Page 11 of Auctioned to the Mountain Man

“Hardly,” I answer with a laugh, earning a frown from Fox. Oh, this is going to be fun. “He’s been a pain in my ass from the moment we met.”

“Sounds about right,” Eddie chimes in, his words barely a mumble. His attention slips back to his paper.

“You act like I’m the only pain in the ass in this equation,” Fox says, his tone lightly defensive.

“Fox,” Elaine scolds.

“He’s not wrong,” I say. “I did tell him to go to hell the day after we met.”

“Good girl,” Lola says.

“Grandma!”

“You probably deserved it.”

“He did,” I say.

“What changed?” Elaine asks.

“A flat tire put me in a ditch, and I forgot to replace the spare after the last time it happened. Needless to say, I wasn’t going anywhere.” I glance Fox’s way, smiling as if the memory is sweet instead of just shy of a Dateline episode. “Luckily, Fox pulled up behind me instead of an axe murderer. And well, I decided maybe he deserved a second chance after all.”

“Where was your first date?” Lola asks, taking a seat at the table now that her second batch of muffins is in the oven. The twinkle in her eyes promises she’s completely enthralled. I almost feel guilty for playing this up. Almost. But then I remember Kayleigh’s tuition, and the guilt subsides. Besides, I haven’treallylied about anything.

“Some super fancy place up in the mountains. I can’t recall the name of the place. Do you,babe?”

“Don’t recall either,sweetheart.”

“Was the food good?”

I flicker my gaze back to Fox, but his mouth is now stuffed full of muffin, and the temptation to tease is strong. After all,he’sthe one who decided that I needed to play fake girlfriend. “We never did get around to eating, did we?”

He chokes, reaching for his coffee.

“You went right for dessert?” Lola asks, her eyebrows wriggling.

“Something like that,” I answer as Fox clears his airway.

“I’m a dessert before dinner gal myself,” Lola says.

“Mom!” Elaine says.

Eddie, attention still on his newspaper—has he even been reading anything this whole time? I don’t remember him turning the page once—smirks.

“Okay, okay, that’s enough, Grandma.” Fox scrubs both hands through his beard, weariness in his eyes that might be from a late night or this conversation. Maybe a little of both. “What’s on the agenda for today?”

“We’re meeting Jazzy in town for lunch,” Elaine says. “Then the littles get to meet Santa. There’s a sleigh ride. Tree lighting in town square tonight.” She looks at me. “Evergreen Pass really goes all out for Christmas. I think they’re trying to encourage Hallmark to come film a movie here.”

“You two kids joining us?” Lola asks, her tone hopeful.

“I think Alida might be tired from her late shift?—”

“Nonsense,” I say, pushing up from my chair. “I’m rested and fully caffeinated. Just need to grab a shower. This is the first Christmas I haven’t worked in three years. Fox insisted I take some time off. Didn’t you, babe?” He shoots me a quick glare, and I swallow a laugh. Serves him right. This is hisfavor, after all. I’m just playing the part. “I love the holidays. Bring onallthe Christmas!”

Fox pushes up from his chair, practically chasing me as he says, “The hot water is tricky. I better show you.”

“I’m sure I can figure it out,” I say, facing him in the doorway, challenging him with my unwavering stare. He’s probably panicking, afraid I’ll blow our cover if we spend all day in town with his family. Or maybe he’s a total Scrooge and doesn’t want to be inundated with all the Christmas festivities. Either way, I’m not letting him get out of any of it.

“Just let me show you.”

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