Page 17 of Booked for the Holidays
Good. Let her be mad.
I’m not here for her approval.
I’m here to win her back. On my terms. One step at a time.
And this time, I won’t fuck it up.
THREE
JUNIPER
Liam’s wordsecho in my head.
I can’t remember the exact order of them, but a few stuck.
Wasn’t a mistake.
Revelation.
Scared.
At his words, I’d wanted to turn and ask a million questions, but my bruised heart—and ego—wouldn’t let me. Liam may have regrets but that doesn’t mean he wants anything from me now.
From the moment he stood outside my apartment—hell, from the moment he walked into Blush & Binding—I’ve been trying to play it cool. And I feel like I’m failing.
The erratic apartment tour I just gave him made me feel like I was hosting a real estate show on fast-forward before leaving him and his suitcase outside my guest room and bolting into my bedroom.
This was not on my bingo card. I know because I handmade all the bingo cards for the Books & Bubbly event next week, andcrush who humiliated you last Christmas confesses kiss wasn’t a mistakewas not on it.
While my virginity is still intact, I want Liam to think that after he rejected me, I didn’t skip a beat. I’d gone out and foundanother gorgeous, capable man to do the deed. And now I’m living my best life.
Some of that is true. Or it will be.
But the reality is starting a business is a ton of work, and between graduating, fine tuning my business plan for the grant submission, and then finally getting the bookstore underway, I’ve had no time for a personal life.
Liam doesn’t need to know that.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I realize while I was playing tour guide, I missed messages from the group chat.
Cassie
Merry Moose tonight
Wiley
Is that different from any other night?
Cassie
Yeah, there will be more interesting people to look at.
Wiley
But you’re going to be there
Cassie
Fuck off, Wy
