Page 39 of That Time We Kissed Under the Mistletoe
I gape at the sign like my eyeballs are magic laser beams that will morph the words into something else. ANYTHING ELSE. But they don’t. I’m in a nightmare, and I can’t wake up.
To be clear, I’d do a lot for kids. Just about whatever anybody asked me to.
Toys for Tots? I’m all in. Caroling at a children’s hospital? Sign me up. But kissing Three Fuller? In public? And being photographed while we’re doing it?
No. No way.
The cork board hanging on the wall behind the arch is already half full of Polaroids of couples kissing. My cheeks heat up, and I can practically feel my pulse leaping into warp speed. I’m barely in control of my emotions after spending less than two days with Three Fuller. Feeling his lips on mine again—even for charity—might blow my heart right out of my body and straight through the roof.
Now a sandy-haired man carrying a Polaroid camera isstriding toward us. He’s wearing a Santa hat, and he reminds me of a Hemsworth brother, which is probably why he looks familiar. Either way, his face is screwed up like he’s confused.
Yep. That makes two of us, buddy.
When Santa Hemsworth reaches us, he sticks his free hand out to shake Three’s. “Hey, man. Aren’t you supposed to be on a cruise right now? At least that’s what Nella said. She asked me to keep an eye on her place while she’s gone.”
“Yeah.” Three releases Santa Hemsworth’s grip and pushes both his hands into his pockets. “Last-minute change of plans,” he grumbles.
“It’s all my fault,” I blurt before I can stop myself. My adrenaline’s kicked into overdrive and my pulse is racing. “Nellaison a cruise, and so is everyone else, but I attacked Three with a fire extinguisher, and he couldn’t travel because of the concussion.”
“Excuse me?” Santa Hemsworth blinks. “You … attacked him?”
“Congratulations.” Three lifts a brow. “You just confessed to Deputy Townsend.”
“Oops.” I grimace at the deputy, and my cheeks flame up even hotter than they already were. “Hello, sir. It was just one big accident. I promise. Please don’t arrest me.”
“Don’t worry.” He bobs his head, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Your secret’s safe with me …. umm …I don’t believe I caught your name.”
“Sara,” I rush to say. “Sara Hathaway. Nice to meet you.”
“Carver Townsend.” He shakes my hand, and his smile gets wider. “You know what? I think we actually met a long time ago. At a summer bonfire.” His gaze flicks to Three. “Your sister was there too, right?”
Three harrumphs. “I’m sure she was.”
Ahhh, yes. Carver Townsend.NowI remember why he looks familiar. Nella used to crush on this guy. Hard. I wonder if anything ever happened between them. They’d make areally cute couple.
“Carver lives next door to Nella now,” Three adds. And if I’m not mistaken, he moves an inch closer to me.
“Yeah.” Carver offers another head bob. “Nella and I are good friends.”
A beat of awkward silence stretches between us all until Three nods to indicate the mistletoe arch. “So I see you got roped into being the photographer for this thing, huh?”
“Nah, I volunteered.” Carver shifts his weight, shoulders hitching. “Anything for the kids, right?”
“Sure. Of course.” Three inclines his head toward the cork board. “But what’s the deal with the pictures?”
“It was Stanley’s brilliant idea. He seems to think more people will participate if they can get their pics up there on the wall, showing everyone else they donated. I figure people aren’t supposed to give to charity for the credit, but the farm’s matching all donations. So I can’t give him too hard a time for it, right?”
“Right,” I interject, gulping hard.
Carver’s focus bounces between Three and me. “So. Are you two here … together?”
“NO!” we both announce at the same time.
“Whoa!” Carver chuckles, lifting his palms in apology. “Sorry for the assumption.”
“I mean, we are bothhere,” I rush to say. “Together. But we aren’ttogethertogether.”
I glance at Three and catch the tic of his jaw. “I haven’t been in Abieville for almost a decade,” I continue. “I’m only back now because my mom and dad just finished renovating a home they bought on the lake.”
