Page 14 of Promise Yule Be Mine
Jenna opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again.
“I…uhm…” she said.
“What’s wrong? You’re still getting married, aren’t you?”
I glared at Jenna, whose cheeks had gone red, wondering what the hell was wrong with her and why she was acting up all of a sudden, as if our secret had been revealed.
“It’s all going well, Mom. Nothing to worry about. Right, Jen?”
“Huh?” Jenna blinked as if she had no idea what we were talking about, then turned to Mom and nodded.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, Mom. In fact, our wedding planner is coming here tomorrow so we can catch up and get things straight.”
Like my thoughts, I hadn’t been able to wander too far from the supernova of a man I’d met more than a month ago.
Try as I might have, he lingered there, burned to the back of my eyelids so he was all I could see when I closed my eyes. Imprinted on my brain so he was all I could dream of when I went to sleep. It didn’t help that I’d found his website. Flashing that gorgeous smile at me on hisabout mepage as if he wasn’t giving my insides a whirlwind every time. And yet, I couldn’t find it in me to close the browser tab from my phone. I returned to it regularly throughout the day as if trying to will myself to diminish the effect he had on me. Though it didn’t seem to be working. Because of course he always came to my mind throughout the day. Every day.
I’d never felt like that before. Not for anyone in my life. Especially a complete stranger I’d barely exchanged a few words with. It was ridiculous for me to be so obsessed over Nova, but there was nothing I could do to put an end to it.
Besides, he could only remain an obsession. Nothing else. Just because I liked him, didn’t mean he liked me. Just because I had an inexplicable crush on him didn’t mean he felt the same way. And even if he had, it wouldn’t lead anywhere, anyway. Like all my relationships. All my dates. It couldn’t lead anywhere.
Which was exactly why I was getting married. So I could put a seal on that disappointing part of my life and move on to other stuff I could control. Other things that weren’t so reliant on me being unlike other guys.
“That’s great. I can’t wait to meet him,” Mom said.
“What? Why?” Jenna asked, all breathy and panicky for some reason.
Mom narrowed her eyes at her. “Why not? He might need a hand with everything. And doesn’t he need to know what we look like so he knows what to do with us on the day?”
Jenna took a deep breath, a little pause, then smiled as if nothing was wrong.
“You’re right. He should get to meet you.”
“Are you okay, honey?” Mom reached for her and rubbed her hand.
“Yeah. Yeah. I just…I think I might be coming down with something. I’m so sorry. I’m fine,” she reassured everyone and when Mom took her hand back, Jenna kept her hands and mouth busy with dinner.
I wondered what that was about, but I couldn’t very well ask her in front of my parents, so it would have to wait for a more private moment. And since we wouldn’t have one of those until later tonight, I did the same as her and enjoyed my Thanksgiving meal.
“That was delicious, as usual, Mrs. C,” Jenna said later, when everyone kept rubbing their belly and taking deep breaths, trying to fit more food in.
“Thank you, honey. But you know you can call me Shelly, right? Or Mom, if you want and Maria doesn’t mind.”
Jenna smiled and leaned back in her chair.
“That was great indeed, Mom. Let me help clear up,” Nikita shot up and started collecting our plates and everyone stared at him. “What?”
“Since when do you help with the housework?” I asked.
“I don’t know what you mean.” He shrugged and started walking away with the plates in hand.
“One second, mister!” I said.
He stopped and only half-turned to face me.
“You’re doing it again, aren’t you?”
