the harm in hearing him out?”
I want to ask her how she knows he won’t. I’d like to think the man I’ve gotten to know over the past year and a half wouldn’t, but how can I be sure?
“I don’t know if I should trust him, Mags.” My voice trembles.
“If it was Roland, I’d tell you to run,” she says, deadly serious. “But Alex? He’ll give it to you straight.”
Right then Alex walks through the door, scanning the tables, probably trying to figure out where he should sit.
I should march over there and tell him that I have a life. That I can’t just drop everything and pretend to be his girlfriend for his family. Even if he claimed to be interested in me, I wouldn’t really be his girlfriend. It would all be a lie.
But Christmas in Hollybrook…
Around noon, when I’d had a spare thirty seconds, I made the mistake of Googling the town.
Huge mistake.
Hollybrook was everything my mother and I had ever dreamed about. Every daydream, every fantasy I’d ever had about Christmas all rolled into one small town. It looked like something out of the Swiss Alps, complete with Bavarian buildings and a Christmas market. Alex hadn’t been lying about the reindeer, the sleigh rides, or the gingerbread decorating contest. Add in snow skiing, caroling, and so many shops. And the food! They actually have roasted chestnuts. I had no idea those things were even real. Now I’m desperate to go to a place I hadn’t even heard of three hours ago. Even if I know it sounds too good to be true.
“Live a little, Finley” Maggie says, resting her warm hands on my shoulders as she searches my eyes. “If anyone deserves something good, it’s you.” She gives me a gentle push. “Now go talk to him. If you’re still worried, make it a business deal. Tell him what you expect and see what he’s willing to give.” She shrugs. “He’s the one with a ticking clock. Which means you’ve got the advantage.”
She has a point.
“Here.” Bethany shoves two ceramic mugs into my hands. “A peppermint mocha for you, and his usual flat white.”
“Thanks.” I carry them toward the table, suddenly hyper-aware of my appearance. I wish I’d had time to check my hair or touch up my lip gloss. But Maggie’s right. I’m not auditioning to be his girlfriend. If I agree to this, it’s a business deal. A businessman like Alex will appreciate that.
