Page 32 of Dumped for a Christmas Tree Farmer

Oh.

My.

God.

He did not just say that to me.

“Unfortunately for you, I’m a raging bitch for the entire month. Now get the hell off me.”

He has the audacity to laugh as other patrons start to look over, including Mav. He’s up and out of his seat, striding toward our booth, and it’s like James disappears. The Mav effect is in full force—everything else becomes blurry, and I inhale the clean linen scent coming off his clothing, a hint of sweetness from the bakery, and so much man that I want to run my tongue up his neck just to get a taste.

“Indy, I’ve been looking for you.”

“She’s busy. We’re having a conversation,” James says.

“Indy?” Mav asks, his gaze dipping down to my neck, right where he’d had his lips earlier.

“I’m done.”

He nods sternly, in that way that tells me he’s about to handle business. “The lady asked to leave. Now get up and let her out. Or did you wanna have a chat with my left hook again?”

Sliding out of the booth, he sneers at Mav, squaring up to him, chest puffed out like a boxer at weigh-in time. His chest pushes into Mav’s as Mav holds out a hand for me to take. I ignore it because I’m not happy with him either.

“Let me take you home, Indy. So we can talk,” James says.

Before I can respond, Mav speaks up, tapping his finger against his neck. “That hickey is looking a little sore, Indy. I’ll go easier next time.”

No, he did not.

Apparently there’s a pissing contest, and I’m the hydrant while these two both cock their legs.

James’s eyes dart to my neck, his nostrils flaring like a bull about to charge.

He shoves a finger into Mav’s chest. “He is not a good guy, Indy. The things Holly told me about him—” He shakes his head. “He’s not right for you. Let me take you home.”

Mav scoffs, his head rolling back until Charlie makes an appearance with Bella tucked behind him.

“She’s not going home with you.”

“Mav—”

His head snaps around, thunder in his eyes, anger radiating off his body. “No. He strung you along for nearly a year. He doesn’t get to come back now.” The last of his words are softer. Almost pleading. But this is exactly what he wanted. Exactly what he planned for. James out of the way so he’d swoop in and win Holly back. He’s just getting territorial, jealous. That’s all this is.

“This is what you wanted, Mav,” I say calmly.

His mouth parts before he clenches his teeth, the tic in his jaw making a sudden appearance like a tiny angry fuck you.

I wait until the message I’m trying to convey with my wide eyes is accepted. Mav gives me a small nod, knocks his shoulder into James, and stalks back to the booth.

James puts his hand on my lower back, leading me out of the bar. It’s time to end this.

Chapter Fourteen

December 28

Indy

It’s snowing again as we leave the bar, the weather coming in thick and fast, icicles forming on the eaves of each building, threatening to plunge down and shoot through someone’s skull with not so much as a moment's notice. I must remember to bash the ones around the B&B. Having a guest impaled by an icicle only to be found by the owner a few hours later would make for a terrible review, but possibly a great Netflix murder mystery.