Page 41 of Falling for the Grinchy Bad Boy

“I’d rather not complicate my life when I’m trying to get things on track,” I said, standing up and reaching for my clipboard again. “This job is important to me. This is my chance to prove I can do something important, something that matters to the community. I don’t want to let you down. I can’t afford to get distracted by other things.”

“And you think having feelings for Cooper is a distraction?”

“I think having feelings for anyone right now is a distraction I can’t afford.” But even as I said it, I knew it wasn’t entirely true. The feelings were already there, whether I wanted them or not.

Aunt Victoria studied my face for a long moment, then nodded. “Alright. I can respect that. But don’t use your job as an excuse to hide from something that could make you happy.”

“I’m not hiding,” I said.

“Of course you’re not.” She stood up and grabbed her coat from the back of a chair. “Come on then. Let’s go make sure your lighting ceremony is absolutely perfect.”

“You’re coming with me?”

“Someone needs to make sure you don’t organize yourself into a nervous breakdown before the big event.”

We gathered up all my supplies and I caught myself checking my reflection in the hallway mirror. My hair was still neat in its ponytail, my lipstick wasn’t completely worn off, and the red sweater I’d chosen actually did look pretty good on me. I wore my black heeled boots that I knew made my ass look great. And I wore my favorite black skinny jeans. Very slimming.

Not that I was trying to look good for anyone in particular. I was just being professional. Event coordinators should look put-together.

“You look beautiful, by the way,” Aunt Victoria said as we loaded everything into her car.

“I look stressed.”

“You look like a woman who’s about to pull off the most successful Christmas tree lighting this town has ever seen. And if a certain firefighter happens to notice how lovely you look while you’re doing it, well, that’s just a bonus.”

I rolled my eyes, but I was smiling despite myself. “One crisis at a time, Aunt Victoria.”

“Fair enough,” she said, starting the car. “But after tonight, when your big event is behind you and you’ve proven to everyone what a capable, successful woman you are, maybe you’ll be ready to tackle a different kind of challenge.”

Even if I couldn’t stop thinking about the way Cooper had looked at that completed tree, or the way he smiled when he’d tasted that peppermint mocha, I was not letting myself get involved.

One crisis at a time, I reminded myself.