Page 76 of The Mistletoe Makeover

As he begins the song, I try to pack up my emotions, but it’s impossible. As soon as he sings about falling in love, I’m the one who’s completely gutted. I turn into a hot mess, and it lasts until he hits the final chord.

How does Jace have this effect on me?He makes me feel hollow and full, overwhelmed and completely satisfied, all at the same time.

When he finally lifts his hands from the keys, he glances over at me with a shy smile. “What do you think?”

“Honestly?” I swallow down the lump in my throat.Right now, I’d like to kiss you so hard.

“Yes, I want your brutally honest opinion.”

“You really don’t,” I say, shaking my head, afraid he’s going to see through this thin mask.

“I can handle it, Mia.”

“It’s... beautiful, Jace.”

His mouth curls into a smile. “Really?”

“I felt ripped up inside. You’re going to make all the women ugly cry. Everyone wants a love like you described.”

He rubs the back of his neck. “That’s pretty high praise, coming from you. Now... tell me what you’re really thinking.”

If only he knew I’d like to jump in his lap right now.

“I can’t find one thing wrong with it,” I say instead.Or with you.And that’s the problem. How am I going to sit through his concert and pretend like he’s not wringing out my heart?

He glances over uneasily. “Mia...” he says, then pauses. “What I asked you the other night, about being seen around town with me—I wasn’t trying to put you in an awkward position. You don’t have to do it.”

I look down at my knotted hands and decide I don’t care if Jace is only pretending. I don’t even care if this is a temporary fling. This is the first thing that’s felt right and made me happy. “Jace,” I say, interrupting. “Don’t apologize. I’m all in.”

EIGHTEEN

Jace

Iknock twice and listen, but there’s still no response. I’ve hardly seen Mia over the last week. She’s been busy preparing for the festival and helping me with final details while I’ve been practicing with the band nonstop. Allan has been staying here on and off, flying back and forth between his home and our rehearsals to make sure everything is going well.

Mia and I haven’t had time to hang out or get dinner together, and I’ve missed those small moments of connection. I still haven’t forgotten our agreement to go out in public, and the festival is the perfect opportunity.

I leave a cup of coffee on the hall table outside her bedroom, along with a Reese’s Cup, and step away as her door creaks open. She rubs one sleepy eye and looks at me with confusion. “Is it morning already?”

“You worked really late last night decorating the downtown. Allan already boarded his plane this morning.”

“What time is it now?” She grabs her phone and squints as she attempts to read it without her glasses. She’s adorable in her red flannel pajamas, her hair still tangled from sleep.

“Does that say ten a.m.?” she asks. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

“You didn’t get in until four. You’ve been working nonstop this week.”

She leans against the doorframe, like she’s carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. “We had to get everything done. Then Ella flew home early this morning.” Her eyes flick to the coffee and candy on the table. “Is that...?”

I hold out the coffee and chocolate. “For my special snowflake.”

She smiles and looks like she could kiss me. “God bless you, dear man.”

“If it makes you feel better, I attempted a snowflake design in the coffee, but it turned out like a blob.”

She peeks into the cup and holds back a laugh before dunking the Reese’s Cup into the coffee. “Thank you. But where is your coffee?”

“I can’t today. Bad for the voice.” She thinks this over as I shove my hands in my pockets. “This is your big day, right? The official kickoff to the week-long Mistletoe Festival.”

---