Page 64 of Holly and Nick Hate Christmas
“Feel free to lose the key.” Nick poured coffee into one of the black ones and handed it to me.
“Thank you.” I inhaled the steam and took a cautious sip, grateful for the caffeine. Or maybe it was the way Nick was being so considerate and putting me first that had my brain fully awake and aware. Piper’s text danced through my head.Not because it’s more fun to focus on pretending to be in a relationship with a hot, flannel-wearing, Christmas-hating “Jack”?
He just had to be wearing flannel today too, dang it. I tried to subtly eye him as he poured his own coffee. The navy and green plaid complemented his eyes and complexion. Which was most unfortunate, as this was the same man who had to be talked into going on a date with me. Twice, actually. First by Ryan, then by me.
I paused, my mug at my lips. Maybe I hadn’t thought through that part of Operation: Jack & Sally. My stomach clenched. Did I still look pathetic and desperate to him?
Nick smiled at me over his mug as he downed a long sip. He could have said no to my new plan, yet he hadn’t. The knot in my gut loosened. Obviously, he felt Ryan had it coming. And maybe Nick figured he owed me after getting busted—but the idea of fake-dating me couldn’t betoorepulsive or he would have just gone home. After all, he had no other reason to stay at the farm for Christmas.
Right?
Nick leaned against the counter, clutching his coffee close to his chest. “I’m glad you’re up. I thought we should get started early this morning.”
“Get started?” I faced him, matching his pose.
“Yeah.” He shrugged, as if it were obvious. “I figure if we’re going to pretend to be a couple, we have to start learning things about each other like a real couple would.”
“Right.” My shoulders lowered. I hadn’t even realized I’d been so tense. He was really on board—to the point he’d spent time thinking it through. “That makes sense.”
“So how do you want to play this?” He hooked one ankle over the other, looking completely comfortable with discussing how to fake-date me. “Just start acting like we’re together and let Ryan figure it out?”
“If we’re going for insta-love, I’m thinking it’s gotta be a big announcement.” I set my mug back on the counter to draw an arch with my hands. “Over the top.”
Was it my imagination, or did his throat just bob?
“Sort of like Operation: Naughty List, then?”
He was definitely clenching his mug handle tighter. I nodded. “The Jack & Sally version.”
“I’m still not fully convinced of that name.” He jutted his jaw to one side.
“They’re Christmas romance icons.” I squinted at him. “Have you even seen the movie?”
“It seems like you’ve watched enough movies for both of us.” He topped off his mug—wow, that was fast.He really did love his coffee. “Speaking of movies, I have a confession while we’re getting to know each other.”
Uh-oh. I ripped open the package of store-bought powdered donuts on the counter and reached for one. “Do tell.”
He snagged a donut too, sugar coating his fingers. “Remember when you talked about that movie where the guy bet his friends he could make any woman fall in love with him in ten days?”
“Yeah.” I stiffened before slowly taking a bite. Had I been a bet between him and Ryan after all?
“Since we got here, I’ve been comparing you to that love fern girl.” He winced.
I snorted, powdered sugar flying. “You have not.”
He dipped his chin toward me. “Come on. All that Christmas stuff? You were very love-ferny.”
I snorted again. Powdered sugar coated my throat and I coughed twice. “FYI, I donotneed the Heimlich,” I sputtered. Though honestly, now that I wasn’t super ticked at Nick, I wouldn’t have minded him standing that close again.
I should probably still be a little mad. But it did seem more productive to team up with Nick and channel that anger toward Ryan instead.
Productive, fun.Tomayto,tomahto.
Nick’s eyes danced as he took a bite of donut. “Admit it. It was bad. I didn’t know Christmas itself could be love-ferned.”
“And I didn’t know ‘love fern’ could be used as a verb.”
“How are we ever going to convince your brother we’re in love if you’re always correcting my grammar?”
