Page 41 of Promise Yule Be Mine
KODY
"What are you working on?" I looked down at Nova's notebook.
He set his pen down.
"What do you think? Making sure you two have a wedding to go to at the end of the month," he answered and I laughed.
I felt sorry for the guy for having to manage our ridiculous arrangement without knowing the full truth. He probably thought we had a few screws loose or something, but as much as I'd have loved to tell him, I didn't think it would help the situation. Besides, Jenna and I had made a promise and I was a man of my word.
I may have been a sad excuse of a person, but at least I was that.
"I know, you tease, but I swear everything else is taken care of," I told him.
Indrani stopped by the bar to pick up an order for her table and she smiled at me.
"You say that…" He smiled and brought his hand up to his ear and played with his earring. "I'm also trying to put my schedule in order but I'm so tired. I feel like I need a nap for, like, the first time in my life."
"Well, we do have a very comfortable couch in the snug." I pointed to the back, to the adjacent semi-private room.
He laughed. "No, I'll be fine. I think it's just work catching up with me."
I grimaced. "Did Jenna's trip set you back? Are we keeping you from your work?"
I couldn't believe I hadn't even thought to ask him that until now. How terrible of me. Was I that selfish or had I been so distracted by my feelings for him that I'd lost my freaking mind?
"Don't worry about it. I don't have any Christmas weddings. There's a lot I can do via emails. I've just had such a busy summer and fall I haven't had a chance to breathe yet." He wasn't just trying to appease me. He was telling the truth. I didn't know how I knew, but I did.
"So…in a way, you're saying Christmas Falls has become an impromptu getaway?"
He chuckled. "I guess so."
"Well, I'm glad to hear it. We love having you here." And boy, wasn't that the truth. "It's just…such a shame Jenna isn't here so you can catch up as friends too."
"I know," he answered and I offered him another glass of wine before I was pulled away by more orders.
As the evening picked up, so did business, which was expected. Only somehow I'd ended up without anyone else on the bar with me.
"Where's Jacob?" Indrani asked as she watched me juggle two tickets at the same time. Gosh, cocktails were such a nuisance when it was busy.
"I don't know and I haven't had a chance to call him," I told her.
She looked from me to Nova to her tickets. "Do you want me to jump behind the bar?"
I shook my head. As much as it would be appreciated, she wasn't very good at the bar and besides, she had her tables to take care of. I'd just have to find a way to make it work all on my own until Jacob or Nate turned up.
"Are you doing this all alone?" Nova asked when I stopped in front of him to put together a margarita.
His eyes went wide and his forehead wrinkled with concern.
"Afraid so. Seems like my guys decided to play hooky today."
He tutted. "That's not fun. I'll help." He jumped from his seat and put his notebook away.
"No! You don't need to. I couldn't ask that of you."
He raised an eyebrow. "You don't need to ask. I'm offering."
"I appreciate it, but I don't want to?—"
