Page 6 of Flake It Til You Make It

And, even more pertinently, this year’s Christmas Falls Festival grand marshal.

Next to the podium and the gigantic tree, was Heath, undeniably tall and undeniably handsome. Taylor could see Heath’s gaze roaming over the growing crowd, his apprehension not particularly well-hidden. Even for a celebrity used to Hollywood’s excesses, the festival was a lot.

A whole bunch of holiday joy.

Maybe a lesser man wouldn’t admit it or enjoy it, but the truth was, Taylor fuckinglovedit.

Last year, Taylor had been convinced Jem Knight, the retired Charleston Condors defensive end and one of the town’s most famous sons, would take a dive off the platform just to stop all the overly enthusiastic screams and catcalls.

“Go charm him,” Mona said, giving Taylor a little shove. “Maybe he’ll take one look at you, decide that he’s been waitingfor you for his whole life, and you can settle down together with three cats and a nice picket fence.”

“Three cats?”

Mona chuckled. “Doesn’t the other Taylor—”

“No. I don’t need three. Just Meredith is fine,” Taylor said resolutely. This was one of his favorite nights of the year. He was not going to tolerate comparisons to certain very famous female pop stars, not tonight, anyway.

“Taylor, you know this town. Maybe you didn’t grow up here—”

“Mona,” Taylor interrupted again.

“Andthat’sanother ding—and we both know it is, Taylor. This town doesn’t particularly like change. And they don’t like strangers. They don’t like single, tall, dark, and handsome strangers, especially.”

Taylor rolled his eyes, hoping that his outward disdain for the mayor’s worry might protect that tiny flame of hope-tinged optimism deep inside him. “If that was actually true, they’d be way less excited to see Heath Kelly.”

She laughed and patted him on the arm. “I do love you, Taylor. You’re so funny.”

“Don’t say you’ll miss me when you’re gone.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Mona said resolutely. That much Taylor could believe.

Mona had been the mayor for a long time, at least fifteen years, and she was as much a fixture of Christmas Falls as Christmas Falls was a fixture forher.

Someday, Taylor wanted to take her spot. But for now, he was going to be perfectly happy getting the city manager position he’d had his eye on for the last two years.

And old, curmudgeonly Mr. Granger, who’d probably worked for Christmas Falls longer than Taylor had been alive, had finally announced his retirement.

Taylor, who’d been learning the ropes from both him and Mona for the last four years, had seemed like the most natural fit. Mona had even cautiously said she’d give him a recommendation to take to the city council during the hiring process.

But he was young. He wasn’t originally from Christmas Falls. And he didn’t have a family.

Three strikes Mona couldn’t stop reminding him about.

“Go keep that nice young man company. Flirt a little. If the townandthe city council think you’re interested in settling down . . .” Mona waggled her eyebrows, and Taylor knew he should laugh, but he could barely muster a smile. He wasn’t interested in settling down. When he lay in bed, sleep elusive, and thought of the future, of what he wanted more than anything else, it was a job that helped him preserve what made Christmas Falls so special while adding just enough growth that the town didn’t stagnate.

That might, eventually, when Mona had decided that she didn’t want to be mayor anymore, empower him to run in her place.

“Right,” Taylor said. He didn’t remind Mona that Heath Kelly wasn’t going to be interested in him, even if he was interested in Heath Kelly.

Which he wasn’t.

Not even a little.

Yes, as Taylor wandered closer to him, he couldn’t deny that Heath was very good looking. And famous. And rich.

Maybe Joey was right and his sex drive, ignored for too long, had finally shriveled and died.

But it was hard to be sad about that, especially when he was the only candidate for his dream job, and he was hoping it would stay that way. Then, her warnings about his three strikes wouldn’t make much difference.

---