Page 86 of The Mistletoe Makeover

“It’ll be fun... and you said you wanted to have more fun.”

He turns on his phone’s flashlight and heads down the aisle, climbing onto the darkened stage before helping me up. We sneak backstage, where he shines his flashlight across the back wall.

“What are we looking for?” I ask.

“A staircase.” He pulls back a curtain revealing a hidden door and opens it.

A metal staircase rises into the darkness and Jace starts up, taking two steps at a time. I follow, trying not to trip in the dark. When we reach the top, he opens another door, and the wind catches it, whipping it open, leaving me breathless with the shock of cold.

“Bingo,” he says, his eyes gleaming as he looks onto the roof.

As we step outside, I blink a few times before realizing the entire sky is lit up by the town’s Christmas lights. Jace rushes to the railing at the edge of the roof, eager to take in the view.

From just behind him, I stop and peer across the landscape, my breath catching. I feel like I can see the whole world up here.

“Isn’t this incredible?” he asks.

The entire downtown is luminous, like a miniature Christmas village. Church spires rise in the darkness, towering above tiny nativities. Pine trees dot the landscape between rows of houses aglow with Christmas decor. It feels like the universe is gleaming with light.

“This is amazing,” I whisper.

“I knew it would be,” Jace says, leaning across the railing. “And we’re the only ones who get the best view in town.”

“You can’t even tell which buildings are vacant. It’s like a new place.”

“You did this,” Jace says, turning his face to me.

I shake my head. “It was a group effort.”

“But the committee couldn’t have done it without you. This is something special.” He’s staring at me with a silly grin, like he’s proud of me. It’s almost unsettling how much he believes in me.

The wind picks up and snarls my hair, and I wrap my arms around my waist to keep warm.

“Are you cold?” he asks.

“I’ll get used to it,” I say.

“I don’t believe you,” he says, snaking his arms around me, snuggling me from behind, his chin tucked into my shoulder. “How’s this... any better?”

“So much better,” I say.

Even though we’re only supposed to be pretending, I’m not breaking any rules by wanting to move closer to him. I have a practical reason for needing him to block the wind, because otherwise, I’ll turn into a frozen statue.

Jace tucks his face into the curve of my neck, trying to keep us both warm, which is a total distraction.

“So, this mistletoe rule... do you always hold to it?” Jace asks.

“Yeah, it’s a Maplewood tradition.”

“That’s interesting,” he says quietly, like he’s thinking something over. “Did you notice the mistletoe hanging over us when we were standing in the entrance to the theater?”

My head snaps toward him. “What? How could I have missed it?I’m usually trying to avoid it.”

“I know. I think that’s the point. Someone thought it would be a brilliant spot for unsuspecting couples.”

“Then why didn’t you say anything?”

Jace lifts a shoulder. “Because I didn’t want to force you into anything,” he says gently. “I want you to choose the right time. For your first.”

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