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Jaxon nodded. "Born and raised. I've lived here my whole life. And believe me, even coming from a place like this, I've still heard all the jokes. What about you, Holly Evergreen? You can't exactly talk."
They continued on their way, passing by a frozen pond that was now covered in a thin layer of ice.
"My mother was a complete Christmas fanatic," Holly explained wistfully. "She loved everything about the season, and with a name like Evergreen, it was only natural that my sister and I were called Holly and Ivy."
"Then with names like ours, perhaps it was fate that threw us together," Jaxon murmured with a quirk of one sexy eyebrow.
Could eyebrows be sexy?
Stop deflecting! Her inner voice screamed.
Luckily, Holly didn't need to respond since they arrived at a cozy little restaurant, the warm glow of its lights spilling out onto the street.
Jaxon led Holly inside. Stepping through the door, Holly was immediately enveloped in a comforting warmth that sent a shiver of relief down her spine. She glanced around, taking in the tastefully decorated space with its festive garlands and softly glowing fairy lights, and she was immediately hit by the scent of spices and roasting meat. Her stomach grumbled in response.
The restaurant was bustling, every table taken, but Jaxon spoke to someone Holly assumed was the manager, and she was immediately seated at a small table in the corner. Holly couldn't believe her luck.
"Thank you so much, Jaxon. I don't know how to repay you," Holly said, looking up at him gratefully.
Jaxon shrugged, "It's no problem. I hate to see anyone out in the cold like that."
Holly smiled, "Well, I appreciate it. And if there's ever something I can do for you, then all you need to do is ask."
He looked at her consideringly, and Holly held her breath, thinking for a moment that he might invite her on a date or something.
She wouldn't be opposed.
But then his name was called, and the look changed to apologetic. "Sorry to abandon you. As much as I hate to see a lovely lady eating on her own, I need to get to work."
And with that, he was gone.
CHAPTER THREE
Holly had just ordered when a shadow loomed over her, blocking out the twinkling lights and causing a subtle change to the relaxed ambiance.
“You’re sitting at my table.” The words were clipped, cold, and unfriendly.
Holly looked around helplessly, like the table might have a name or reserved plaque on it, then up into a pair of arctic gray eyes.
Okay, so it was true. The men in this place were all stunningly handsome, but not all of them were quite so friendly.
Holly felt her heart sink, and swallowed as she clasped her purse. “I’m so sorry. Jaxson said it would be okay if I sat here. I expect he didn’t know it was taken. I’ll get out of your way.”
Tears pricked at the back of her eyes. She hadn’t even fully warmed up yet, and her feet still felt like blocks of ice.
Rising, she looked around for the waiter who had taken her order, but he was nowhere in sight. Holly bit her lip. “Perhaps you could tell the waiter to cancel my order.”
She rummaged about in her purse and drew out some cash, dropping it on the table. “This should cover any trouble he went to.”
She turned to leave, feeling the weight of everything that happened throughout this entire day settle onto her shoulders.
"Wait. That's not necessary." Holly stopped but didn't turn back to him. She didn't want to see the derision in his eyes. Today had been enough.
"It's a tip," she replied, her voice brittle with the emotion she was suppressing. "The people here were nice to me..." She didn't say the rest, that he was completely the opposite.
"No," His voice softened ever so slightly. "I mean, you can stay... as long as you're not opposed to sharing the table with me, that is."
Holly looked over her shoulder and blinked in surprise, uncertain if she'd heard him correctly. He stood by the side of her chair, holding it for her. "I'm sorry," the man said, his gentle tone belying the irritation with which he'd scalded her a moment ago. "I didn't mean to come across so harshly. It's just that this table is permanently reserved for myself and a friend, and I was surprised to see someone else here."
