Page 7 of A Little Merry

“Umm, can you add two pumps of peppermint syrup to my coffee?”

“Do you want it in a red cup as well?”

“Yes, please,” I told him, grinning. “That sounds yummy!”

“It was a joke. No, I don’t have any red cups or green… just white.”

I refused to let his grumpy attitude take me down. “Exactly like all the snow outside. That’ll be perfect and a candy cane muffin,” I told him, noticing a row of them in the glass showcase next to plain muffins and a few cookies.

Totally lackluster.

“Of course, you do,” he mumbled.

“Oh, and my name is Merry, like the Christmas Merry.”

He stared at me for a moment, then he said, “Seriously?”

“Yep.”

He shook his head and wrote my name on the paper cup, then he poked at the iPad that was on a swivel secured to the counter. When he finished, he spun it towards me and walked away. I flashed my card until I saw the Approved message, left a tip, then shoved it back into my pocket. Ethan was the last person in line, and only two people sat at a table in the back. Not a good sign this early in the morning. Connor was obviously losing money due to his bah-humbug attitude.

I walked over to the counter to wait for my order, thinking this was more critical than I’d first thought. Noelle didn’t tell me how his business was suffering, just him.

The two grumpy adorables exchanged a few words but never cracked a smile.

So far, I’d met three gorgeous men, all my neighbors, who suffered from a terrible case of Christmas Grinch. I decided right then and there, as I looked around at the baren coffee shop, devoid of anything other than the candy cane muffins that even remotely shouted Christmas. No tinsel. No garland. No festive tree and not even one red bow.

The situation was dire and called for drastic measures.

“Merry,” Connor called out, even though I was standing a couple of feet in front of him. “Merry spelled like the Christmas Merry.”

“That’s me,” I said, not allowing his sarcasm to get me down.

The other adorable said, “Don’t let him get to you. Under all that bluster is a guy who secretly loves your name. I can tell. He wouldn’t tease you if he didn’t.”

“Thanks,” I whispered. “Good to know. Have a great day!”

“You too, Merry, like the Christmas Merry.”

I smiled and when he grinned back, my legs went weak, so I headed for a table instead of leaving. I didn’t know how far I could make it on these wobbly legs. Instead, I decided to enjoy my muffin.

I’d made a wish for an adorable man to come into my life so we could fall in love.

Well, three adorable men walked into my life, and one of them was my destiny. Problem was I didn’t stipulate that my lover had to love Christmas.

Be careful what you wish for.

It seemed to me that my mission was clear. Whichever one I could convert over to loving Christmas would be my soulmate.

Seemed simple enough… or was it?

Lucas 3

I walked into Laughing Goat to grab a quick cup of coffee, almost running into Ethan on his way out, hoping for a few minutes of quiet, so I could pin down a few new fitness techniques I would teach next week on my YouTube channel, when I spotted Merry, the woman I’d kissed last night.

“Yeah, she’s in there,” Ethan said as we passed. “Beware, she’s addictive.”

I sniggered. “Yeah, thanks. See you in a few.”

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