Page 68 of Holiday Hostilities

I look nice. Pretty, even.

“OHMYGOSH OLIVIA!” Sof squeals as I tentatively step out of the fitting room.

“Woah,” Stefani says, her mouth hanging open. “You look like a freaking supermodel.”

“Aaron is going to lose hismindwhen he sees you in that,” Reagan adds.

“It’s not a real date, remember?” I remind her. The ladies have all been briefed on the plan for tonight, and they’ve promised to keep an eye out for Brandi and would have my back in case of any shenanigans.

“He’s still gonna lose it. Scratch that—every man in the room is gonna lose his mind.”

I have to laugh. “That’s kind of you to say.”

Reagan scoffs. “I’m never kind for the sake of it. You look hot, Olivia.”

I look in the mirror again, and then, for some reason, I picture how Aaron might react when he sees me wearing this later. Let myself envision the way his eyes might widen, pupils dilating. The thought of his approval isn’t unpleasant and I watch a blush start to color my cheeks.

Dangerous waters, indeed.

“Thanks, Reagan.” I give my head a shake, shaking off all thoughts of Aaron and his confusingly hypnotic eyes in the process. “Ifeelgood in this dress. Maybe once I’m done bidding on Aaron, I can use it to find a man who’s an actual romantic possibility.” I look over my shoulder to waggle my brows at her jokingly. “Surely, there’ll be some eligible bachelors at the gala tonight.”

Reagan raises a brow. “Sorry. Remind me again why Aaron himself is not a romantic possibility?”

For many reasons,I want to say. But I start with the most objectively obvious one. “Well, because we don’t like each other, for one.”

“That’s crazy talk,” Maddie pipes up, looking thoughtful. “Aaron’s great. I think he’d actually make a really good boyfriend. I even set him up on a date a few months ago.”

I snort. “Did she happen to be a beautiful brunette he ditched at a nightclub?”

“Yes.” Her lips slide into a big smile. “But one correction.Sheditchedhimbecause she was completely and utterly in love with my brother.”

“What?” I stare at her.

“Yup. Going out with Aaron helped her see how she truly felt about Jax. They’re engaged now. And now that I think about it, I haven’t seen Aaron with a woman since.”

I remember what Aaron told me about how he isn’t dating right now due to the Brandi drama and focusing on his captaincy, but I don’t add this to the conversation. It feels like something he told me in confidence, and for some reason, I don’t want to betray his trust, if that’s what it was.

“Well, romantic possibility or not, he certainly looks at you differently than he does everyone else,” Sofia chimes in.

And dammit if my heart doesn’t pick up speed. “What do you mean?”

“He looks at you like he’s studying you. Like he’s trying to suss you out.”

“Like he wants to jump your bones,” Reagan adds with a wink.

I laugh, but it comes out a little shaky. “Probably just trying to figure out how to annoy me.”

But even as I say this, I feel something inside me stir at the thought of him looking at me differently than he does everyone else. Looking at me like hewantsme.

I’ve clearly got to keep my head on straight. My assignment is to outbid Brandi at the auction. Nothing else.

Simple, right?

26

AARON

Strings of twinkling white lights are draped along the ceiling, casting a soft, golden glow that makes the entire room feel enchanted. A towering Christmas tree easily twice as tall as the one in my living room glitters in the far corner of the ballroom, next to a roaring fireplace decorated with emerald green garlands and red velvet bows. A grand piano flanks the other side of the fire, and a player in a Santa suit runs his fingers over the keys while crooning Frank Sinatra.

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