The Christmas Wager, page 16
Not long after, I sat in Nancy and Shanti’s cozy living room with a huge fire roaring, holding a plate of vegetarian snacks and a glass of wine. Their three boys were settled in the den with cups of cocoa, and we could hear them giggling as they watched Arthur Christmas, a movie I made a mental note to ask Jesse about.
A little earlier, they’d proudly shown us their homemade, hand-painted salt-dough snowmen. The jolly figurines made me giggle as I thought of Melty McMeltyson standing proudly—if a little lopsidedly—in Jesse’s yard before they triggered an unexpected, long-forgotten memory. Dad and me at the kitchen table one rainy afternoon when I was about eight, shaping similar ornaments with cookie cutters. We’d spent the whole day making them, and the thought of how close I’d been to my father back then, how he’d always called me Bellabug or Bellaboo, created a massive lump in my throat I had trouble swallowing down.
While I’d always believed tiny towns were a disaster, I was beginning to see Bart’s Hollow wasn’t awful in itself; things just hadn’t worked out there for Mom, Dad, and me. I fleetingly wondered what it would feel like to live here, in Maple Falls, how fun it could be, before asking myself why those thoughts had crossed my mind. I cut the fantasizing short and quickly tuned back into the conversation, heard the Peppermint Twists speculate about what the next game might be.
“I don’t mind as long as it’s nothing in the water,” Nancy said with a shiver, telling the story about how they’d been tasked with finding a plushy Santa the previous year, and how only Jesse had been brave enough to go into the lake for a dip.
It was incredible how Jesse seemed fearless, how he’d do anything for the memory of his parents, for Clarence, and for this town. No wonder everybody loved him. No wonder he was the king of the games. Did I stand a chance of winning against him? Did I still want to? It all made me both respect and somewhat resent him at the same time, and I didn’t like the bizarre combination. I needed to clear my head.
“I’m thirsty after all the talk about water. Would you mind if I have some?” I asked.
“Let me get it for you,” Shanti said.
I gestured for her to sit. “Point me in the right direction?”
“There’s a pitcher on the dining table,” Nancy said. “Glasses, too.”
“I’ll join you,” Caroline said lightly, and when we reached the table, she continued, “Are you sure you’re all right after what happened on Devil’s Ridge?”
“Yes, honestly, I’m fine. Thank you for asking.”
“Good, that’s good.” She glanced over her shoulder, moved from one foot to the other.
“Are you okay?” I said, wondering why she seemed so nervous, but when her answer came, I wished I hadn’t asked.
“How long did you say you’ve known the Harrisons?”
I picked up the jug and poured some water, buying myself time. “Since I was little, I guess. Do you have a glass?”
“You said your parents knew Jesse’s, and Clarence and Maggie?”
“That’s right. Maggie’s from Huntsville, not far from where I grew up.”
“Two hours isn’t exactly close.” She must’ve seen my surprise because she added, “Bart’s Hollow. Clarence mentioned it.”
An uncomfortable shiver ran up my back. “You looked it up?”
“I was curious,” she said, then paused. “There’s something I can’t quite figure out so I’m going to ask you directly. I trust you don’t mind?”
“Not at all,” I lied.
“Why would you want to move from bustling L.A. to a small town like Maple Falls?”
Instead of the penny dropping, it felt like an entire row of piggy banks as I looked at her. This wasn’t about me, not really, it was about her and Jesse. Maybe she’d heard we’d gone back to his house yesterday to drop off Buddy or that I’d spent the afternoon with him. Perhaps her reaction toward me after the singing game hadn’t been because I’d sucked so bad. It was because he’d helped me with the lyrics. I leaned in and softly said, “You don’t need to feel threatened by me, Caroline, honestly.”
“What? I don’t know what you mean.”
“It’s okay, I promise. There’s nothing going on between Jesse and me.” Was that true? Did I want it to be? I felt some heat shoot to my cheeks and hoped Caroline wouldn’t notice. Was that why she blanched a little? I had to hand it to her though, she seemed to recover a lot quicker than me.
Taking a step closer, she lowered her voice to a whisper. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m just trying to protect Clarence and Jesse from—”
“Did you find everything okay?” Shanti said as she walked over.
“Yes, thanks,” I answered, seizing the opportunity to escape. “Actually, could you please point me to the bathroom?”
Once I’d locked the door, I perched on the edge of the bath, trying to collect my thoughts and push those about Jesse from my mind. Focus, I had to focus. My entire plan could falter if Caroline didn’t stop digging into why I was here.
This wasn’t the only problem. I genuinely liked Shanti and Nancy, and I’d insinuated myself into my teammates’ lives for my own benefit. I was in their house as a guest, for goodness’ sake. What I was doing in Maple Falls wasn’t fair. These women believed our friendship was sincere on all levels. They wanted the Peppermint Twists to win the Holiday Games without knowing my intentions about getting Always Noelle from Clarence on the cheap.
I remembered the underhanded tactics Miles had used against me when we duked it out for the promotion. Wasn’t I acting exactly like him now? Could I still maintain I was morally superior to him? I shuddered and washed my hands, not daring to look in the mirror for fear of what I’d see.
When I returned to the living room, I noticed Caroline had settled next to my spot on the sofa. It didn’t bother me until I saw my phone lying on the side table directly to her left, twinkling with a new message. As I got closer, I saw it was from Luisa.
Made any progress in MF?
Crap. I needed to get out of here in case Caroline had seen the text and brought it up, take some time to wrap my head around everything. “Thanks for a lovely time, everyone,” I said. “I’m heading back to the lodge. All the fresh air is tiring me out.”
Although Nancy and Shanti tried to convince me otherwise while Caroline wished me a good night, I said bye and got out of the house. I zipped up my jacket, pulled on my hat, and as I rounded the corner, saw Clarence coming over to me, waving.
“Beautiful evening, isn’t it?” he said. “Glorious for a leisurely stroll.”
I breathed in deep. It was so comforting being around the Harrisons, both Clarence and Jesse, and the thought instantly messed with my brain all over again.
“It sure is,” I said, forcing a smile. “Are you on your way home?”
“Yup. A bunch of us were at Tipsy’s but I’ve had enough for one night.”
I offered to walk back to Always Noelle with him, and when he asked about my evening, I figured he might as well know of Caroline’s suspicions. As I recounted our brief conversation, he listened intently, without interrupting.
“You knew she and Jesse were a couple then?” he said once I was done.
“Yes, I heard it through the grapevine.”
“She’s made no secret about wanting them to get back together.” He paused. “It seems to me she’s not happy his interests may have shifted elsewhere in the past few days.”
“You mean the games?”
Clarence chuckled softly, patted my arm. “No, dear. I mean you.”
“Don’t be silly,” I said, letting out a laugh. “That’s not true.”
“I thought you’d both try to hide it.”
“I’m serious, Clarence, you’ve got it wrong. There’s nothing going on between us. I—”
“Pops!” Jesse’s voice rang out from behind us, and we both turned to see him jogging down the street. “Jeez, you almost gave me a heart attack,” he said as he drew closer. “You left the pub without saying anything and nobody knew where you’d gone.”
“I’m seventy-eight, Jesse,” Clarence said, looking at me with a grimace. “Goodness gracious, at my age you’d think I’d be able to come and go as I please. Anyway, Bella and I were having a nice chat about the games, weren’t we?”
“Yes, the games, uh-huh,” I spluttered, hoping Jesse wouldn’t see through the fib. “I can’t wait for tomorrow providing there’s no singing or baking involved.”
“We’ll have to wait and see,” Clarence said. “In the meantime, Jesse, would you be a gentleman and walk Bella back to the lodge?”
“Not necessary,” I said. “In any case, I was accompanying you to the store.”
He waved a hand. “I’m fifty yards out. I reckon I’ll get there just fine.”
Clarence bid us good night and strolled off with what appeared to be a little spring in his step. Jesse and I watched as he reached the front door to Always Noelle, where he turned and gave us another wave before disappearing inside.
“You don’t have to walk back with me if you don’t want to,” I said to Jesse.
“No trouble. It’s on my way.”
Was a mutual geographical direction the only reason he wanted to accompany me? I wasn’t sure if I should believe any part of what Clarence had said and my brain was in turmoil once again, running in circles. There was no way Jesse was interested in me, was he? Did I want him to be? Yes. No. Sort of. Maybe? Was this part of their Holiday Games strategy? A keep your enemies closer thing? I reminded myself we were rivals—albeit friendly rivals lately—and nothing more. Maybe he and Clarence had cooked up this tactic to muddle my head. If so, mission accomplished.
More thoughts swirled as we walked up Main Street. The roads were empty, and the streetlights and Christmas displays in the store windows sparkled, illuminating our way. It almost felt as if we were the only people in the world. As we strolled through town, I pictured slipping my hand into Jesse’s. How might he react if I did?
“It really is pretty here,” I said, steering myself back into neutral territory, batting the images away and telling my heart to hold still. “I don’t remember feeling this peaceful in a long time.”
“Maybe Maple Falls is growing on you,” Jesse said, nudging me with his elbow.
I wanted to say it wasn’t the only thing growing on me, but my reasonable side kicked in and shut the words down before they made an elaborate, Houdini-esque escape from my mouth. As we approached Shimmer Lodge, I stopped and looked at Jesse, took a deep breath.
“You never told me why you rescued me at the game this evening,” I said.
He looked like I’d caught him off guard, and for a moment I wasn’t sure if I’d get a quip or the truth. “I guess you seemed terrified,” he said finally. “And I know you didn’t need saving. It’s clear you can do anything you put your mind to.” He paused and looked away. “Frankly, I admire the hell out of you for it.”
Heart galloping now, it seemed like minutes passed before I replied, “You do?”
“Yes. Along with plenty of other things.”
I’m not sure what did it the most, the way he looked at me, the softness in his eyes and voice, or the fact he’d said he admired me rather than calling me intimidating or bossy.
Before my rational brain could fight me again, I took a step and slid my arms around Jesse’s neck. His breath smelled of mint with a hint of beer, his aftershave of sandalwood and citrus, an intoxicating mixture I suddenly couldn’t get enough of. With his hands on my hips, he pulled me closer and as our bodies melted together, he softly whispered my name before pressing his lips against mine.
The kiss was slow at first, tentative, but quickly became full of desire and longing. My hands were in his hair, my chest against his. I couldn’t get close enough, wanted to pull him into the lodge, up to my room. Now.
Somewhere in the back of my head a thousand alarm bells went off, ringing and clanging, insisting this was a very, very bad idea. But Jesse’s touch, the taste of him, the way he ran his fingers down my back, bringing me closer still. It was all so different from how it had been the last time I’d—
Miles. The mere thought of him made me pull away from Jesse. My ex and I had been rivals. We’d gone after the same job, and when he’d sensed I was going to win, he decided to put both my job and our relationship on the line. The trouble with my missed appointments and rescheduled meetings had started. Although I’d never been able to prove Miles had tried to sabotage me, both Luisa and I knew he was behind it. All of it. I broke up with him—no way was I putting up with being treated that way. He hadn’t taken it well and had been gunning for me ever since, spreading rumors about how he was behind my success, trying to find fault in anything I did, attempting to trip me up whenever he could. The guy was a snake.
“You’re better than he is on every level, and he knows it,” Luisa insisted when I’d mentioned a few months ago that I felt like quitting Dillon & Prescott after another run-in with Miles. “That’s exactly why he’s doing this. He’s such an insecure ass.”
I shuddered at the fact he and I had been involved, a detail I stuffed in the what was I thinking compartment of my brain. Nevertheless, Miles’s actions had taught me to never drop my guard or get entangled with someone at work a second time. I couldn’t make the same mistake again. It didn’t matter that I’d felt more of a connection to Jesse over the past few days than I had to Miles in six months. Like it or not, Jesse was the person standing in the way of a huge promotion, which I’d worked hard toward and wanted for years.
I couldn’t have both. I had to choose.
“Bella,” Jesse whispered, pulling me back to him.
My resolve almost faltered, but I put my hands on his chest and stepped away. “This was a mistake,” I said, trying hard to ignore the confusion and hurt spreading across his face. “I promise it won’t happen again.”
Before he could reply or I changed my mind, I turned and headed inside. No matter what happened, no matter how I felt, I had to stop thinking about Jesse.
Tuesday,
December 21
Chapter 19
Jesse
As soon as morning arrived, I loaded my truck and stopped at Always Noelle to check on Pops, refusing his offer to stay for breakfast. When he asked if everything was all right, I pretended to be running late for a job, which in reality I’d be a little early for.
Judging by the look on his face, there was no doubt Pops suspected I wasn’t being truthful, but he didn’t press for details. All he said was that Christmas was four days away, and he hoped I’d get a break until the New Year.
I was glad he didn’t quiz me. Had no intention of getting into a discussion about Bella. What was there to say? Last night, after she’d kissed me, she’d made herself perfectly clear about what she wanted. Didn’t want.
It would’ve been another, bigger lie if I’d said her rejection hadn’t bothered me. She’d obviously changed her mind, come to her senses, or however else I wanted to describe it. Barely anything had happened between us and nothing more would happen. It was for the best anyway. Too complicated. Too distracting.
Telling myself all this was one thing, but believing it wasn’t so easy. When my client, a stay-at-home father of two for whom I’d worked multiple times, commented on how quiet I was, I engaged in small talk. We chatted about the cost of truck repairs, and the upcoming holidays before I refocused on the job so I wouldn’t end up electrocuting myself for Christmas. Once I’d finished crawling around the dusty attic and had installed the new pot lights and extractor fan in the bathroom, it was already well after lunch but at least I was done for the day.
After getting home and having a shower, it was almost time for the games. I pulled on my boots and shoved a thick sweater in my backpack in case Gladys and Co. really did decide to send us on another frigid fishing expedition.
As I packed my things, my mind returned to Bella. What would I say when I saw her? Should I mention our kiss? Pretend it never happened? Whatever I did or didn’t do, things would likely feel awkward, but I still couldn’t get our embrace out of my head.
The other thing was, while I’d been wondering for months about Caroline and me still potentially having a future together, since Bella’s arrival in town, that possibility kept slipping into the background. Why was I doing this? Bella was leaving in three days. Going back to L.A. I’d probably never see her again. I didn’t like that at all, so I shoved the thought away. Stuffed it into a corner of my mind and pretended I could ignore it.
Time to get moving. The south docks were less than a ten-minute walk from the house and it didn’t make sense to drive. Pops said he’d get a ride from Gladys, so I left via the back door with Buddy and trudged across the fields, a layer of fresh fluffy snow soft beneath my feet. The darkening skies were clear and temperatures had warmed up a fair few degrees today. Word had it the storm would track our way tomorrow, bringing with it another five inches of snow, and I wondered if Bella knew Friday’s Ultimate Maple Run would be a little more challenging.
Damn it. I had to stop thinking about Bella. I tried shaking the image of her from my head, worked harder to completely erase last night’s kiss from my mind. Impossible, so I let myself go there. I’d been surprised when she’d slid her arms around my neck and had pressed her soft lips against mine. Surprised and delighted. It lit a fire in me so bright, I thought it might consume us both. I’d never felt anything remotely similar with Caroline.
I’d wanted time to stand still, but all too quickly Bella had pulled away. Clearly, she didn’t feel the same way. I obviously hadn’t lived up to her expectations. She probably only dated corporate-type guys. Investment bankers. Tech moguls. Wealthy, successful entrepreneurs. People who could match her incredible drive and determination to succeed.
