Page 10 of Wrapped in You

Mary and Cindy turned to gape at her.

"What's he doing?" Cindy demanded.

"He's directing traffic away from filming," Sophie explained.

"He's meddling where he doesn't belong. That's what he's doing," Mary said.

"He's perfect for that role. If I was driving toward Jeremy, I'd turn around, too," Cindy quipped darkly.

Cindy's loyalty was sturdy and never-ending.

Mary pulled a towel over the counter. "Are you thinking about, um..."

Silence hung between them.

"Getting back together?" Mary finished.

Sophie guffawed. "No. I mean, absolutely not."

But didn't she sometimes think about it? Didn't she sometimes think it would be easier than anything else? She and Jeremy knew each other better than most people. They knew each other's flaws. They knew what the other liked to order at restaurants. They knew each other's favorite films.

Plus, the rumor was that Jeremy had broken up with his new girlfriend.

How did that make Sophie feel?

"I wanted to tell him to leave the retirement party," Cindy announced. "But he slipped away from me like a snake."

Mary shook her head. "I always liked him before. Why didn't I see what was wrong with him? How did I miss it?"

Sophie waved her hand. Stupidly, she'd started this conversation, so she had to end it. "Jeremy is just a person," she reminded them. "It's probably good he broke things off. I wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life with someone who wasn't sure about me."

Cindy and Mary gave her a look that meant,We don't believe you, but we love you, anyway.

Sophie rolled her eyes and changed the subject. "Give me more ideas to torment Derek Brownlee," she said, turning awayso her sister and mother couldn't see her face. "Help me take the Christmas spirit to new heights."

Immediately, Mary and Cindy spoke over one another excitedly, coming up with more and more ridiculous ideas. They suggested that Sophie dress up like Santa Claus or ride onto set with a sleigh or wear a Christmas sweater with the name "Derek" knitted across the front. The ideas were so wild and unpredictable that Sophie was soon keeled over with laughter.

This is what Christmas is all about, she thought.Laughter in a warm kitchen. Buckets of love.

I wonder if Derek knows?

Chapter Four

It was Monday morning on set. The scene was simple—the leading actress jogged through a snow-capped Willow Creek as the sun came up in pinks and oranges—but it required the entire crew and the caterers to be there by four in the morning. Sophie had an entire breakfast setup of biscuits and gravy, bacon, breakfast sandwiches, and cinnamon rolls. As the cameras set up and Natalie, the actress, got ready in her trailer, Sophie set about decorating the catering cart with a little more Christmas flair.

One of the sound guys, Beck, walked by as she adjusted a blue bauble. "Looking good, Soph!"

Sophie grinned and turned to look at him. He wore a headset that made his hair look like a bird's nest.

"You can tell me," Beck said. "Are you trying to taunt Derek?"

Sophie made a face. "I would never!" And then she winked.

Beck cackled and hurried over to the sound guys to tell them. He brought Mike and Isaac back over for a quick biscuit, and as they ate, they watched Derek yelling at one of the camera guys. Derek pulled his dark hair and gestured wildly. "It's five o'clock in the morning, and the sun is about to come up, and we need to start rolling! Do you hear me?" Derek cried.

Sophie winced and pressed her hand to her chest.How can he be so cruel?

"That's the guy you're messing with," Beck said under his breath. "That's our fearless leader!"

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