Page 3 of My Accidental Holidate

“I’m Lucy. I wish we’d met under better circumstances. Tonight. Not my best night,” I respond not wanting to look away from him.

His smile… so sexy. So sincere. So inviting.

And his eyes never leave me once. It’s like the rest of the room doesn’t exist.

Kurt stands. “I’ll be back in a moment,” he promises and heads toward the bar.

I pick up the empty water glass and set it back down. Like a knight in sexy armor, Kurt drops off another glass of water and heads toward the kitchen. I hide my smile with the glass and take a drink. My body has come down off Mount Vesuvius. But the tickling lava at the apex of my thighs says the volcano isn’t dead.

And here’s Kurt again. Grinning at me with the most decadent dessert in his hand. He places it in front of me with a wink and walks away quickly.

The man brought me chocolate.

Chocolate!

I pick up the tiny truffle next to the three-tiered slice of Black Forest cake and place it in my mouth, savoring the way it delicately starts melting on my tongue. After a moment, something sharp hits the roof of my mouth.

Bang!comes from behind me.

I jump in my seat, startled by the sound of a balloon popping behind me and I inhale sharply, and something hard goes down with the gasp.

And when I thought tonight couldn’t get worse…

I was wrong.

My heart pounds quick and my head only says one thing, “You’re gonna die on Valentine’s Day!”

I stand and wave my hands trying to get someone’s attention, but everyone is focus on their lovers. I try to gasp for a breath that doesn’t come.

Kurt rushes to my side. “Do you have an EpiPen?” he asks, and I mime that I’m choking. “Oh, shit!”

He thumps me on the back between my shoulder blades, once, twice, and with his help, the lodged object shoots out, glittering brilliantly in the light before rolling under a nearby table.

I turn to Kurt to thank him for saving me, but he curses and dives to the ground, crawling under the table and drawing the attention of several patrons.

“Oh my God, he just proposed!” An elderly lady shouts to the room and everyone around us starts to clap and cheer.

I blink as lights from cellphone cameras start flashing around us in confusion, I look back to Kurt for an answer.

Holy shit, it’s a diamond ring!

My face burns with embarrassment and I’m about to deny it when I notice Kurt. Still on one knee in front of me, presenting me with a beautiful diamond ring and a look of pleading in his eyes. He covertly points in the direction of the only bystander who seems dismayed.

I bite my bottom lip in understanding and hesitantly smile and only say, “Yes?”

2

Kurt

Thirty minutes before…

I absentmindedly wipe the bar with a towel, removing the evidence of a spilled drink from an overly exuberant customer. My gaze wanders around the room, taking in the crowded tables.Guess I won’t be heading home any time soon.

Not that I’m surprised. ItisValentine’s Day. It was more of a lingering hope though. I prefer my long hours at the clinic with patients who meow and bark over helping at the family restaurant. But you do what you need to for family and tonight, they needed a bartender.

The door whooshes open and I glance at the couple as they walk in. I turn to make the next order, a salted caramel, white Russian, but I’m frozen in place. My eyes glued to the gorgeous lady in red. Not too tall but long legs, a captivating smile, and curves in all the right places to make me feel a little wrong for eyeing them up. My brother Peter leads them to their table, and I return to my task a little more preoccupied than before.

I place the drink on the counter and check the order again. Peter eventually walks up, carrying a tray with him and leans against the bar waiting for me to finish the order.

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