Page 24 of Mistletoe Face Off

“If I told you, you wouldn't understand.”

“Try me.”

We glare at one another and I'm vaguely aware that there are some flashing lights around us. But it could just be myblood pressure popping. This woman is impossible! So what if I concealed my identity from her. It's not like I'm a spy and I've tricked her into giving me state secrets or something. And anyway, she knows now. What's the big deal?

But it would seem there's no convincing Holly Coleman. She's called it. I was guilty by omission and I know I should probably just admit to it so we can move on. And besides, I need to placate this woman in front of my team and my bosses, not to mention the press.

“Look, Holly, you’re right. I should have come clean with you from the start,” I say, but it does nothing to soften her taut features. “Can we put it behind us? Move on?”

Coach Newton appears at Holly’s side before she has a chance to reply. “Everything okay here, Harrison?” he asks, his eyes darting nervously between the two of us.

“All good, Coach. We're just having a conversation,” I reply.

“Is that what you call this? A ‘conversation?’” Holly uses those bunny ears people use sarcastically when they want to make a point.

“Yeah. That's what I'm calling this,” I reply pleasantly.

Holly shoots me another withering look. Man, she's good at those. I wonder if her ex has completely withered to nothing from her glares over the years. Looking at her now, I would not be surprised.

“Maybe you two should take this outside? There's a lot of press here. They were taking your photo a moment ago,” Coach says. “Some were filming.”

I raise my hands in surrender. “That's fine. We're fine. Right, Holly?” I hold my breath.

She seems to think on it a moment before she finally says, “Harrison is right. We're totally fine, and I for one wish to apologize for causing any concern, Mr. Newton.”

Not to be outdone, I jump in with, “I apologize, too, Coach.”

Coach’s features lift into a relieved smile. “Look, I get it. Couples argue, but it's best not to do it in public if you can.” He leans in closer to me. “Especially when half of the couple wants to be the next team captain.”

“Oh, we're not—” I begin at the same time as Holly says, “There's no way I would date this man.”

“Thanks a lot,” I say on a surprised laugh.

She shrugs. “I'm just speaking the truth,Harrison.”

“That's not what you were saying to me at the Community Center,” I rebuff. “Crush, remember?”

She purses her lips.

“Seriously, you two,” Coach exclaims, clearly exacerbated by us.

“You got it, Coach. We're all good now,” I say. “Right, Holly?

“Right,” she grinds out as though it's some great effort on her behalf.

Man,this woman.

If she wasn't so dang infuriating I would pull her into my arms right here and now and claim her lips with mine in a sweet, sweet kiss that would show her precisely what I think of her and her indignation and fascinating allure.

Yeah, that’d show her.

Chapter Six

Holly

Burying my face in my hands, I can barely believe that I've now become headline news, and it’s all thanks to the deception of one Harrison Clarke, aka Fake Santa.

How could I be so stupid to engage in an argument with the one person I was there to interview—and do it in front of a whole host of journalists?

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