Page 41 of A Very Titan Christmas
His gaze swept over Main Street. The lamps had flickered on, and the wind had picked up. Fewer people were strolling the sidewalks, but more laughter and voices floated from the ice rink and near the Christmas tree. “I said too much, all right?”
All the fight in her tapered out. She had also said too much. “I’m sorry. You’re doing me a favor.”
He raised his chin and opened her door. “Ready?”
“Bryce, really. I… I shouldn’t have brought up the breakup. It was years ago, and honestly, I get what you’re saying. Grown-up me understands. High-school me was hurt, and I guess some of that bled over just now. I’m sorry.”
He urged her into the passenger seat. “It’s fine.”
It didn’t feel fine. It felt like she’d crossed a line and pushed him to say more than he was comfortable with. She wanted to return to their goofy time on the ice. Bryce shut her door.
Every mile of the drive back to the resort felt more uncomfortable than the last. She wouldn’t bring up their breakup again. That was immature and pointless. And she was heartbroken for Bryce. Montana had died, and she’d had no idea. She would have had no reason to know, but that didn’t lessen the ache in her chest.
Bryce reached over and grabbed her hand. “I shouldn’t have told you about Montana like that.” He squeezed her hand. “He’d probably want to kick my ass for throwing it out like that and bailing.”
“You don’t have to apologize for that.”
He gave her hand one last squeeze before he let it go—and hit the brakes. Bryce checked the mirrors and made a U-turn.
“What are we doing?”
“We’re going to go look at the Christmas tree.” He checked the time on his watch. “After it gets dark.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I was being an ass. I don’t know why.” He drove toward Main Street. “We’ll go see that artist co-op you mentioned, then it will be dark enough for the lights to look good.”
They reached Main Street again and parked in front of Tinsel and Toys. “This is where the teddy bear tea will be,” Rachel said.
He let her guide him to the artisan co-op, and then, like a veritable saint, he stayed by her side as she made her way through the building, taking photographs and picking up business cards as she went.
“That was riveting stuff, huh?” he teased when they were back on Main Street.
“I think it was very fun.”
He grinned. “I think you’re very fun. Even if we had to stare at pieces of fabric—”
“Textiles.”
“Okay,textilesfor an hour.”
“Thanks for going in there with me. I got great photos and a ton of work done.”
They bumped into the mayor on the sidewalk. “Rachel, hello, hello. So nice to see you again.”
“Mayor Fowler,” she said. “It’s nice to see you again too.” She made introductions, “Bryce, this is our town mayor.”
Mayor Fowler extended his hand to Bryce. “Ah, of course. Eloise told me your boyfriend was visiting our little town. Nice to meet you; nice to meet you. Hope you’re enjoying Silverberry Ridge as much as your beautiful girlfriend.”
Rachel blushed.
Bryce took her hand after their handshake. “It’s great. Thanks. Rach was just telling me about the Christmas tree and the teddy bear tea.”
“Ah, would you like to hang an ornament?” the mayor asked.
“Oh no, I don’t want to impose.”
“No, no imposition. Follow me to my office, and we’ll get you set up.”
