Page 42 of 12 Days of Mistletoe

I press my lips together. I’ve never dated anyone that long. I have dated. Not in a while. But never someone for so long. I mean, senior year of high school I went to prom and a few more dances with Cody Wilde. I dated some in college. That’s where I met Joey. Three months and one little anxiety attack over my rental falling through and Joey decided we were done. He didn’t care that I was about to be homeless—I was “too much” for him. So, I left school without a boyfriend or a degree.

“Who broke things off?” I ask for the sake of research—a girlfriend would know these things about her boyfriend. Right? “I’ll take a decaf blend, medium.”

The guy behind the counter taps my order into his iPad and looks at Elliot.

Elliot clears his throat, his eyes darting from me to the guy waiting to take his order. He gives his attention to the Espresso Yourself employee first. “Chai latte, large.” And then back to me. “It was mutual.”

I wait for the employee to add in Elliot’s order. “So, she broke things off with you?”

“That isn’t what I said. Are you sure that you and Bill aren’t blood-related?”

I snicker. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to figure out what you meant.” I peer over at him, lifting one brow.

Elliot offers up his gran’s gift card and when our order is three dollars more, I search my pockets again.

“I know I have a dollar in here somewhere.”

“I got the large,” Elliot tells me, a hand on my arm stopping my frantic search. “I’ve got it.”

I watch him pay the man, wondering if I’m allowed to let my fake boyfriend buy me things.

By the time our transaction is complete, our order is ready.

Side by side, we walk to one of the empty tables for two. I sit across from Elliot Eaton, a stranger no more. I have spent the last two days with this man—talking, learning, and with the insistence of his gran, a little kissing too. So, I push the question. “So, what really happened?”

“Don’t you want to ask me my favorite Christmas song? Something a little less intense.”

“Nope. I’m pretty sure your girlfriend would know all about…” I wait, and Elliot doesn’t disappoint.

“Jess,” he says, reminding me of her name.

“So, when did Jess break your heart?”

He sighs. “She didn’t break my heart. Not exactly. It was a mutual breakup and it was ten months ago.”

“Ten months? So, does that mean it’s dead and buried or still fresh?” I honestly don’t know. Thankfully, a month after Joey broke my heart, I got Noel. She healed me right up and it’s possible I never thought of Joey again—until this minute.

He shakes his head, his eyes buried in his latte. “Geez, Bonnie, have you never been through a breakup?”

I sit up a little straighter, sip from my coffee, and give him honesty—because I refuse to be ashamed. “Not really. Once, sort of.”

“Oh.” He follows my lead and adjusts in his seat. “Well, our breakup really did feel mutual at the time. We had a friend ask us about a wedding date once. She assumed we were engaged. We weren’t. When we talked about it later, I realized I didn’t want to ask the question and she realizedshe didn’t want to say yes. I’d always wanted a home and family and Jess didn’t.”

“Huh.” I set both elbows on the table in front of me and watch Elliot’s face, waiting for any other clues he might offer. “Maybe you did have the first-ever mutual breakup.”

“Yeah, except that four months ago, Jess announced her engagement to her high school boyfriend and I didn’t take it very well.”

“Oh,” I mutter, unsure what to say. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I don’t really know what happened. I just felt…small. Like I wasn’t enough for her. It’s not that she didn’t want those things. She didn’t want them with me.” He folds his hands together. “That’s more than you asked for, isn’t it?”

I shake my head. “That’s exactly what I asked for. I’m sorry you felt that way.”

His brows pinch and he lifts both shoulders. “It’s more confusing than anything. I don’t love Jess. I thought I did at one time. And maybe on a smaller level I did. But we didn’t want the same things. She didn’t get along with my family. There were other things, too, but most of all, even if I ever did love her once, I don’t anymore.” He shrugs both shoulders, letting them fall. For the first time since I met Elliot, the six-foot-four, broad-shouldered, Jolly Green Giant, he does look small. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this. You must think I’m pathetic.”

I grunt, and though I mean to smack his hand, I simply lay mine over his. “That’s not true. It’s a testament to your character that you’re willing to share so much.”

His eyes flick down, and I’m not sure he believes me. “What about you? Really no breakups ever.”

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