Page 48 of Faking it with the Hybrid

“Oh, my girls!” she murmured, tears of happiness shining in her eyes. “I’m so happy to have you both here at Christmas! One married and oneaboutto be married. And next Christmas, we’ll have a grandbaby to look forward to. Maybemorethan one if you and Grath get started quickly,” she added, giving Mattie an extra squeeze.

“Now, Mom, let’s not rush things!” Mattie said quickly, casting a glance at Grath. To her relief, he was talking to her father and Ethan and clearly hadn’t heard her mom’s words. “Grath and Iaren’tengaged, you know,” she pointed out.

“Yes, but youwillbe. My goodness, honey—I know the signs. I’ve never seen you so happy with a man before!” her mother exclaimed. “He’s going to ask you—I just know he is. You two weremadefor each other.”

Mattie wondered what her mother would think if she knew that just two days ago she and Grath had been at each other’s throats constantly. But they only fought because he was usually so grumpy and stand-offish. Since they’d come to Christmasville he’d been so much nicer—so kind and protective and sweet. Maybe therewassomething between them—something Mattie herself hadn’t seen until her mom pointed it out…

No, don’t be silly,she told herself.Don’t get your hopes up—Grath has said several times that the two of you are only playing parts. Don’t get so lost in the idea that he’s your boyfriend that you start taking it seriously.

“All right,” her mom said, breaking into her self-lecture. “Who’s up for hot chocolate and popcorn and a Christmas movie marathon?”

“Me! I am!” Anna exclaimed and Mattie had to smile at her sister’s excitement. This was another Porter family Christmas tradition that she loved. Though she had mixed feelings about Christmasville and the freezing cold of the New England winter, these memories with her family were pure and happy and she was glad she was home to enjoy them.

“I’m in too,” she said.

“And me!” Ethan said excitedly.

But Grath looked confused.

“What is a ‘Christmas movie marathon?’” he asked Mattie.

“Oh, it’s where we all snuggle up on the couch in the den and watch as many movies with a Christmas theme as we can,” she explained.

The big Hybrid looked even more confused.

“So…you have entertainments that celebrate this holiday exclusively?”

“Loads of them,” Ethan told him. “Hey—can we watchElf?”

“That’s so juvenile!” Anna protested. And immediately spoiled her superior stance by adding, “What aboutRudolf and the Island of Misfit Toys?OrThe Little Drummer Boy?Or theGrinch that Stole Christmas?”

“Those arekids’movies,” Mattie pointed out. “What aboutLove, Actually?”

“We can add it to the list,” Mattie’s mom said, laughing. “I’d like to watch a classic likeWhite Christmas.”

“How aboutIt’s a Wonderful Life?”Grandma Thelma asked. “That Jimmy Stewart is sohandsome!”

“What about something likeA Christmas Carol?OrScrooged?”Mattie’s Dad suggested.

“I think we’re going to have to write down some of these titles and put them in a hat for a drawing,” Mattie’s mom said. “There’s no way we can watch them all in one night!”

Which is exactly what they ended up doing. Before she knew it, Mattie found herself cuddled up beside Grath on one end of the big leather sectional in the den with a mug of hot chocolate in her hand and bowl of buttered popcorn between them.

Of course, the night before Christmas Eve movie marathon was something they did every year, but this was the first time she’d brought a man home to share it with her. Mattie couldn’t help remembering how jealous she’d been of Anna and Ethan cuddling together and even her mom and dad, who were at the other end of the couch. It had seemed that everyone had someone but her.

But now I have someone too—or at least itlookslike I do,she thought guiltily. But to be honest, itfeltlike she had someone, too. Being close to Grath wasn’t awkward anymore—it felt natural and right. His long, muscular arm around her made her feel safe and warm—literally since he was generating extra body heat for her to keep her toasty. It was just so nice and cozy, she wanted to forget they were just pretending and enjoy herself.

So she sighed and laid her head on her Protector’s shoulder as they sipped hot cocoa and ate buttered popcorn and watched the random assortment of Christmas movies her mom had drawn out of her dad’s beat up old ball cap.

It was the best Christmas movie marathon Mattie could ever remember and at times she could almost pretend to herself that she and Grath were really dating and this whole ruse wasn’t going to end as soon as they got back to the Mother Ship.

TWENTY-SIX

GRATH

“The movies we watched tonight…they all seemed to have a common theme running through them,” Grath said, as he changed into his sleep trousers. “All about loving and giving to others.”

“That’s what Christmas issupposedto be about,” Madeline told him. She had just finished her shower and had changed into a silky red nightdress that looked wonderful against her creamy skin.

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