Page 72 of That Time We Kissed Under the Mistletoe
Hold on for just a little longer. For Sara’s sake. Then the show can end.
I stick my arm out like I’ve seen the guys do in that over-the-top Netflix series my mom and sister are obsessed with. “Shall we go through?” I offer.
Bridgerton.That’s the name of the show.
Also, I’m still being awkward.
“That’s not a good idea.” Ryan pinches her lips.
“Oh, Sara won’t mind.” I drop my arm. “I’m sure she’s excited for you to see the house the way she expected to have it for you in the first place.”
“I’m not allowed to evaluate the property with the homeowners present.”
“Yeah, I forgot about that.” I duck my head. “Give me a minute, and I’ll grab Sara. We can wait for you out here.”
“Fine.” Ryan glances at the door. “If I do most of the evaluation today, I’ll only have to check the storage room on Wednesday.” She puffs out a breath, shaking her head. “I still can’t believe I let you talk me into driving back out here again. And on Christmas Eve, no less.”
“Well.” I offer her a small smile. “I’m grateful you’re willing.”
“You were very persuasive.” Ryan examines my face for a moment. “Your friend, Sara, must be very important to you.”
Friend. Right.
“She is.” I clear the gravel in my throat. “The most important.”
As the words come out, I realize I mean them. Deeply. Like, soul-deep. The truth is, I never got over Sara Hathaway. I don’t think I ever really tried. And no, I’m not kidding myself that she shares those same sentiments. But wehaveshared space nonstop for days now. We shared a kiss yesterday. We shared a couch overnight. We woke up with our bodies tangled together this morning.
In other words, I’m already more than somebody Sara used togo out with every summer. What I want to be now is more than the guy who broke her heart.
I can only hope that by convincing Ryan to give Sara another chance, I’ve also convinced Sara to see me as someone she might be able to trust again. Instead, I find her in the living room, shoulders slumped, spirit deflated.
“Hey.” I glance around checking for what could’ve gone wrong. “Are you all right?”
“I’m okay,” she says, but she’s not making eye contact. “How was the tour?”
“Good.” My chest is tight. I quickly survey the room, including a peek into the den and kitchen. “Looks like you were able to get things back to normal. Ryan says if we wait outside, she can evaluate the place right now. Everything but the storage room.” I reach down to help Sara up, but she stands on her own, ignoring my hand. Then she heads outside, wordlessly. Uh-oh.
I wait for Ryan to move inside with her clipboard at the ready, then I turn toward Sara. “You sure you’re okay?”
She drops into one of the Adirondack chairs with a sigh. “I guess I didn’tlovethe fact that you begged to squire Ryan Detweiler around Abieville while I was stuck here cleaning.”
I cough out a laugh. “I begged tosquireher?”
“You know what I mean.” Sara’s voice is wobbly. “You flirted all over that woman like … like a big ball of flirt.”
At the risk of upsetting Sara more, I let out another small laugh. “I was just being friendly, and my friendliness worked. Ryan’s inside right now, hopefully finding the house acceptable for Platinum Stays.”
“So.” Sara’s voice is soft. Almost a whisper. “You admit it was a strategy.” She lifts her chin, swallows hard.
Hold on.
Is she … jealous?
I won’t lie, my chest expands at the possibility. And I’m not proud of it—in fact Ishouldbe ashamed of myself—but I kind of like what this side of Sara Hathaway reveals. Even if shecan’t say the words out loud, the look on her face tells me she doesn’t want to see me with anybody else. Which could work out well, since I don’t want to see myself with anybody else either.
Even simpler, I don’t want to see anyone else. Or date anyone else. Kiss anyone else. Hold anyone else but Sara in my—well, you get the picture.
“I swear I was only trying to help you,” I say. “And for the record, Ryan Detweiler knows I’m not interested. At all.”
