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There was a problem with that, though. It was only a matter of time before the entire town thought she was in love with Holden Pryce. Not just in love with him but engaged to him. They’d expect wedding planning and then a wedding, but sooner or later, she’d have to admit they’d been lying all along. And that would be even more embarrassing than admitting her engagement to some guy on the other side of the world had ended.
Maybe she hadn’t thought this through.
“Got it!” Nic called out as they approached.
He held two disposable coffee cups while Holden somehow managed to balance three. Faith grabbed two of them, already scanning the area for signs of J.J. She wasn’t out here yet.
“There’s your mistletoe,” Nic said.
“What do you know?” Charity smiled. “I wouldn’t think you’d find mistletoe in a church lobby, but there it is.”
“You didn’t hang that one?” Holden asked.
“Nope. It was probably Mrs. Murray. She’s a bit of a romantic.”
This whole conversation was happening as Holden and Faith quietly sipped their cocoa. It was delicious—rich and creamy. Just what she needed to soothe herself right now.
“So, here’s what we do.” Nic looked back over at the piece of greenery hanging from the ceiling near the Christmas tree. “You two kiss. I’ll snap a picture and send it to Noelle, telling her we found her third couple. She wins.”
“What does she win?” Holden asked.
Faith couldn’t seem to form words. Her heart was beating so fast, she was sure everyone around her could hear it.
“Noelle will probably say it doesn’t count because you two were engaged before you kissed,” Charity said.
“She might not know that, though,” Nic said. “It can’t hurt to try.”
Faith watched this interchange between her sister and a guy they’d known most of their lives. A guy she’d previously known as her sister’s ex. What if this wasn’t about Noelle and some bet? Was it possible the two of them suspected Faith and Holden were putting on an act? Maybe their fixation on the mistletoe was a way to push the two of them together.
No, that was absurd. Nic and Charity wouldn’t play matchmaker like that, would they?
“Let’s do it,” Holden said, his words jerking Faith from her thoughts.
“I’ll hold your drink,” Nic said.
That left her hand free for Holden to grab. As she adjusted to the comfortable feel of his hand around hers, he tugged her toward the tree.
Luckily, the lobby had emptied at lightning speed after everyone had grabbed some of the free cocoa, so they wouldn’t have much of an audience. It was Christmas Eve. Everyone was eager to get home.
Was it her imagination, or was he moving awfully quickly toward that mistletoe? He was practically pulling her along, and it wasn’t like she was dragging her feet. Was it possible he was eager to kiss her? Or maybe it was just to get this over with so everyone would leave them alone.
When he turned to face her, she went a little weak in the knees, but she managed to place herself under the mistletoe. That put her close to him—so close.
“We have to do it,” he said with a smile, tilting his head slightly to the left. “For our audience.”
Everything about that smile told her he wasn’t just doing this for the audience. It was flirtatious. She’d never had a man this handsome flirt with her.
He reached up with one hand and touched the side of her face, brushing his thumb along her cheek. She held her breath, knowing if she didn’t, a sigh would slip out.
And then his head was lowering toward hers. The breath she’d been holding seeped out just before his lips touched hers. That one kiss told her that her life would never be the same.
7
Holden had expected this kiss to be mind-blowing. But there was one thing he hadn’t expected. That he wouldn’t want it to stop.
And that was a problem, considering they were in a church lobby. Off to the side, yes, but still visible to anyone who happened to look over in their direction.
Faith tasted like chocolate. No surprise, considering they’d both been sipping it seconds ago. But on her lips, it was somehow sweeter, more intoxicating.
