Page 66 of A Christmas For Holly

HOLLY: How’s the health and safety elf doing today with all his planning?

HOLLY: Still herding the other elves?

I shook my head, grinning like an idiot.

Wesley’s enthusiasm for his old London Christmas scene wasn’t fading, but his frustration with Hunter McCoy refusing to open a hot chocolate stall was reaching new heights. Hunter, being Hunter, insisted they didn’t have the kind of hot chocolate in Dickens’ London that Wesley wanted to offer, and he wasn’tabout to compromise his historical accuracy. Meanwhile, I was stuck in the middle, trying to keep the peace and keep the parade plans on track.

I smiled and typed back.

LUCAS: This parade planning is a freaking nightmare. I need a hug.

I didn’t expect a reply, but clearly, Holly was standing out in the snow next to his ruined car which Greg at the garage was picking up later today. The reply ping made me scramble to pick up the phone, causing Duncan to laugh.

I sent my brother a middle finger as I read what Holly had sent.

HOLLY: Sends hugs

I wished it was a real hug. I really needed a real hug. To bury my face in Holly’s neck and close my eyes and justfeel.

HOLLY: What’s wrong with the planning?

LUCAS: I have a rogue elf named Hunter McCoy

HOLLY: What’s he done?

LUCAS: He owns the coffee shop next to the bookstore. Refuses to have a modern-day hot chocolate stall at the Christmas parade because it’s not “historically accurate” for modern-day hot chocolate to be in Dickens’ London. Apparently, they had something different. They didn’t call it chocolate, just cocoa. FML.

HOLLY: LOL

LUCAS: Not helping

HOLLY: I’m just imagining a scene where Oliver Twist asks for extra whipped cream, marshmallows, and crushed candy cane

LUCAS: Still not helping

I had to smile. God, I missed him.

LUCAS: So, Wesley’s vision of his perfect old London Christmas is falling apart, and I’m stuck in the middle. Heading over now to see if I can convince Hunter to budge.

HOLLY: Good luck with that. Message me when you win. Or if you need me to bring a shovel to deal with him.

LUCAS: Thanks, but let’s not escalate to that just yet. Go inside and stay warm!

HOLLY: On it

“Oh man, you’ve got it bad,” Duncan said, plopping himself onto a stool across from me, arms crossed, as he studied me with mock seriousness. “The texting, the sappy smile. You’re completely gone for him, aren’t you?”

I rolled my eyes, sliding my phone face down on the counter. “I’m just making sure everything’s okay with him. He’s up in that cabin alone. It’s called being a decent human being.”

“Uh-huh,” Duncan said, dragging out the words. “Sure, it’s about being decent. Totally not about all that kissing I saw, and you sitting here grinning like a love-struck puppy.”

“Whatever, asshole.” My face was burning, and he wasn’t done.

“Come on, you’ve been practically glued to your phone all week. Mom noticed, you know. She said, ‘Lucas must have someone special he’s texting.’ And let me tell you, Mom is never wrong.”

I set my pen down, fixing him with a look. “Do you remember the time I covered for you? When you told Mom you and Sydney were sick and needed her to take the kids, but you were just having a night of sex in a seedy hotel?”

“It wasn’t seedy, it was opulent and fucking expensive, and anyway, that’s not relevant.”

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