Page 66 of The Mistletoe Makeover

“Don’t you think that would be weird? I work for him.”

Ella ties her robe and looks at me. “He lets Allan stay there when he’s in town. What’s the difference?”

The difference is that Allan doesn’t have feelings for his boss. Maybe Jace’s offer is strictly professional, but could I keep my feelings in check?

Ella goes on, “You’re miserable sleeping on the couch. No offense, but your mom’s home is way too chaotic for work.”

“Tell me about it,” I say, blowing my bangs off my forehead and removing my glasses. It’s one reason I couldn’t wait to move out. Mom hoards everything—old newspaper clippings from the Mistletoe Festival, my brothers’ hockey trophies and scrapbooks of her life with Dad. It’s like she never wanted to let go of the past, even when it hurt her to remember it. But all those boxes jammed with memories are like a millstone around my neck.

“You need to say yes to Jace’s offer,” Jaz urges.

“I’m perfectly fine,” I say, dismissing the issue.

“Is that why your neck is hurting?” Jaz grabs my phone. “I’ll tell him you’ll take it.”

“No!” I leap forward and try to snatch the phone from her, but she sweeps it out of reach.

“I’m doing this for your own good,” she says, texting himyesbefore I can stop her.

“If you’re just working for him, then what’s the problem?” Ella asks.

I look at my two friends. “There is no problem,” I say, feeling the heat crawl up my neck.

“Unless that night at the Pine Paradise Motel has something to do with your red face?” Jaz says.

“Or that viral video of you slow dancing?” Ella adds.

I hate that every time I’m embarrassed, my face lights up like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

“I may have felt a little something,” I insist.

Jaz raises an eyebrow. “A little?”

“Okay, so he’s grown on me. But it’s like I said before, he’s a big star. The chance of us ending up together is zero.” At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.

“Are you saying that because you believe it?” Ella asks, studying me. “Or because that makes it easier to run away from things that scare you?”

“I’m not running,” I insist. “Just because he’s not bad to look at doesn’t mean I’m going to fall for him.”

Jaz wraps her arm around my shoulder. “We’ll support you no matter what. I mean, I wouldn’t judge you if you wanted Jace to be your first kiss.”

I shake my head. “Jace could kiss anyone. I don’t think I’m even on his radar.”

Just then, there’s a knock at the door and our hostess peeks in. “There’s been a change of plans. Instead of the detox bath, we’re starting with your hot stone massages. Follow me, please.”

She leads us to a large room with three massage tables and more pan flute music and lavender oil. She motions toward the tables. “Just remove your robes, get comfortable, and your massage therapists will be in shortly.”

When she leaves, I realize I’m still wearing my necklace. I slip it off and hurry to the door. “I’m going to run this back to our changing room.”

When I sneak into the empty hall, I’m suddenly confused which way we came from. I’m directionally challenged, and without my glasses, all the doors look the same, with various flower and leaf emblems on them.

I glance around the corner, hoping to find our hostess, but she’s gone. When I finally stop by a door with a flower that looks somewhat familiar, I go with my gut instinct and step inside, closing the door behind me. The room is darker than I remembered, and everything is a blur, but I know exactly where I left my bag. I spin around and immediately slam into something warm and soft. Not something, butsomeone.I stumble backward, the scent of pine and musk overwhelmingly familiar.

“Mia?” a gravelly voice says, confirming my suspicions. “Is that you?”

“Jace?” I squint at the blurry, shirtless man with tousled hair falling over one eye, wearing only a pair of ripped jeans.

My face heats when my gaze lands on a chest so perfect it begs to be on the front of an album cover. For one horrifying moment, I stare at him in shock. Staring isn’t even the right word. I’m like Pavlov’s dogs at the sound of a bell.

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