Page 211 of Accidentally Under Your Tree

Lizzy, Rose, and I piled out of the rental car in front of a house with a large front porch and an attached garage. It had a tall gabled roof with dormers. Simple construction circa the 1940s, but it was well maintained and sat across the driveway from an enormous barn.

The wind bit frozen teeth at our cheeks and whipped at our coats.

Lizzy shrugged her shoulders toward her ears. Her hair blowing across her face.

"You cold?" I asked. "Do you want my hat?"

"No, I'll be fine." She jerked her head toward the barn. "It'll be warmer in the arena."

It took us a few more strides before we realized Rose had stopped. She shook her head and glared at me. "I'm going to need you to remember that you'resupposedto bemyboyfriend."

"Shit, right." As an afterthought, I added, "Doyouwant my hat?"

She turned to Lizzy, her eyes wide. "What did youdoto him? He's, like, fully lost his mind."

Lizzy's face broke into a shy smile. If I hadn't already lost my mind, the dimple pressed into her cheek would have sent it on its way.

Cringing, I begged, "Be cool."

"You first," Rose demanded.

Avoiding a patch of ice, Lizzy started walking again. "Let's get inside, it's freezing."

Stepping through the door, I let it slam behind me. It was warmer, not exactly comfortable, but the bitter wind couldn't snap at us anymore. The building was lit by rows of florescent lights. The smell of dirt and animal mixed in an almost pleasant way. At the far wall, stairs lead to an overlooking catwalk and offices. The dirt covered floor was mostly open, with only a sidewalk's width from the fence to the wall.

Rose narrowed her eyes, searching the face of a man speaking to a group of high school aged kids huddled together. He had at least some of their attention. His hands pushed deep into his pockets. "Is that Jack Brooks?"

"It is." Lizzy nodded.

Tilting her head, wrinkles creased Rose's forehead. "He looks different."

"He got a makeover for the bachelor auction a couple of months ago."

Rose's jaw dropped. "Bachelor auction?"

"It was so fun!" Lizzy's eyes glinted.

I couldn't help smiling at the two of them.

"Who is that?" Rose asked, her eyebrows shooting upward.

A man easily a few inches taller than my six foot one loomed to the right of Jack.

"That's Remi. He moved here to work at the animal clinic. Brooks works there too. Do you remember Hazel Matthews?"

"Nerdy girl, frizzy brown hair?"

"That's her. She bought the clinic from Doc March."

"Oh cool, good for her."

"Then she bagged Elijah March."

"No shit!"

"Yes!" Lizzy's eyes were bright as she passed on the gossip. "It's really freakin' adorable. He is so into her."

"Aw, well that's just cute." Rose pursed her lips to one side, before asking, "Is he still like…" She lifted her eyebrows.

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