Page 1 of Meet Me on Christmas Eve

Chapter 1

With a slow exhale, I smoothed a hand over my straightened hair and met her dark eyes. “I told you already, Hazel. This purchase will be a great asset to—”

“Yeah, yeah, a profitable addition to Northam Resort and its offerings, blah, blah.”

I forced myself to maintain eye contact. “Well, that’s it, Hazel. It’s a good business decision, plain and simple.” While she continued staring at me, I resisted the urge to fidget. “Jeff thinks so too.”

My best friend shook her head and gave me a pointed look. “Cut the crap. Jeff is just scared of you.”

“He’swhat?” I raised my eyebrows, breaking the pretense of calm for a moment. The idea was ridiculous, that anyone, much less my stuffy financial advisor, could be scared of me.Me.“It’s—you know it’s a good business decision. Maybe a brilliant one.”

“It’s aweirdbusiness decision. Sure, it’ll make money during the holiday season, but what about the rest of the year? There has to be more to this.”

“Well, sure, it’s only a Christmas village now, but it doesn’t have to sit dormant the rest of the year. It’s not—”

“Mariana, please.” She went behind me and poked at my upper back and shoulder area a few times. “You’re so tense. You were like this when we visited the place last week, and yet … there was something else too.” She paused, her voice uncertain.

I let out a long exhale and closed my eyes for a moment. “I … I like Christmas.”

She circled my chair to face me. “You? Come on, you’ll have to do better than that. You’ve always shown exactly zero enthusiasm for the holiday season.”

I almost laughed. “No, I do. I actually kind of secretly love Christmas. So … yeah.” I examined my nails, filed to perfection as always.

Her jaw dropped open for a long moment. “I wouldn’t believe you. Icouldn’t,except for that telltale blush.”

Ugh, the stupid blush. I had spent years refining everything about myself. Getting rid of all the markers of the old, flighty, lower-class Mariana. Learning how to be sophisticated, calm, and unemotional. But my body wouldn’t fully cooperate with the mandate, and I occasionally blushed at the worst times.

Hazel narrowed her eyes, putting her hands on her hips. “What do you love about it?”

“I love …” What do I say? It’s not any one thing. It’s all the little things that make up the holiday season, memories of times long ago, of love and hopes and dreams. And … things I couldn’t tell her. “Jingle Bells, of course. Who doesn’t love Christmas jingles?” I smiled. “Fa-la-la-la-la.”

She just laughed, shaking her head. “You think you’re such a good liar, Mari, but you’re a terrible one.Terrible. I will figure this out. You know I will.”

I sighed. She probably would. But perhaps I could keep some of my dignity until then. “You’re fired,” I grumbled. “I’m hiring a new lawyer.”

She giggled. “Good luck finding anyone else who’ll do it for free while putting up with you.”

“Oh, I think I’d pay quite a lot to get rid of my free counsel-slash-thorn-in-my-side,” I said irritably. I only half meant it, of course. I was mostly irritated with myself because I was always like this with her. Not the best version of myself, not the refined version I wanted to be. Too messy.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” she said sweetly as she pulled up a chair next to me. “But thanks for confirming … now I know this Christmas stuff must be one hell of a story.”

I squeezed my eyes shut. One hell of a story I wouldn’t be telling her anytime soon, or maybe ever, best friend or not. At least not the worst of it … that part was staying far, far in the past where it belonged. Wherehebelonged.

“But speaking of holidays, we have that party tonight, remember?”

My eyes flew open. “Wait, no, I—”

“No, you’re not backing out. I’m supposed to meet this guy from a dating app there, and I need you in case he’s a weirdo. Besides, this is a strategic move for you, Mari. If you really want to expand, you have to establish a presence in the area, outside the walls of this damn place.” She paused. “You know it’s true.”

I scowled because I knew she was right.

*****

“Halloween, of all things. I hate Halloween,” I hissed, leaning in so the revelers around us wouldn’t hear. I might as well be polite, right—or at least try to avoid actively being a buzzkill to the entire party.

Hazel eyed me in amusement. “But do you really? I used to think you hated all holidays, but turns out that’s not true.”

I glared at her, while nearly bumping into some idiot dressed like … what was it, even? A pinecone, maybe? “Sorry,” I mumbled before quickly turning back to Hazel.

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