Page 24 of Christmas By The Book

I didn’t know how she hadn’t figured out who I was yet, but perhaps she just didn’t pay that much attention to the models on the covers of her books. I had noticed how her eyes seemed to skim over the ones in the romance section, much to my relief. I didn’t know how she would feel about me if she discovered that I had done that for work for such a long time. I knew how people thought of models, as these vapid, self-centered narcissists who were always looking for people to admire them, but that had never been me. It had just been a way to make a little extra money, and that was how I had wanted to keep it.

Especially with her.

“You’ve done an amazing job with the book fair,” she gushed, as she finished up her meal. “I don’t know what I would have done without you, honestly. It’s crazy, I would have given up as soon as I had heard about the blizzard, but...”

She smiled at me across the table.

“Well, I’m glad I didn’t,” she finished up softly. “And I’m glad you ended up in Mastin Falls, of all places. I know it’s not what you’re used to.”

“That’s exactly why I came here,” I reminded her. “I wanted something completely different. Something unlike anything I had experienced before.”

“You’re so brave,” she murmured, shaking her head. “I don’t think I could ever have done something like that. You know, just giving up my life and starting over somewhere new.”

“I think there’s bravery in putting down roots somewhere, too,” I remarked to her.

She raised her eyebrows at me. “Really?”

“Really,” I replied. “There’s bravery in being willing to stay in one place, let people really get to know you, make a reputation for yourself there. I don’t know many people who could do what you had done, especially after everyone you’ve lost. You’re amazing, Jorja. Really.”

Her face softened into a smile. “You’re going to make me cry into my waffles,” she teased me lightly, shifting the tone to something a little brighter.

Soon enough, we had finished up, and I drove her back to her place to drop her off before the book fair the next day. I could tell that she was still seriously nervous, already slotting back into overthinking mode, and I walked her to her door. With how forgetful and distracted she had been today, it wouldn’t have surprised me if she had just missed it entirely and spent the night wandering around town.

“You going to be okay?” I asked her, and she nodded.

“I’ll be fine,” she replied. “I mean, it’s just the future of my grandmother’s store on the line, right? No big deal.”

I chuckled slightly, and our fingers brushed together for a moment. The way she was looking at me, it was so... soft. Open. I felt almost bad for keeping the truth of my past from her, but honestly, I didn’t want her to get distracted right now.

And I didn’t want anything to come between us in this moment.

Slowly, I leaned forward and planted my lips against her cheek. Her skin was soft, her sweet perfume filling my senses. She leaned in to me, her fingers wrapping around mine for a moment. I could hear her drawing in a sharp breath, like this was the last thing she had expected, but the first thing she had wanted.

When I pulled back, I ran my hand along her arm lightly. “You get some sleep,” I ordered her kindly. “And I’ll see you at the store first thing tomorrow.”

“I’ll see you then,” she replied. I could see the pink tinge to her cheeks again, and I was sure it was from more than just the cold. She lingered for another moment, like there was more she wanted to do before she left, but then, finally, she turned and headed inside the house. I waited until I heard the door lock behind her, and then headed back to my car.

The feel of her skin still fresh on my mouth and the glow of her living room window into my rearview mirror.

Chapter Fourteen

Jorja

I HEAVED THE BOX OUT on to the large table we had set up on the street, and dumped it down, catching my breath.

“Why do these things have to be so heavy?” I complained to Seth, as I started unpacking the box.

“Because nothing worth doing is meant to be easy,” he replied with that brightness he always seemed to muster in the face of any kind of adversity.

It was barely six in the morning, but I was already down at the store, moving books out on to the table outside, the posters plastered up in the window to announce the book fair was starting any moment now. I was so proud of all the work we had done, but it wasn’t enough to get rid of my anxiety entirely. I still needed this to actually work. We had the permit to do the fair for today and tomorrow, so I knew I shouldn’t put all my stock in right here, right now, but it was hard not to wish things into hurrying along a little.

We were stacking up a few books outside. I had carefully curated the collection I wanted to sell in this book fair, choosing books I was sure would be easy to shift. Classics, along with a few bestsellers with pretty covers that would catch the eye of anyone walking past. In a matter of hours, I hoped we had managed to move a good portion of them. There were plenty more inside, too, and we had set up a little hot chocolate station where people could get themselves something to drink if they wanted.

The blizzard seemed to be holding off for the time being, much to my relief. I wanted there to be plenty of people on the streets today, and I just had to hope that they would be ready to buy a few books. I appreciated the campaign Seth had helped me put together, and I just had to pray it was going to be enough.

Finally, come seven, we were set up and ready to go, and the two of us planted behind our table and waiting for people to start coming up to us with interest. Seth had taken the day off his job at the hardware store to help me out, though I had tried to convince him not to. He seemed so insistent on doing everything he could to make sure this worked out, and I was so lucky to have him by my side to get this off the ground.

“How long do you think it’s going to be before we make the first sale?” I asked him, shifting my weight from foot to foot nervously.