Page 99 of The Mistletoe Makeover

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I spend the rest of the week avoiding Jace. Since he’s busy with his band, it isn’t difficult to stay out of his way. A few times during practice, I catch him staring at me, his eyes flicking away when I look his way.

Inside, I’m dying to talk to him, but there are too many people around. Add to it the fact he’s working about sixteen hours a day to prepare for this concert, and there isn’t time for us to talk, even if we wanted to.

Several times this week, Ava has stopped by to watch him practice, her face lighting up while everything in me crumbles, like I’m splitting apart, piece by piece.

When I arrive early to set up for his dress rehearsal, I don’t see him anywhere, much to my relief. His band and tech crew are checking final details, so I wander backstage, making sure Jace has everything in place for the concert.

Water bottles.Done.Costume changes.Done.Erasing my feelings for him?Impossible.

I don’t want to forget that moment on the roof. Not ever.

I lay out his clothes, resisting the urge to think too much about the fact that this is the last time I’ll be his assistant. I drape the shirt across his chair, close my eyes and try to dash out of the room.

As soon as I wheel around, I ram into something hard and buckle backwards.

“Mia?” he says as I catch myself on his chair, knocking his clothes to the floor.

“Sorry,” I mumble, picking them up in a hurry. “I was just leaving.” I can only hope he didn’t see me standing there like an idiot holding his shirt.

“Leaving?” he asks, his face pained. I can’t read the look in his eyes, and I know why.

It’s her.

Ava’s surprise visit turned back the clock for him. Every emotion he’d tried to destroy was resurrected by seeing her again. Why wouldn’t he choose her? She’s a star, like him.

Not like me.For one night, I pretended to be his girl, but I’m the only one living in this fairy-tale world.

“I’ll get out of your way so you can get ready.” I hurry to the door.

“Mia...” he says.

I spin toward him, trying to make sure my face is a blank slate, and cross my arms.

“The night Ava stopped by...” he begins, and then hesitates. “I’m sorry if things were weird.”

I shake my head, pretending it was no big deal, even though she highjacked our fairy tale—the one that ends with a real kiss.

Apparently, I’m in the wrong fairy tale.

Jace looks at me from under his hat. “There’s a lot of pressure on me to make this concert matter—for my career. And my sales.”

“You don’t have to explain,” I say. “I know your career comes first.”

“It doesn’t. It’s not as important as it used to be. But I have to figure out who I can trust, and who will stick around.”

I slowly nod, pretending to understand, even as something in me flickers and then dies out. Is he trying to tell me he doesn’t want me around? Seeing him one last time is making everything inside me feel stretched to breaking, like a rubber band about to snap.

“It’s none of my business.” I shake my head.

“It is,” he begins. “You’re my...”

“Assistant,” I complete for him with a nod.Nothing more.

He clamps his mouth shut. Jace can’t let everyone get close to him. Because there never was supposed to be anything between us. I’m the one who broke the unspoken contract. I never should have let my feelings get this far.

“The pressure’s on to make this concert everything I need for my career. Ava showing up wasn’t what I planned.” He rubs the back of his neck, like he always does when he’s stressed.It’s strange that I know this detail about him—how I know every little nuance about him. Right now, I want to tell him how I feel, but I also want the best for him. If he chooses Ava, then that’s what will make him happiest. I won’t get in the way.

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