Page 8 of Wrapped with a Beau

“Grinch acquired,” says Solana. “Had no idea this was going to be a three-Grinch-problem kind of night. What the hell was that, Lisha? You didn’t have a damn thing to prove to him.”

“I know, I know.”

“You said to me, and I quote, that getting the Christmas House now was ‘more than a challenge.’ Not a done deal!”

“Lana, I know. I’ll figure it out.”

“You took a swing at Ves!”

“You remember that I was the one who was actually there, right?”

“Okay, okay. Let’s forget about the house for a minute. You magically have a ‘boyfriend’ now?”

“Nuh-uh,” Elisha says triumphantly. “I only vaguely implied it. And it’s not like I’m going to show up at their little party, so it’s a moot point. I just didn’t want Bentley to think I was single.”

“But you are single.”

“When your ex shows up in Piney Peaks, you can criticize,” Elisha grumbles. “So I showed off a little to look good. So what? I had to. I’m twenty-eight years old, back in my hometown, and living with my parents.”

“Um, you’re back for a good reason, though: your family. It was a strategic decision, Lisha. You could have gone anywhere. Coming home wasn’t any port in a storm, it was your destination.”

“But he doesn’t know that. Look, you saw how he behaved. Not to be a Petty Betty, but he clearly thinks he’s ‘winning’ the breakup.” She air-quotes.

“Except he just let it peter out instead of actually making a clean break,” says Solana. “Which, as far as I’m concerned, makes him a coward who isn’t even in the same league to compete with you. And, anyway, he’s back in the same job he once thought wasn’t good enough. Isn’t that fishy?”

“Very. Then again, he’s looking to ‘put down roots’ in my hometown, so clearly good decision making isn’t his forte.”

Solana snickers. “I mean, he didn’t marry you, so what other proof do you need?”

“I fucking love you,” Elisha proclaims, giving her best friend a smacking kiss on the cheek. “I probably shouldn’t have said anything about the movie, but I couldn’t stand the thought of him thinking I was moving backward. I can’t look both single and unsuccessful.”

Solana gives her an incredulous stare. “Um, did you not hear me talking you up? You’re the biggest goal-getter I know. Who cares where you’re doing it? You’re still kicking ass and we’re lucky to have you. Also, totally not a suspicious segue at all, but apropos of something, was Ves attractive?”

“What?” Elisha laughs. “What does that even have to do with anything?”

“Hear me out. I was just thinking that if you were up to the challenge, you could easily charm him into being your arm candy during all of Piney Peaks’s endless festivities during the Winter Festival.”

Elisha doesn’t even let herself indulge in the idea, positive that hell would freeze over twice before Ves found her charming. “Um, arm candy? So we’re just choosing to conveniently ignore the part where I launched a candy cane attack on him?”

Solana waves a hand dismissively. “He’ll forgive you. Season of miracles, right? You know, your grandpa Dave asked me about hooking you up with a date for the Chocolate Mouse holiday party. I didn’t have the heart to tell him you’d already one-night-standed or flat-out rejected all the eligible men in town.”

“Thanks,” Elisha says dryly.

Solana keeps going. “But Ves just got here, so he’s probably sticking around for a while. Maybe you could woo him for his signature and rub his hotness in Bentley’s face? Two turtledoves, one stone?”

“Is this you being optimistically-supportive-BFF or too-Grinch-drunk-to-think-straight-BFF?”

“Pfft. I can hold my liquor.” Solana smirks. “So, hot or not?”

“Ummmmm.”

“Hot,” Solana decides. “I knew it. Probably drop-dead gorgeous.”

“I never said that. I didn’t even get a good enough look at him. I was too busy staring at the floor hoping it would swallow me up.” Flippantly, Elisha adds, “Maybe he was hideous.”

“I know all your tells, my darling. You can’t fool me. And your avoidance is delicious, because you’re only this cagey when you don’t want me to be right.”

“Just because you and Adam started a rom-com-worthy love affair last year does not mean you get to scheme up romantic intrigues for me. Deciding to be each other’s dates to get through wedding season is sooooo not comparable to how much groveling I’ll have to do to redeem myself.”

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