Page 36 of Flake It Til You Make It

“Hey,” Mona said. “You’re smiling pretty big these days.”

He had not told her the truth about his burgeoning relationship with Rocco—though he’d assumed she’d guessed it wasn’tone hundred percent legit—but then if she did believe that, why would she be looking so thrilled now?

It’s because you’re being way too fucking convincing.

“Yeah,” Taylor said.

She shot him a conspiratorial look. “When I was throwing you at Heath Kelly, you could have just said you had your eye on Rocco Moretti.”

“At that point, I didn’t know if he’dwantme to have an eye on him,” Taylor said.

“Oh come on, you’re a catch. You might pretend you’re not, but you are. It’s good to see some of your reserve melting. You’ve been locked up tight since you came to town.”

Had he? Taylor supposed that was true. Right before he’d taken the job in Christmas Falls—a job he’d wanted, desperately, but almost hadn’t gotten after all—he’d broken up with Michael.

Or rather Michael had broken up with him.

Between his mom and Michael, maybe hehadbeen a little self-contained. But that was four years ago, now. A guy could change, right?

Surely, hehadchanged.

Mona smiled at him. “Also,” she added, “I can’t stay, but I want to say, Roger Knight stopped by yesterday, and said he appreciated how much of an effort you’re making to be part of this year’s festival. I reminded him that you’realwayspart of it,but usually more behind the scenes, shying away from public recognition and he sounded surprised.”

“You know I’m not always comfortable trumpeting my projects to the skies,” Taylor said.

“I know, but you’ve got to tell people or else they don’t know what you’ve been doing. And it’s a lot of good stuff, Taylor. Better than anything Steve Mills has been up to.”

“He’s done jack shit except gladhand and run his candidacy like a freaking election,” Taylor muttered.

“Exactly,” Mona said, with an approving nod. “He’ll expose himself.”

“Hopefully not literally,” Taylor said, deadpan.

Mona cackled. “God, I really, really hope not. That’s a mess we don’t need. We’ve already got this Secret Santa. I can’t walk down the street or stop by the grocery or the hardware store without getting a ton of questions about it. You get anywhere on revealing the person behind this?”

“No, and I don’t think we should dig into it anymore,” Taylor said. “It’s great stuff, for the people of this town andforthis town. Let it lie.”

“Alright.” Mona sighed. “I trust your take on this. You’re good at this.”

“So are you, Madam Mayor,” Taylor said with a grin.

“If you’re free for Thanksgiving, you know you’re always welcome at my house,” Mona said.

Taylor knew if he even remotely revealed he’d have been alone, he’d have a half dozen invitations to dinner. But he’d been instrumental in putting together this Thanksgiving event for singles two years ago, and he wasn’t about to miss it, even for Mona’s famous stuffing.

“You know I always go to Mik’s single mingle Thanksgiving,” Taylor said.

“You meanyoursingle mingle Thanksgiving,” Mona reminded him gently. “Mik might host it, but it was your idea, and it’s your execution. You bringing Rocco?”

“Yeah,” Taylor said. Suddenly awkward at the idea of talking about him with his boss. Not because he was ashamed of the guy, but because he was ashamed of what itreallywas.

“Good.” Mona stood. “I’m going to go with your gut on this Secret Santa thing. Not that we couldn’t have dug into it more, but that we’re going to choose not to.”

Taylor nodded. “Have a good Thanksgiving.”

“You too, Taylor.” Her wink right before she ducked out of his office told him everything he needed to know about what her assumptions were.

The same as the rest of the town’s.

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