Page 3 of The Naughty List

“You know, my brother might have a problem with you screaming out my name like that,” I tease when she reaches me.

After she gives me a playful shove, she opens her arms. Without hesitation, I oblige and pull her into a hug. Clara’s the little sister I never had. On paper, she’s a year older than me, but I always looked after her the way I assumed a big brother would look after a younger sister. Not that she needed me. She has two overprotective brothers of her own and, finally, after years of the two of them very badly flirting with each other, she and Bennett are together.

“I think I found someone for you,” she whispers, handing me a card with a table number. “I maaaaay have rigged the seating.”

“Clara Ivy,” I gasp, feigning shock before leaning down. “Thanks, sis.”

Shaking her head, she points to the pastry counter. Her sisters-in-law, Rachel and Sara, are both behind the counter, taking orders.

“There’s a raspberry hot cocoa and three chocolate chunk cookies put aside for you,” she says with a smile before she continues making her way around the room.

The coffee house closed to the public an hour ago, so every single person in this room is here to speed date. As I stroll over to the counter, I glance around the room, stopping short when I see the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on sitting at table one. I can’t help but smirk at the unimpressed scowl settled on those perfectly plump red lips.Someone doesn’t want to be here.Glancing down at my card, I let out a small laugh when I see table one printed in bold white lettering on the blue cardstock.

This is going to be fun.

“Well, if it isn’t Prince Charming in the flesh,” Sara greets me as she passes over a to-go cup and a small pastry bag. “Thanks for gracing us with your presence, your highness.”

“Hi Elliott.” Rachel waves as she pours scoops of ground coffee into the coffee maker.

“Ladies.” I smile and give them a little nod. Sara rolls her eyes and shakes her head, but Rachel smiles back.

Sara’s mom and mine are the very best friends. She’s also been with Clara’s older brother since they were in middle school. She spends most of her time rolling her eyes and teasing me about the rotation of women I have in my life.

It’s not that I don’t want to settle down. In fact, most people would be surprised to know, I want that very much. I’ve just never felt the spark that makes me think “this is the person I could spend the rest of my life with.”

I’ve watched what my parents have. I’m not naive enough to believe that it’s always picture perfect between the two of them, but they’ve managed to raise Bennett and I, run the farm, constantly be helping with things in town, and they still kiss each other goodbye every time one of them leaves the house. I’ve never heard a phone call that didn’t end in “I love you.” They slow dance together at every wedding we attend.

If it doesn’t feel like forever, I don’t want it.

At least not for longer than a night.

THREE

TILLIE

I glancedown at my phone and see Eloise’s text pop up on my lock screen.

Eloise: Go get ‘em, tiger! *kissy face emoji*

The more I sit here the more I think this is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad idea. What was I thinking even telling Eloise about the flyer let alone agreeing to do this?What an actual idiot.I refrain from slapping my forehead with my palm, although it’s a basic instinct I feel compelled to do. My mood further sours when I scroll through social media as I await the start time, people shuffling in and getting sat at their assigned tables, and see a smiling photo of my ex, Van.

Caption:This view is fantastic but I can’t think of a single view better than you.

The photo showcases Van and the leggy blonde that he left me for. They stand side-by-side in front of the Grand fucking Canyon and it’s beautiful sunset, the camera capturing an unbelievable angle of the oranges and blues and pinks all melting into one another.

Ew. I wanna barf. In fact, thanks to the cheesiness of this photo in combination with my heartburn from not eating anything, I practically feel the bile creeping up my throat as I exit the app and set my phone down on the table a little more forcefully than intended.

I look back up and notice an extremely good-looking man standing in front of my table, looking at me like he’s trying to dissect why I look like I’m about to punch kittens.

“‘Tis the season to be jolly?” he offers, pulling out the chair across from me and sitting down as I gulp down my annoyance at the witty Christmas pun. His lips tip upward as a wide smile graces his face. Time seems to move in slow motion as I take in his features. Chiseled jawline, dark stubbled peppers his cheeks, even darker hair sits atop his head, and beautiful hazel eyes that look like they’re peering into my black, grinchy soul.

“You’re one of those,” I say, observing out loud before I can catch my tongue and tame it—although, I’ve never really been one to censor myself to make men feel better.

“One of what?” he asks, his brows furrowing. A thin line forms in the crease of his eyebrows and it seems to be his one flaw…if you could even call it that.

I sigh and lean back in my chair, making it a point to take him in from head to mid-stomach where the table cuts off my vision.

“One of those perpetually happy, optimistic people who live in a perfect snow globe of a town where nothing bad can touch them,” I say, surprising myself. Damn. I’m feeling saucy.

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