Page 21 of Holding Out For A Holiday Hero

Right. She should explain herself better. “When he said it was like a Christmas miracle for you.” She bit her lower lip.

His gaze fell to her lip.

Heated.

And her heartbeat raced. Settle down. Get these words out. “I’m not…I’m not the girl of your fantasies.” No way did someone like Jake fantasize about someone like her. She was boring. Quiet. The girl who’d never broken a single curfew back in high school.

Meanwhile, Jake had broken every rule that existed.

His lips twisted in a smile that never reached his eyes. “Harris has a big-ass mouth. One of his many flaws.”

“Are the two of you friends?” True was trying to get a handle on their relationship.

“Something like that.” He edged closer. “Used to hate the guy, to be honest. Thought he was an arrogant, know-it-all asshole. Now I tolerate him for football games and bowling nights. And because he can make one mean burger.”

“That sounds like friendship.”

“If it had been a real friendship, he would have told me that you were in danger.” Hard. “Friends don’t keep shit like that from friends.”

Her heart was racing too fast. “Why would my danger matter so much to you?” Her fingers were lightly caressing his hand. She should stop that.

She didn’t.

“Because you matter.” Very low. Very deep. “Because Harris caught on to the fact that I’ve been fantasizing about you for a long time.”

Jake Hale fantasizes about me. Me. And he’s done it for a long time. “How did he catch on to that fact?” Breathless.

“Because if I saw you walking in town, I tended to lose my train of thought.”

He could not have shocked her more. She was sure her mouth had just dropped open.

Jake rolled one shoulder in a shrug. “If you came into the coffee shop and I was there, I’d stop talking mid-conversation.”

“I…don’t remember seeing you in the coffee shop.” Rosewood had one main shop that all the locals visited. It had been in operation for over fifty years. A centerpiece of town.

“You didn’t see me because you always rushed in, all busy, grabbed your order, and headed straight out like you had a meeting to catch.” A pause. “You didn’t see me because I never approached you.”

“Why not?”

He didn’t speak.

“Jake?”

“I didn’t think someone like you would want me.” He tugged his hand free. “I’m going to poke around the museum. See if anything stands out to me. I’ll talk to the guard you mentioned, Robert. And any other guards who might be here today.”

Her hands twisted in front of her. She missed touching him.

He pointed at her as his jaw hardened. “Don’t think of leaving the museum without me.”

“I actually can’t leave at all. Or at least, I can’t leave for long.” She would have to dash out and snag appropriate attire because… “We’re hosting a Christmas event for the kids tonight.” Something she should have mentioned to him sooner, but she’d been distracted by, oh, a dead body. “They’re doing a holiday scavenger hunt in the permanent exhibit area. Then there will be caroling, hot cocoa, and Santa will make his grand appearance.” The event had been her brainchild. All the proceeds were going to a local shelter for women and children.

His hand fell back to his side. “Sounds like fun.”

She doubted he meant that. Not with the way he felt about Christmas. For him, there was no magic in the holiday. There never had been.

“If you’re here, I’ll be here,” Jake added as he turned away.

Helpless, she took a step after him. “Jake!”

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