Page 50 of Stocking Stuffers
He was also exhausted from a busy morning setting up for the Soiree. The enormous formal dining room had been converted into a romantic dance floor, with a small portable stage at one end for a band. There were candles all over the main floor of the inn, which would lend the night an intimate ambiance. Mistletoe had been hung from every doorway. Hors d'oeuvres would be circulated and wine would flow. The backyard path to the gazebo had been cleared and heaters, along with candles and boxwood wreathes, adorned the cozy white structure.
It had been a busy few days. He’d helped with the planning and setup for the party, as well as moved into the carriage house with Valerie. He hadn’t wanted to take up a room that she could be selling.
When he and Valerie hadn’t been elbow deep in party planning, they’d gorged on cheesy Christmas movies. He wanted to remember why he loved this season, why it filled him with awe and excitement. But if watching holiday movies had taught him anything, it was that love was in the air at Christmas. Too bad it had only infected one party.
He took a long gulp of his eggnog and only then did he notice Valerie’s clothes.
“Oh shit, what time is it?”
She was already in her party dress, a tight black thing with a wine-red belted bow. He wasn’t into fashion, but the dress was perfect on her. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes done up, her long curly hair pulled into a sophisticated topknot.
“It’s five. You need to get your fancy duds on before the guests arrive.”
She pinched him above his knee, catching the ticklish nerves there, causing him to flinch and slop eggnog onto his wrist.
Older sisters could be the worst.
He wasn’t really attending the party, but he planned to help Valerie coordinate the event and step in as waitstaff if need be.
He pulled himself off Valerie’s couch and rubbed a hand down his face. The thought of being around a house full of romance made his stomach curdle. Normally, he’d be so excited to be around happy couples who were in love.
Not today. Not on the tail end of a rejection that had gutted him more than his last real breakup.
“I invited Louise tonight,” Valerie said right as Perry made it to the threshold of the living room. He pivoted back around slowly.
“Did you now? That’s exciting.” He tried to keep his tone as casual as possible. Valerie had been talking herself out of making a move on Louise for years.
“Yeah. We’ll see. I’ll be busy, but I wanted her here.”
“I’m proud of you, Val.”
“Sasha gave me that final push to take the plunge.”
He gaped at her. “What do you mean?” Hearing Sasha’s name sent a shaft of longing through him.
Valerie shrugged and smiled sheepishly. “Sasha told me to ask Louise out, to take the chance. It helped to hear it from an outside observer. I wasn’t sure Louise was actually interested.”
“I’ve been telling you forever that she is.” A mulish frown pulled at his lips.
“Better not pout, Perry. Santa doesn’t like it. You’re my brother. You’re not objective.”
“I can’t believe Sasha gave you dating advice,” he grumbled. “She’s anti-relationship.”
“I know, bub.”
“She’ll push you to ask someone out, but she won’t even consider going on a date with me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Why am I mad about this? She’s allowed to feel the way she feels. I understand her position. But I thought she didn’t have a romantic bone in her body, and here she is convincing you to ask out the woman you’ve been crushing on for years. That shouldn’t make me feel so … confused, should it?”
“It’s okay to be confused.” There was an odd glint in Valerie’s eye, like she found Perry hilarious.
He growled. “Never mind. I’m putting on my accounting slacks.”
Valerie laughed at that. “Wear your suspenders. You’ll look hipster hot.”
“No reason for me to look hot,” he said under his breath as he left the room. “The woman I want won’t be here.”
