Page 29 of Holiday Hook Up

Chapter 7

“Mom, why am I surrounded by more than a dozen boxes of negligees?” Bethany stood in the middle of the latest shipment Danny had delivered this morning that now took over the back of the store. Apparently, whoever was running MR Wedding anticipated a high demand for wedding night garments because the normal shipment of eight boxes had doubled.

And what the devil did MR stand for?

Majorly Ridiculous, perhaps?

“Honey,” her mom started before asking Bethany to wait a second and proceeded to tell someone how much she was enjoying her piña colada. “Sorry, dear. Your dad and I have no idea who is sending these boxes. He suggested that you put them in the back, and we’ll deal with it when we return.”

Deal with it when they return?At the rate the daily shipments were coming in, there would be no room in the back. However, the last thing she wanted to do was worry her parents. “Okay, I’ll stack them where I can. Are you having a good time?”

“Oh, yes. Your father should be back from his snorkeling lesson soon, and then we’ll head to dinner. We should have done thisyearsago.” She paused, and Bethany assumed it was to take a sip of her sweet cocktail. “There’s nothing like your toes in the sand in December.”

Her mom didn’t mean to hurt her feelings but the message came across loud and clear that after nineteen years of running the shop year round, they’d needed a Christmas break—or more like a break from Christmas.

When they first sprung their getaway plans on her at Thanksgiving dinner, Bethany had passed her mom’s sweet potato casserole over to her dad and demanded that they tell her more. They’d even asked if she’d like to join them, and she’d seriously considered it, because who wouldn’t want to be soaking up rays while sipping margaritas instead of shivering in the snow.

However, closing the store for the holidays would be a huge disappointment to their regular customers not to mention the loss in revenue. Her dad’s suggestion that they hire seasonal staff to cover while they were gone seemed more of a hassle.

The Christmas Corner was a family business, and a Wilson needed to be at the helm. Since Bethany was an only child and all her aunts and uncles lived on the west coast, she’d told her parents that she would run the store through Christmas and New Year’s.

“I’m happy that you are having a good time, Mom. I should probably get going and close up. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Merry Christmas, honey. We’ll call you on Sunday.”

“Merry Christmas,” she said back, and ended the call. This week sure didn’t feel like the one special holiday she’d loved since she could remember.

When she offered to run the store alone these three weeks, she didn’t realize how much she missed how things normally were here, her and her parents buzzing around the store and suggesting gifts for last-minute shoppers.

Her parents would always get into costume the week before Christmas, last year dressing as reindeers. Bethany looked down at the black nightie in her hand. “Maybe I’ll shake things up this year and put you on,” she mused out loud, and flattened it over her chest.

A catcall whistle caused her to spin around.

“By all means do,” Adam said with a wicked grin.

She pulled the negligee away from her chest. “Oh, my gosh. I didn’t hear you come in. Hi.” Adam was standing in the doorway, looking adorable in his elf costume.

“Sexy Elf. I like it,” he teased, pointing to the garment.

She set the lingerie back in the box, her cheeks on fire. “Just another shipment from my mysterious supplier. Can you turn over the open sign for me?”

“Sure thing.” He flipped it and crossed the store, his eyes scanning the first box. “I think I’d like to work for this person.”

“Where’s Rachel?” she asked, changing the subject before the heat radiating her cheeks spread any further.

“So here’s the scoop.” Adam played with a bulb on the tree, pushing it back on the artificial limb. “I got a text from her earlier. She’s not feeling well.”

“Oh, no. Is it the flu?” Everyone at the Star Lite this morning seemed to be hacking up a lung. She’d rushed out of there with her donut and coffee, holding her breath.

“No. Says it’s the twenty-four-hour bug. Yeah, right,” he scoffed.

“You don’t believe her?”

He shook his head and stepped back from the tree. “You know how much she hates dressing up.”

This was true. Rachel wore the same Marilyn Monroe costume every Halloween that she’d been wearing since high school. Similar to outdoor winter sports, dressing up wasn’t her thing.

She probably had no desire to put on an elf costume, even if only for a couple of hours. Bethany laughed. “You know . . . your Holiday Hook Up really should have given more thought to what you’d be doing together before signing up. She’s more a Summer Fling kind of gal.”

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