I stared at him pointedly. “You know what.”
Lydia made a strangled sound, halfway between laughter and horror. Callum grinned like he knew something I should.
Drew’s grin turned downright sinful. “Yeah. Guess I do.”
“Okay!” Lydia said brightly, clapping again. “Cocoa it is!”
Callum slung an arm around her shoulders, still chuckling. “You two are something else.”
“I’m something,” I said. “Not sure what, but something.”
They led the way toward the bar, and I fell into step beside Drew because apparently the universe hadn’t humiliated me enough for one day. The scent of pine and whiskey drifted off him, that maddening mix of outdoors and temptation that I wished I could forget.
“So,” he said casually, like my heart wasn’t doing cartwheels, “how’s life in the big city?”
“Fantastic,” I said. “I’ve developed more road rage and my caffeine addiction has grown. Living the dream.”
“Sounds healthy.”
“It’s honest.”
He smiled sideways. “Still honest. Still angry. Still—”
“Don’t say it,” I warned.
“Still beautiful,” he finished anyway, damn him.
I glared up at him. “You always this smooth with the ladies?”
He shrugged. “Only when I’m sober.”
“You’ve been drinking?”
“Nope.” His grin widened. “Guess that means I’m just naturally charming.”
I rolled my eyes so hard I saw snowflakes. “You’re impossible.”
“And you’re still fun to annoy,” he said, holding the door open for me.
I paused just long enough to look him dead in the eye. “Annoying me is not foreplay.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
“Keep talking and I’ll throw hot cocoa on you.”
His grin only deepened. “Promises, promises. Maybe you’ll lick it off?”
Lydia and Callum were at the bar, pretending very badly not to listen. Lydia’s cheeks were pink from the cold, or maybe from amusement, and Callum had that smug look of a man who knew love was contagious.
I slid onto a stool, refusing to make eye contact with Drew as he went behind the bar to help.
“So, what’s the plan?” I asked Lydia. “Tree lighting? Cookie swaps? Public humiliation?”
“All of the above,” she said cheerfully. “Starting with helping me hang the ornaments tonight.”
“Count me in for cocoa supervision,” I said.
“Count me in for moral support,” Drew added.
