Page 14 of The Mistletoe Makeover

“If I agree to this concert—will you play by my rules?”

Her lips quirk, like she’s trying to hold something back. “Yes.”

I tap my knuckles on the table. “Then I’ll do it.”

FIVE

Mia

“Ithink I just made a deal with the devil,” I tell Jaz over the phone. I tap my bright blue fingernails on Mom’s dining room table, which is also my current office. It’s a little less than ideal to live in my family’s tiny home along with my twin brothers, but given that I’m low on cash until I get paid, it’s my only choice.

My brother Vale pounds on the drum set in our basement like he’s in a heavy metal band. I rub my forehead as cymbals crash repeatedly, like someone’s driving nails into my head.

“Who is making that awful noise?” Jaz asks.

“My brother’s new hobby,” I moan. “How am I going to survive until Christmas?” Both my brothers are massive creatures, mostly from lifting weights and playing hockey. But they’re also loud and always in my space, and this house is way too small for all of us.

“Maybe the committee could pay you early so you can rent an apartment?” she suggests hopefully.

Even if they pay me early, I’m too broke to spend money on something I don’t need.

“The town doesn’t pay me until the festival is complete. And Jace...” I pause, unsure how to explain that I’ve already botched our relationship. “He detests me.”

“There’s no way. He hardly knows you,” she assures me.

“The way he looked at me at the airport when I confronted him... it was like I was the most disgusting creature alive.” I shake my head. “How was I supposed to know who he was when he was wearing a disguise?” Not that a hat and sunglasses are a foolproof disguise, but they clearly threw me off.

“I’m sure you’re not the first.”

“I’m probably the first to say something stupid.”

It’s only been two days since I talked to Jace, but I’m wondering if I’m in over my head. None of the volunteers know how to plan a big event, much less a concert. “I’m freaking out here, Jaz. What if I can’t deliver on what I’ve promised? What if the festival is a total flop?”

“You couldn’t be a flop if you tried, Mia. You research everything. Your spreadsheets are so mind-boggling, they make my eyeballs roll back into my head.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good thing.”

“It is for certain situations. I’m missing your organizational skills at home. And I could use your expertise with planning my new fashion website.”

“But I don’t know anything about fashion.”

“That doesn’t matter. I need someone to organize all the ideas in my head.”

In our friend group, I’m the person who finds problems and fixes them. Jaz is the fun one—the life of the party who’s always dressed to kill. But my research skills don’t apply to my dilemma. “I told Jace I could plan the festivalandbe his assistant. I can’t be everywhere at once. This is Jace Knight we’re talking about—he’s at a massively different level than The Terminators.”

“And far better looking,” she adds. “In case you haven’t noticed.”

I have noticed, but I won’t admit it. Jace Knight can’t even stand me right now.

“It’s why women fling their clothing at him during his concerts,” I say.

Jaz snort-laughs. “I bet he has quite a collection of ladies’ underwear.”

I grimace. “I don’t want to know. The only collection he should have is something boring. Like paperclips.”

“He can’t help that he’s gorgeous in that rugged country-boy way. I bet he’d look great shirtless on the back of a horse.”

“Will you stop? I want to poke my eyes out now.” I rub my forehead, trying to wipe that image from my mind. “The town has so much potential. I just need to find someone who’s got the style to turn this town into a Hallmark Christmas movie.”

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