Page 20 of 12 Days of Mistletoe

“Gran—” Elliot protests like he’s suddenly changed his mind about our deal.

“And you, Elliot,” she says, “can purchase my building.” Her soft, wrinkled lips form a smile, and she looks at Elliot with all the love of an angelic grandmother.

“Wait—you’ll let me buy Cherry Plum?”

“I will. As long as you fulfill your end ofthe bargain.”

My eyes sting with threatening tears and I sniff. “And Noel and I can stay?”

May nods. “Yes. You can both stay. You’re my favorite tenant, I’d hate to lose you now.” She winks and a light chuckle rumbles in her chest.

“Mrs. Elliot—” I hiccup and pull the woman into a hug. My throat clenches, and those darn tears threatening to make an appearance fall. My eyes can’t contain their joy.

“If—” May says, pulling back and giving both Elliot and me a knowing grandmotherly stare, “you keep your end of the bargain.”

“Pretend to date for the next twelve days?” Elliot nods, looking from me to his grandmother. “But why would you want that, Gran? What’s in it for you?”

“Other than proving that my grandson can follow directions?” She huffs. “I have my reasons.”

I don’t know her reasons. But do I care? Noel could stay? No more going out the back doors. No more hiding my girl. Twelve measly days of pretending and Noel could legally stay.

We can pretend. We’d planned to do that all along.

“You will,” May says, “make it believable. That means, hand-holding, flirting, and… kisses.”

Whoa—what?

“Kisses?” Elliot coughs. “Uh, Gran, we can pull this off without kissing. That’s a little overboard, and Bonnie and I are new acquaintances?—”

“Very new,” I add. “Not even friends.” Far from it, actually.

“Right.” Elliot nods. “We were thinking that might be crossing a line.”

No “might” about it. That’s busting through the line andburying it in the ground so that no one realizes a line ever existed.

Sure, Elliot Eaton is ridiculously tall, broad, and nice to look at, but I don’t kiss strangers. Especially strangers who wanted to evict me, strangers who hate dogs, strangers who left notes on doors threatening to tattle on me. Nope. No kissing.

“Elliot James, these are my stipulations. You can follow them and get your building and your dog, or you can choose not to. But I won’t be negotiating,” she grumbles and smooths the front of the holly on her sweater. Then a menacing smile spreads across her wrinkled face. “We’ll call it The Twelve Days of Mistletoe.” She claps, folding her hands together, pleased with herself.

No negotiating? I swallow.

Okay… maybe Icankiss a stranger.

It would be like acting. I did a little acting—sixth grade,Beauty and the Beast. I played a teacup. Sure, I didn’t have to kiss anyone. But I did pretend my can off. I was the most believable teacup on that stage.

Elliot’s eyes draw to mine and I can’t help it—my gaze drops to his mouth. The mouth his grandmother says I must kiss to keep my dog. To keep my home.

It’s ridiculous.

It’s outlandish.

It’s a price I’m willing to pay.

TEN

elliot

“Why can’twe talk at my place?” I follow Bonnie up the stairs and into her apartment.

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