Page 32 of Three Days of Holiday

But truth be told… I’d figured that out already.

Will met me at the front of his car and held out his hand. I eyed it suspiciously and chose not to accept it. From his resulting grin, he didn’t hold it against me.

“I highly doubt your brother will kill you, kill you.”

Together, we started for the front door of the spacious Cape Cod. I stopped a few feet from the porch, raising one eyebrow at him in speculation. “No, you’re right. He’s going to kill you.”

Will shook his head once, his smile never faltering. “It will be worth it.”

He tapped in a code on the keypad and let us into thehome. Bacon barreled past us into the house, his nails scrapping against the hardwood floors as the soft, light-colored golden retriever ran a circle around the couch. Bacon ran his way back to us and two giant paws pushed on Will’s chest with such force he took a step back while laughing and giving the dog hard scratches behind the ears.

Once he finished with his owner, Bacon dropped his paws and rubbed his head against my leg, leaving behind a trail of fur.

“Is this the first step of trying to show me you’re not evil?” I asked, making sure Bacon received another few moments of head scratches.

Will chucked. “I’m pulling out all the stops.”

The gloomy sky outside darkened the main room. Bacon’s owner left me to give his dog pets as he turned on a few lights. The space wasn’t bad but definitely your classic bachelor pad. Posters of the original sixStar Warsmovies hung on the wall, and a giant storm trooper cardboard cutout stood in the corner.

Now that Will had me alone and in his secret location, nerves skidded up my spine. What did he plan to talk about? Could we keep the dog between us as a buffer? Why did the house feel so warm all of a sudden?

I pulled on the collar of my shirt, hoping to bring in cool air, but my skin prickled in warmth—an odd off-putting sensation that hadn’t happened to me before. My stomach twisted and turned.

William Causebay and I were alone.

Alone. Alone.

Like no one else here but the dog.

At least that’s the way it seemed. I took a seat on thecouch and listened for any noises from another occupant. No shower or squeaky chair sounds.

“Where is your friend?” I yelled, hoping it helped Will hear my question over the opening and closing of the fridge while he did something in the kitchen.

He returned a second later carrying two bottles of water and an opened package of saltine crackers. “Tanner is at work for the day. Snack pickings were a little light.”

Will set the crackers on the table and passed me a bottle of water before taking a seat on the couch. He was an entire cushion away from me, but in that moment, it felt as if we were sitting on top of one another. His spicy cologne filled the space, and I wanted to lean over and give him a sniff. If only I could do it without him noticing.

I never wanted to sound like one of those cheesy heroines in a Hallmark movie—especially since I lived in Pelican Bay on an apple orchard and clichés were everywhere—but I swore we had electricity in the air between us. More than likely, it had to do with the dry air.

At least that’s what I told myself.

“Holly,” Will said as he cracked open his bottle of water and took a large swallow. “I don’t know how to say this. I can’t remember the last time I lacked words.”

I nodded, not willing to verbally agree with him. The trait endeared me to him more.

“You must know how I feel about you, even if I can’t find the words to express myself properly.” He moved his hand like he wanted to grab mine, but then placed it on his knee. “There’s something between us—a sense I haven’t experienced with another human.”

“Yeah, probably generations of hate.” It was in his DNA.

“You know it’s more than that,” Will said in a hurry, his voiced tinged with annoyance.

I didn’t mean to keep downplaying our feelings, but I didn’t know how else to deal with them. It’s difficult admitting you have a thing for the man whose father tried to ruin your family.

It made me a traitor.

People in Pelican Bay hated nothing more than a traitor. Okay, there were probably more things, but traitor was definitely top ten.

“Admit you feel it too. Give me at least that, please.”

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