Page 11 of Twelve Dates of Christmas

I leaned toward her. “I’m not most people. I think you’re pretty amazing. You’re doing something you love, and obviously, there’s a market for it. But the other job… Does that mean you’re not free most evenings?”

She shook her head. “Monday through Friday, I usually work two to ten. But they’re having a holiday party today, so here I am.”

“Here you are,” I murmured. “And lucky for me, too. So we could go out after this… You know I promised you those nine more dates.”

She giggled, and the sound wrapped around me like the effervescent joy of Christmas morning. I suddenly wanted her to be there with me every morning, to hear her giggle as I handed her presents or we watched our kids open gifts.

And holy shit…I was in deep. What was wrong with me? I’d just met this girl and visions of life with her already danced in my head.

“But tonight…date number four. Dress warm and I’ll keep it casual.”

“Rylan…”

“No, seriously. Jeans and a sweater. Like what you’re wearing. Yoga pants if you want. Promise. Whatever you wear it will be perfect.”

She shook her head, pressing together her lips to hold in her amusement. “I wasn’t really worried about that.”

“Alright. Well, just in case.” I wanted her to be completely comfortable whatever we did from now until I figured out how to drag her to the family Christmas party. Speaking of Christmas… “Now that that’s out of the way. How did you end up at the Twelve Dates speed date thing? Were you trying to step out of your comfort zone. It doesn’t seem like you’d have a difficult time meeting men.”

“Is this your version of what’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?”

I hadn’t thought of it that way. “Guess so.”

“My sister. She wants to fix me up so I’ll be as deliriously happy as she is. She set me up and threatened me with bodily harm if I didn’t go—not that she’d actually hurt me or anything. We grew out of that years ago.”

I clasped my hand around hers, giving into temptation. “I have a brother. I know how it goes. But I have to admit. We still scuffle from time to time.”

She stared at our hands but didn’t pull away. After a moment, she looked up at me, her eyes slightly bemused. “Are you close?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Sometimes too close, since he always wants to be in my business. Trust me, if he knew about you, he’d be down here to check you out and give me advice. It’s annoying. Especially since he’s younger. But he’s also my best friend. Are you close to your sister?”

A shadow passed her eyes. Crap. Was that a bad question? Families could be a minefield. I should know better.

“We’re not…not close. If that makes any sense. She lives her life and tries to live my life, too.” A blush tinged her cheeks. “That probably sounds terrible. I shouldn’t say that.”

“I should tell you about my stepmother, the queen of being in my business. She’d have a field day if she knew I’d gone to a speed date event.”

“A good or bad field day?”

“Depends on your perspective, but she’d be overjoyed. She and my dad are one of those storybook couples—the ones who are all over each other and madly in love even after twenty-five years of marriage. She wants that for me and Kenton and Keaton—my brother and sister. They’re twins.”

She turned her hand and squeezed my fingers. “I can understand wanting happiness like that for your kids. I hope you find it.”

How did I tell her I thought I already did?

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