Page 61 of A Very Titan Christmas
“They’re a distraction.”
He nodded and agreed. Thisfakerelationship was very muchnot fakeanymore, and the level of distraction was exponentially increasing.
“When there’s a beautiful woman with whom you’ve had a past,” Jared continued as if it pained him to have this discussion, “it’ll be messy if you’re not careful.”
“I’m being careful,” Bryce said. Had one of his teammates blabbed about where he’d spent the last few nights? He couldn’t see Roman, Cash, or Jax doing that but didn’t know what had prompted this little talk.
Jared worked his jaw. “The thing is, the known security risks are low. But they only stay low while no one knows anyone is in Vermont.” His tone got sharper. “The second some big players find out they’ve been excluded from the summit, the threat level will significantly change.”
“I understand that.”
“Don’t get distracted from the end goal.” Jared pushed himself away from the table. “Are we on the same page?”
“Absolutely. I’m completely focused on Rachel.”
“Rachel’ssafety. That’s what you meant to say? Right, buddy?”
He felt his color rising. Jared didn’t seem like one for semantics. Was he concerned Bryce wasn’t doing his job properly? A couple weeks ago, he’d been happy to work with Titan Group. He’d fallen for the job at the same time he was falling for Rachel. Joining Titan felt more like joining a brotherhood than joining an ordinary company. This was a job he needed to keep. Bryce nodded. “I’m focused on the assignment. It has my complete attention.”
“I bet.” He slapped Bryce on the back. “All right. Get back to work.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Twinkling white lightscurled around the beams of Tinsel and Toys. It was as if Silverberry Ridge’s picture-perfect toy store had been decorated with fairy garland strung by Santa’s elves. Festive music floated over the gaggle of kids who wore their finest, most adorable outfits that sometimes matched the attire of their teddy bears. The teddy bear tea party never failed to put smiles on faces—except for those of Bryce and Roman.
Rachel made sure not to include their serious faces in the background of the photographs she snapped. She photographed Mayor Fowler’s grandkids with their teddy bears and settled beside Eloise and her friend. Their gossip was flowing too hard and fast for them to notice Rachel had joined them.
She focused the viewfinder of her camera and noticed that Bryce wore a serious expression. Then she registered that Eloise and her friend were discussing one’s grandchildren and the other’s lack thereof.
Rachel tried not to pay attention to their conversation, refocused on Bryce and Roman, and then tried to ignore their serious faces. They hadn’t been so serious when their co-workers arrived, but something had changed today. Bryce wouldn’t say anything before the tea party started. Now that it was almost halfway over, whatever bothered him had worsened.
She breathed in the scent of warm sugar cookies and honey-sweetened mint tea. Her phone buzzed, and Rachel checked the screen as discreetly as she could. The text wasn’t from Bryce, explaining his brooding mood, but from Kimberly. Rachel’sheart jumped. That morning, she’d sent her editor a more developed draft and included a folder of photos for her to peruse.
It had been hours since she hit send, and every minute Kimberly refrained from writing back, Rachel had sunk further and further into a tailspin.The draft missed the mark.The pictures failed to show the magic.
Rachel swiped open the text message.
Kimberly:Wow.
Her heart jumped again, and the quickening tattoo of her pulse increased as the three little dots bounced on her screen as Kimberly typed.
Nervous but not worried, she felt her excitement grow, as if Frosty the Snowman had snapped his stick fingers to announce all would be okay—at least with her article. Her draft was suddenly as interesting and exciting as she could’ve sworn it was when she’d sent it to Kimberly.
Kimberly:It reads like magic. So inspired! Whatever has you writing like this, hang on to it. I love the playful details.
Rachel dropped the phone back into her bag and could feel a smile that reached from ear to ear.
“Well, look at that pretty face.” Eloise leaned across their little table, set with the cutesy frills of a teddy bear tea party: bite-sized finger sandwiches, tiny cookies, and miniature-wrapped present decorations that matched the linens. She placed her hand on her friend’s forearm and explained, “Rachel’s boyfriend is that big, hulking man in the corner. I haven’t seen her smile this much in years.”
The two women fell into a conversation that Rachel ignored after hearing more about the possibility of grandchildren.Not even that would temper her cheerfulness over Kimberly’s feedback.
But Rachel did sneak another glance from the plush teddy bears of every size to Bryce. He and Roman were huddled together. Their expressions made her uneasy. She wished to hear what had them so worried. She wasn’t being nosy. They were upset about something that she suspected had to do with her or her family.
The front door jingled with sleigh bells. A collective sound of gasps interrupted the children’s laughter as Mrs. Claus, played by the owner of Tinsel and Toys, waltzed in by the life-sized nutcrackers. Rachel grabbed her camera in time to snap a picture.
Kids jumped out of their seats. Parents pulled out their cell phones to take photos, and the lovely Mrs. Claus greeted everyone with a cheery hello and handfuls of candy canes. Rachel jumped into action and gently herded kids with candy canes from Mrs. Claus to an open area stacked with pillows and mats.
“Time for a story,” Mrs. Claus called. “Take a seat. Oh, yes, with your teddy bears. Everyone have a seat on a pillow. Snuggle close.”
