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“We have to do something to make it Christmassy,” she added, prompting him.
“Isn’t the fact that all the art inside will showcase Christmas be enough?”
She looked at him like he was crazy. “No. Never let an opportunity to decorate for the season pass you by.”
“Okay, I’ll tell you what,” he said as he parked the truck in front of the coffee shop. “You can decorate my booth any way you want as long as the lights and decorations are subtle. We don’t want them to distract from the art inside the booth.”
She laughed. “I can do subtle.”
He looked at her with eyebrows raised in doubt. “Come on. I’ll walk you in.”
She was about to tell him he didn’t have to, then changed her mind. She’d like for him to walk her in, as if they were on a date. A real date. Even if she was trying hard to keep him in the friend zone.
Jessica was still there as they walked in. “Hi, Jessica. How was everything tonight?”
“Good. A lot of the customers came in raving about the events you had this week. I think that really helped put Coffee Corner back on their radar.”
Roni’s heart warmed. “That is really good to hear.”
“I’m all closed up and was just about to leave,” Jessica said, pulling her bag out from behind the counter.
Roni walked with her toward the door. “Thanks so much for covering for me tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Jessica nodded as she glanced at Jimmy, and without acknowledging him, she pulled on her coat and headed out the door.
Jimmy laughed as he watched her go. “I don’t think she likes me very much.”
Roni tilted her head as she smiled at him. “Oh, it’s not that she doesn’t like you; it’s just that she’s very protective of me.”
“Well, you can tell her she has nothing to worry about from me,” he said, walking toward Spooky, who was sitting on top of his cat tree and petting the cat.
Only a broken heart, Roni thought as she watched him, but pushed the thought away. “Can I get you anything?”
“Nah, I’m good. I need to get back to the studio and continue adding Christmas to some of my work for Gerald.”
“How is that going? From what I saw, they looked almost finished.”
“I’ve been sending him pictures as I finish each painting but I haven’t heard back from him. I’m going to send him some pictures of the new small ones too.”
She shook her head as she crossed the room toward the door. “Oh no, you don’t. Those are for your booth.”
He grinned as he followed. “Okay, but what if they all don’t sell?”
“Then I’ll hang the rest in here.” She turned toward the door and was about to put the closed sign in the window when Spooky was suddenly under her feet. She twisted as she tried to avoid stepping on him, lost her footing, and fell…
“Oh no,” she cried.
“I got you,” Jimmy said, reaching out and catching her in his arms just before she hit the floor. He pulled her upright, helping her to her feet, but didn’t let her go.
Gasping, she turned in his arms and drew in a deep breath.
Jimmy smiled down at her, then pointed up. The mistletoe he’d hung the other night was hanging above them. Her eyes widened as he pulled her close, his lips falling over hers. He kissed her deeply, his tongue meeting hers in a tentative dance that melted her insides and made her knees week.
This was actually happening. There was no turning back now. Yes, they were friends, but they were becoming more. The feel of his mouth moving over hers, his fingers grasping her arms as he held her tight against him, the scent of his cologne tickling her nose was making her knees week as she melted against him. There was no turning back now, no holding him at arm’s length. Her Christmas wish was coming true, and it was all because of Spooky.
He was magic! She’d always said so.
Roni giggled against Jimmy’s lips.
