Page 62 of A Very Merry Enemy
“I can’t even begin to try to read that woman’s mind,” I admit. “Mawmaw does things for her own reasons.”
Holiday smiles, removes the cookies from the ovens, and places the next batches inside. “True. Okay then, we’ll meet tomorrow night at six.”
“At my place,” I say.
She tilts her head and makes a face. “Absolutely not.”
“Why? Afraid you might end up in my bed again?”
The ghost of a smile plays on her lips. “Don’t make me kick you out of here.”
I notice how her eyes trail down to my mouth. “Try me.”
She groans. “Fine. Your place. But only because I don’t have the time or energy to argue about it. But you’re going to behave yourself.”
A scoff releases from me. “Me? Behave myself?Puh-lease.You need to behave yourself.Youkissedme. Per usual.”
“And you’ve been the perfect gentleman,” she says, rolling her eyes. “Doesn’t matter. We have to create the best damn cookie Dominic’s ever tasted so he cries himself to sleep wishing he knew the exact recipe.”
“Yeah, I hope he fucking chokes on it,” I mutter.
She’s almost smiling now. “No, because then I’d have to save him.”
The tension breaks just enough for me to breathe again.
“I should get back,” I say.
“Yeah. Youaredistracting.”
But neither of us moves.
The early morning sun slices through the windows of the bakery. It’s like we’re trying to memorize this moment before everything changes. For better or worse.
I turn to leave, and she says my name. When I glance back at her, she’s biting the inside of her cheek. “I’m thankful you came last night. To the meeting. That you followed me outside.”
My chest tightens. “I wasn’t going to let you be there alone.”
“Everyone saw what you did. There will berumo?—”
“I don’t give a flying fuck, Peaches. There willalwaysbe rumors about us.”
The silence streams between us. Her blue eyes get shiny but she blinks it away. I notice the way her hands shake, and she tucks them in her apron pockets. “See you tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow.”
I walk out before I do something stupid like pull her into my arms and devour her lips. Wish I knew why this feels like the beginning of goodbye, like something or someone is going to pull her away from me.
I don’t know if I can let that happen again.
After I leave the cookie shop, I stand in front of it, feeling electricity flowing in my veins. That always happens when we’re close.
For the rest of the day, I cut trees on autopilot. I smile and make small talk about decorating trees. I catch glimpses of Holiday in the window, and this time her smile doesn’t fade when she sees me.
Midafternoon, my phone buzzes, and I pull it out to see a text.
Mawmaw
Family dinner Sunday. You’re coming. Not optional.
