Page 46 of Mistletoe Kisses

“What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know. How about we sleep on it—well, toss and turn on it—then touch base in the morning? What time’s your flight?”

“Two. You?”

“Four. So we’ve got time.”

I heard a deep, rumbly voice in the background on Keaton’s side. Maybe he got swept up in his last night too and finally made something happen with his host.

“Who’s that?”

Keaton giggled. “I’ll fill you in later.”

I cracked a smile. “Okay. Talk to you in the morning.”

“Try to get some sleep. We’ll figure it out. My parents would love to have us crash with them, I’m sure.”

I laughed. It was weak, but it counted. “‘Night.”

“Night.”

I hung up and dropped my phone onto the nightstand.

“Want some cocoa?”

“Yes, please.”

Lucas kissed my neck. The touchpoint zapped another piece of my anxiety.

“Let me grab you a sweatshirt to throw on.”

He tossed me one for a Portland college. The fabric smelled faintly woodsy, like one of his body washes. I idly wondered if he’d notice if I took it home with me.

I padded into the kitchen after him and watched him putter around. I was so grateful I’d been with him when I got the call. If I’d been alone in the B&B, I would’ve had a hell of a time calming down. With Lucas in touching distance, it felt like things would work out. I was anxious, as I always would be, but I also knew it would be okay. Eventually.

Lucas looked over his shoulder and smiled guiltily after he poured milk into a pot. “I should apologize.”

I leaned against the kitchen counter. “For what?”

“Accidentally manifesting a flood in your apartment by wishing you weren’t leaving.”

“Oh.” I blinked a few times before my mouth curved into a smile. “That’s okay. I’m partially to blame on that front too.”

Lucas’s grin was prettier than the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center.

Chapter20

Arlo

Despite being freshly showeredand back in my room at the B&B, I put Lucas’s hoodie back on. It was mine now. He wouldn’t dare take my emotional support hoodie away from me.

I wished I were still at his place, but I’d needed to shower, change, and check out. Waking up in Lucas’s arms sure had been a nice way to start the day. It helped me feel more settled and ready to tackle the crapstorm facing me.

It had been a herculean task to leave his bed. I wasn’t ready to fly home yet. At least I knew I got to see him one more time when I stopped by the restaurant before I went to the airport. It’d been easier to leave his place knowing we had one more chance to see each other, and maybe I wouldn’t fall apart at the restaurant. That last hug, last kiss, was all that kept me going as I waited for an update from my landlord.

I stared at the oddly shaped gingerbread muffin Deb had practically shoved in my hands since I’d missed breakfast. She’d offered to make me something, which was sweet, but Lucas had cooked. She’d knocked on my door ten minutes later with a coffee tray, which was thoughtful. Three doilies were on the tray and the mug had doll versions of Santa and Mrs. Claus on it. The woman had a schtick and went all in.

My phone buzzed on the bed next to me. It was Keaton.

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