Page 14 of I'll Carry You

“Actually, that’s a tow zone after four o’clock.” Jen nodded toward a sign on a lamppost. “But if you want, I can give you a ride back to the cabins.”

“You’d do that for the schmuck who made you come turn on the hot water at two in the morning?” Jason’s eyes glinted with humor.

He had been a schmuck. She shrugged. “No. But I would do it for the guy who came to my rescue in the drive-through. Even if you took my milkshake.”

He grimaced. “I do feel a little guilty about that. And for being an asshole. I’ll have to make it up to you.”

“It’s fine. I could have been more gracious. Besides, you tipped me too much today. Which means I’m in your debt again. If I help you, I’ll be out of your debt. Maybe then whatever cosmic force that keeps throwing us in each other’s path today can be satisfied, and we can return to our merry lives.”

Jason fell into step beside her. “How do you know it’s merry?”

She gave him a sidelong glance. “Your life?” Her breath fogged the air in front of her. “I don’t. But you don’t look miserable.”

He didn’t respond, shifting his attention to the boxes he carried. “What’s in here? It smells good, whatever it is.”

“Yesterday’s leftovers. I’m taking them to one of the local nursing homes.”

“Don’t nursing homes charge exorbitant fees to the elderly, thus paying for the food they give them?”

A harsh view, especially for a guy who appeared wealthy. But not completely incorrect. “It’s not that type of nursing home.” As they continued down Main Street, the sidewalks grew more crowded. People were sitting in folding chairs on both sides of the streets, cones closing a section of the street.

Jason exchanged a look with her. “Is there something going on down here tonight?”

Jen scanned the crowd. She didn’t remember the schedule of events for December this year, but once December started, it was nonstop Christmas-themed events. “Looks like it. Here, follow me. I’ll try to navigate us down the sidewalk through all these people.”

“Excuse me,” she said, attempting to part the sea of people on the sidewalk. Moving through the stopped crowd was nearly impossible, especially with Jason carrying two large boxes. People were clapping and singing. They didn’t hear her.

Having had enough with the crowd on the sidewalk, she skirted around it. Finding a break in the folding chairs, she pushed onto the street and started to cross it. Jason followed her.

It took about thirty seconds for Jen to realize she’d stepped onto the set of a street play. She froze. Couples were dancing on the street, wearing vintage costumes. One actor wore a nightgown and an old-fashioned nightcap, looking disheveled as he stood in the center of the street, watching the merriment beside another actor.

Of course.The street production ofA Christmas Carol.Her parents had always brought her when she was younger. It was one of her favorite Christmas traditions in town as a girl.

And right now, she was standing in the middle of the scene.

Another actor traveled between the couples, carrying a large bough of mistletoe. He held it over each of their heads, and they each stopped, on cue, to kiss for the clapping crowd.

The actor neared where she and Jason stood. With a twirl, he held the bough over them.

Jen’s eyes widened. It wasn’t unusual for the street actors to pull people from the crowd into various scenes, and people usually participated enthusiastically when selected. Jason had a bewildered look beside her. “What’s going on?” he asked in a low voice.

The actor continued to hold the bough over their heads with a wide smile on his face.

Jen turned toward him, her cheeks flaming. “It’s a play.” She kissed his cheek, quickly.

The crowd booed, and the actor held out his hand at their response, encouraging the boos. Now the rest of the actors surrounded them, dancing in a circle around them as the crowd chanted, “Kiss! Kiss!”

This might be her worst nightmare.

Jason seemed to have caught on to what was happening. His sharp gaze pierced hers. “Fezziwig’s ball?”

“Yeah, andwe’re a part of it.” She eyed the manhole cover a few feet away, trying to figure out if it was possible for her to move it and jump inside.

“All right.” The unreadable mask on Jason’s face melted into an easy, practiced smile. As though he had years of practice performing. “This ends faster if I just kiss you, right?”

She nodded.He was going to kiss her?

Then again, this guy brought random women back to his room. A kiss probably wasn’t that big of a deal to him.

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