Page 43 of Booked for the Holidays
She gives me a suspicious look, glancing down at her blush turtleneck and the matching bow in her hair. “You notice way too much.”
“I’m observant. It’s a gift.”
She rolls her eyes but her mouth twitches, betraying the smile she’s fighting.
I cut tiny windows into the gingerbread walls, then shape miniature book spines out of modeling chocolate. When I press them into the “windowsill,” she laughs. It’s a soft, bright sound that punches straight through my ribs.
“Of course you made it a bookstore.” She shakes her head. “You’re insufferably charming when you want to be.”
I lean in to murmur, “You like it, though.”
She glares but doesn’t deny it.
Her mom pops by to check our progress. “How’s it coming, you two?”
“Masterpiece in progress,” I say, earning a conspiratorial nod from Juniper’s mom.
“It’s going to be the best one yet,” Juniper adds. Her smile for her mom is warm, but I see the truth in the tight line of her shoulders. She’s fighting not to melt around me.
When her mom drifts away, I glance at the candy tray. There, one lone cherry swirl candy sits in the corner. I know exactly why she’s eyeing it.
“Don’t even think about it,” she warns.
“It’s the perfect wreath for the front door.”
“It’s my favorite.” She reaches for it at the same time I do.
Our hands collide. Her bandaged one ends up resting lightly on top of mine and I catch the quick hiss she tries to hide.
“Easy.” I brush my thumb gently along the uninjured edge of her knuckles. “You should rest that hand, Firefly.”
She huffs. “You’re impossible.”
“I think you like it.”
Before either of us can claim the candy, one of her cousin’s kids zooms by and snatches it, giggling with triumph as they run off.
Juniper’s jaw drops. “Did you see that?!”
I deadpan, “They clearly hate you.”
“You did this. You jinxed my candy.”
“Guess we’ll have to make do with the peppermint.”
“I wasn’t going to decorate with it. I was going to eat it.”
When her mom calls for the final judging, Juniper looks at our crooked, candy-raided gingerbread bookstore, then back at me. And for just a second, under the twinkle lights and layers of frosting, it feels like she’s not mad at all.
“This year’s winner of theSweetest Love Shackgoes to…” Julie holds the slip of paper aloft like she’s about to announce an Oscar. “Juniper and Liam!”
Juniper lets out a little squeal that makes my chest tighten. She jumps, literally jumps, then throws her arms around my neck. For a heartbeat, she’s pressed up against me, all warm sweetness and soft hair and bright, victorious laughter.
Then she realizes what she’s doing. Her big, startled eyes meet mine and she quickly drops her arms, giving my chest an awkward pat like she’s congratulating a coworker, not a man she once asked to take her virginity.
“Good job,” she says stiffly, avoiding my grin as she slips away into the kitchen.
I’m still standing there when Jasper and Stella find me.
