Page 134 of A Merry Mountain Christmas

I settle for a slight nod. “She’s persuasive.”

Tina lights up. “I want to join too.”

“You’re unlucky?” I ask, genuinely shocked. Admittedly, I’ve only met her twice, but she seems like the kind of person who’s always happy. She’s certainly not the kind of woman who’d let anyone else tell her what to do or think or be.Shewouldn’t spend her whole life hiding.

Still, a little voice reminds me,How do you know? Didn’t you always seem like the kind of person who had it together?

She makes a dramatic frown. “Let’s just say it’s best if I don’t play the lottery. What did Nicole ask you to do for your first challenge?”

I have this sudden fear that I’m going to tell her, and Jace is going to walk in just in time to hear the news about my new vibrator, which is due to arrive on Friday, hopefully after Glenn’s parents pick up Aidan for his weekend in Charlotte. The fear of him overhearing, of him knowing I’m thinking of sex, is so heavy, so convincing, that I just shrug. “I can’t tell you until you join.”

She gives me a big, dramatic wink. “Can’t blame a girl for trying.” Then she stands and asks, “Do you know what you want?” as if I’m a regular who comes in every day for tea and snacks.

“No, a menu would be great,” I say stiffly. “Is Dottie here?”

“She stepped out for a moment.” She leans over to grab a couple of menus from the counter and hands them to me. “But I’ll send her by as soon as she gets back.”

That’s not ideal. In fact, it’s very far from ideal, but I can’t exactly ask hernotto send Dottie over. Dottie wouldn’t listen anyway.

“So,” she says, conversationally, “Is Platonic Man hot?”

It’s then that I see him, stepping through the door. And I’m not the only one. Every woman in the place seems to turn toward the door as if pulled by a magnetic force. Is this what happens tohim all the time? Is his life one constant stream of letting women down easy?

Tina turns around, totally obvious, and whistles. “If that’s Platonic Man, you really need to do some soul searching, my friend. I recommend the matcha tea for clarity of mind.”

“Sure,” I say, the quicker to get her away.

“I see what you’re doing,” she says. “But I’ll allow it. You don’t need to tell Handsome you know me.”

Given that he’s looking at us, those eyes zeroing in on me, making the world seem to condense down to this table, this moment, it’s pretty unlikely he hasn’t noticed. But I can’t summon words right now.

She steps away, whistling “O Christmas Tree,” and I get shakily to my feet as Jace approaches me. We’ve only met once, so a nod would do, but I have a weird need to touch him, even if it’s for the last time, and I reach my hand out for a shake as if this were some sort of business meeting. Which it is, I guess.

He doesn’t hesitate to take my hand, his long, capable fingers engulfing mine, shocking me with their calluses and strength. Two thoughts occur to me at once:Glenn’s hands weren’t like this. Every man’s hands should be like this.

Blood is pounding in my ears as I sit down and gesture for him to do the same.

He lowers himself, looking at me with a kind of sorrow in his unfairly gorgeous eyes.

Does he care this much about letting me down easy?

Spending time with Aidan means a lot to Jace because he lost his nephew. That’s the only reason he cares about you.

“I know why you’re here, Jace,” I say as he sits down across from me. I’m not sure what compelled me to say such a thing, except…no, Idoknow. It’s the old urge for control, for the ability to make sense of things and wrap them up in pretty bows.

“Oh?” he asks, cocking his brow. There’s a slight edge of amusement to his expression, as if he doesn’t believe me.

“Yes.” I clear my throat, sitting up straighter. “You sensed I have an…inappropriate attraction to you,” I force out, keeping my voice calm and even. “You wanted to let me down easy, but I assure you, there’s no need. I’m perfectly capable of controlling myself.”

I thought he’d look relieved, maybe, when I said that. Or embarrassed for me. The last thing I expected was that he’d burst out laughing.

CHAPTER SIX

JACE

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I walked into Tea of Fortune, but the interior doesn’t disappoint. There are honest-to-God crystal bouquets on the tables, plus a huge Yule star covered in holly. Still, it isn’t the interior that captures my attention. It’s the woman sitting in a booth in the back.

Mary hasn’t gotten any less beautiful, unfortunately, and when she stands, my gaze instantly sweeps over her. She’s wearing a gray, pinstriped skirt suit and a silky purple shirt that hugs her chest. The outfit is professional, but she looks less severe today…no, that’s not right. Less uptight? But that feels wrong too.

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