Page 18 of Secret Santas and Holiday Dances

“Nothing is going on with me and Liam,” Grace said.

“Well,” Diana pushed her glasses up her nose, “if we’re going based on maturity, Aunt Charlotte’s definitely the perfect age for Liam.”

Grace’s heart sank.

Jessie slapped her younger sister on the arm.

“Ouch, what was that for?”

Jessie grabbed a stack of books off the counter and shoved them at Diana. “Take these up front.”

Diana did as she was told, grumbling all the way.

“So, what are you wearing to Emma’s party tonight?” Jessie asked, organizing the lower part of the shelf she’d been stacking a moment before. “Alex bought me a hunter green gown last time he went to New York. I can’t wait to wear it.”

Grace smiled at her cousin, genuinely glad she’d found the love of her life and was so happy. Trying to be as subtle as possible, Grace chanced a glance in Liam’s direction. She caught his eye, startled he’d been staring at her. He grinned and gave her a little wave. Charlotte pulled her attention away from Liam and stared down the aisle at Grace. Heat ran over Grace’s cheeks and down her neck. She dropped her gaze to her feet.

“You’re coming, right?” Jessie moved a book down three slots.

“I don’t know—I think I’ll just stay in tonight,” Grace said and fanned her face with her hand.

Not wanting to intrude on Liam’s time with her mom, Grace had come directly to Winslow’s Books after work, telling Charlotte they could meet up with her there at seven. She’d never been so happy in her life as she was when they’d walked in fifteen minutes early. Not that that meant anything. But her mother had wrangled an invitation to Emma’s party tonight. It started at eight and, knowing Charlotte, she’d need at least a couple of hours to get ready.

Jessie faced her again, waggling her finger. “No! You have to come. Why are you all red?”

“It’s hot in here,” Grace quickly supplied. “I—I can’t come to the party, anyway; I don’t have a dress.”

“Liam,” Jessie called, “come here!”

Liam grinned and headed up the aisle, Charlotte in his wake. “Hey, Jessie, what’s up?” Liam and Alex had become friends over the summer after Liam helped Alex buy some property near the river, so he and Jessie had formed an easy report.

Jessie placed her hands on her hips. “Did you know Grace wasn’t going to Emma’s party tonight?”

“You told me you were.” Liam’s smile fell as he turned the full weight of his gaze on her.

That was before she found out her mother was going. Before her mother had honed in on Liam. When she’d still thought she might have a chance with Liam someday. But that possibility was getting farther and farther away. Now the possibility of him becoming stepdad number four seemed more likely than that he’d ever want to be with Grace. To him, she was probably nothing more than a kid he’d taken pity on when she’d moved her five months ago. Liam was kind like that. Generous to a fault. He was the type to take strays under his wing.

But the meat of it was, Grace didn’t want to spend a night watching them flirt.

Grace shoved a lock of hair behind her ear. “I made plans with a friend in Charlottesville.”

Liam’s expression fogged over. “Friend?”

Grace nodded.

“Since when do you have friends in Charlottesville?” Charlotte asked.

Grace blinked. Her mother had been playing a familiarity card all week, and it still caught Grace off-guard. When Grace was growing up, she’d rarely seen her mom. She’d had nannies from eight to fourteen, and then her mom sent her to boarding school. Grace could have friends all over the country and Charlotte wouldn’t have a clue about them, but it was important to her Liam think she and Grace were close.

“Since when doesn’t she have friends in Charlottesville?” Jessie’s patience with Charlotte went out the window earlier in the week when Charlotte had met Alex at a family dinner and had flirted. Of course, Alex had been nice to her at first, but quickly gave her the rebuff when she wouldn’t stop flirting. Now Charlotte was ticked with AlexandJessie. Which meant awkwardness abounded. Grace hated that. She just wanted everyone to get along. She’d do anything to help them get along.

Charlotte didn’t even look at Jessie. “Well, I insist you cancel.”

“I can’t,” Grace said—she’d do anything to help them get along except go to this party and watch her life crumble to pieces. “I’ve been putting off meeting Spencer, Spence, for weeks now, and he’s only in town for tonight. Speaking of which, I’ve got to go.”

What? What was she saying? Was she crazy? There was no Spence. Well, there was. He’d been her college sweetheart. They’d dated two months before he’d broken up with her. Why on earth had she picked him to go on a pretend date with? Why couldn’t she have kept it innocuous? She was meeting a friend. Or even say she was meeting a girlfriend? Anything would’ve been better than saying “Spence.”

Charlotte grinned and quirked a smile at Liam. “Who will take me to the dance, then?”

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