Page 4 of The Holiday Boyfriend

Groaning, I slumped my upper body over the table. Austin's cool hand quickly swept through my short hair, sending tingles down my body. I liked the sense of comfort his easy touches gave me. Turning my head to press one cheek against the table, I glanced up at him. He'd returned to his food but was still watching me.

“Do I really look that old?” I moaned, and my pitiful expression must have been hilarious because Austin laughed again.

“Remember the time in the city when a stranger thought you were my dad? I think we were fifteen or something.”

He took another bite before placing the fork down and pushing the plastic container away from him. He was never good at finishing his food, but it was fine since I had a big appetite.

I picked up the fork and pointed it at him. “That's ‘cuz of you. It's not my fault you have a baby face,” I said in a fake grumble. Austin only laughed again, and the sound was like music to my ears. He had a soft, calm voice that wasn't too shrill like some women's and not too deep like my own.

“Who cares what others think, right? As long as you know I'm the older one, that's all that matters.”

I rolled my eyes as I finished off the last of the food. Austin was born April 1st while my birthday was in October, and boy did he love reminding me of the fact that he was half a year older.

“All right, old-timer. Isn't it way past your bedtime? Don't forget to wear your nightcap to protect your ancient bones from the cold,” I said as I stood, taking the dirty dishes with me to the kitchen.

Austin's laughter followed behind me for a minute before I heard a “thanks” being called out, then silence as he shuffled out of the room. I quickly loaded up the dishwasher and started the machine before returning to my room.

I waited for Austin to finish using the bathroom so that I could quickly brush my teeth and wash up for the night. Making sure to set the alarm, I was in bed and passed out within minutes. I needed my beauty sleep if I didn't want to look older than I already did.

FOUR

AUSTIN

My eyes popped open at the first sound of the blaring alarm. My arms were heavy as I lifted them to shut off the annoying sound.

It felt like I'd only closed my eyes for a few seconds, but I guessed that was what I got for pushing myself too much.

Maybe I should have taken Jim up on his offer to pick up the guests from the airport, but my pride didn't let me. I didn't want to admit that I was doing more than I could handle.

It was embarrassing enough that I felt inadequate next to Jim, who'd found a career he loved. Me, on the other hand? The only skill I possessed was driving people around for a living.

Not that being a taxi driver was a bad job or anything—and some days I liked the aspect of traveling to all sorts of different places—but this wasn't exactly how I imagined my life at twenty-eight. I thought I'd find something I was passionate about by now, but that was obviously not the case.

I didn't have big dreams or something I wanted to pursue, and maybe that was part due to my lack of ambition. I didn't hope for a lavish life, and I wasn't likea lot of the younger residents of Wintertown who wanted out of this small town life with limited opportunities, but I had dreamed of having a family, or at least a partner, by now.

Perhaps I'd been a little toooptimisticon that front, especially considering I lived in a small town and basically grew up with most of the people living here.And I was sure being in love with my best friend and living with him didn't help matters either.

It was hard to meet someone when I wasn't even trying.

That was a problem for future Austin. Right now, the only thing I needed to focus on was finishing this job and maybe coming back for another much-needed nap.

Still lethargic from sleep, I slowly changed my clothes and dragged my body out of my room. A deep, grumbly voice had me jumping back and knocking the back of my head against my door frame.

“G'morning—whoa, you okay, there?” Jim said as he rushed toward me and wrapped his large hand around my head. He rubbed the spot that I'd bumped my head with slow, gentle strokes. The small hit didn't hurt, but I wasn't going to tell him that, not when I could bask in his care instead.

“You scared me. Wasn't expecting you here,” I said, looking up at him. He had his hair slicked back in his usual hairstyle and was dressed in blue jeans and a tight black shirt that hugged his muscles so deliciously.

“I live here, remember?” At the sound of Jim's voice, I slowly moved my eyes from staring at his pec muscle to his smirking face. He’d totally caught me staring, but I was too tired to care right now. “Enjoying the view?” he asked in his teasing tone with a brow raised.

Rolling my eyes, I pushed him away. The pec muscle I was previously ogling felt hard under my palm, and for a split second, images of being pushed down by his solid form blessed my thoughts. I shook them away and escaped to the bathroom.

“Just wasn't expecting you up so early. Don't you have a few more hours till work?” I asked. He leaned against the bathroom door frame with his arms crossed against his chest as he watched me move around the sink and brush my teeth. His blue eyes looked dark under the yellow hue of the lightbulb. They bore into me, his gaze landing on my mouth as I made back and forth movements with my hand.

“I couldn't really sleep, so I figured I'll head to the airport with you and keep you company,” he said, shrugging one arm.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You? Couldn't sleep? Who are you and what have you done with Jim?”

Turning back to the sink, I rinsed my mouth and splashed my face with cold water to shock myself awake.

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