Page 111 of A Very Merry Mistake

Someone sits close to me on the log. If it’s Lacy, I swear I’ll make a scene, but as I turn, my mouth falls open.

CHAPTER 31

CLAIRE

When I pass the coffee-roasting building, I immediately notice all the vehicles. Many are parked on the curbs, and others are in the grass. The Christmas tree is already lit with colorful rainbow lights. I’m sad I missed it, but there is always next year. As I drive around the block, I see a line snaked around the tree. It takes me a minute to realize that’s the line to take a picture with Santa. I leave the downtown area because it’s packed. It seems like a long distance from the festivities, but it’s nothing compared to a city block, plus I’m wearing proper footwear.

I park, grab my cell, then lock the truck. It takes me fifteen minutes to walk to the town square because it’s further away than I thought. If I was anywhere else, I’d have a small canister of pepper spray tucked in my hand, but not in Merryville. It’s one of the safest towns in the nation, even with all the tourists traveling in and out each year. I’m not scared here, another reason why I love it so much.

As I round the corner and pass a food truck with extra-long corn dogs, I run into Hank.

His jaw drops. “Claire?”

I hold up my gloved hands. “Listen, I know you’re probably the last person on Earth who wants to see me, but have you seen Jake?”

He grins widely. “Actually, yeah. I was just headin’ to get a beer and then was gonna go back to where he was. Wanna join me?”

“Do you think he’ll leave between now and then?”

“Nah,” he says, chuckling. “He’s not goin’ anywhere. I’d guarantee it.”

I let out a sigh. “Okay. But if he does…” I warn.

“Trust me, he won’t.”

We walk across the grass to the beer garden beside a circus tent. People are dancing inside and look like they’re having the time of their lives. I’ve never experienced anything like this because my father refused to take us to carnivals as kids. They were beneath him. Of course, we went to all of the major theme parks and were treated like royalty, but the food was something we avoided. There’s something special about buying an oversized piece of meat on a stick for six bucks.

“Did that sign say fried cheesecake?” I ask, walking past a truck with a big plastic slice of cheesecake attached to the roof.

“Yeah, and it’s pretty good. Almost too much of a good thing, ya know? But if you’re a cheesecake lover, you’ll probably enjoy it. You want a beer?”

“Nah, I’m good. Thanks for asking.”

He orders and pays the guy. Then we follow the sidewalk past the busy crowd of people.

“So why are you here?”

“I need to talk to Jake. I owe him an explanation. Also, I know he’s pissed at me right now. I get it. I’m pissed at me, too.”

Hank’s brows raise. “I think he just misses you.”

I swallow hard. “I miss him, too. I care about him a lot, and my conscience won’t let me pretend like nothing happened between us. That would be a lie.”

“I understand that. But I’ve got one question for ya, and no matter what, you have to answer honestly. No fibbing, Claire Manchester.”

I huff. “Fine.”

“Are you in love with him?”

I meet Hank’s brown eyes, feeling my heart lurch forward. “Yes,” I whisper. “It happened so fast, and he means a lot to me.”

He snaps his fingers. “Well, damn. I guess I would’ve lost anyway.”

“Lost what?”

Hank shakes his head. “I had this stupid bet with Jake that he couldn’t make you fall in love with him.”

My brows furrow. “So I was a game?”

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