Page 39 of Holiday Hook Up

Chapter 9

Bethany tieda festive red bow onto the last of the gifts Betty had purchased, placing them in a shiny green bag for the waitress. It’d been arguably the busiest day of the season, but she’d certainly welcomed the whirlwind distraction.

Yesterday at the Lakeside Inn had more than freaked her out. Once Emma declared that Mary’s dress was meant for her, Caitlin had asked the obvious question: Was Bethany interested in Adam?

Actually, she’d demanded to know in no uncertain terms if they were sleeping together, in which case, Bethany honestly said no.

Abby immediately dismissed Caitlin, saying that perhaps Mary’s dress came to Bethany because she was the first bachelorette to open the hope chest setting off the spell, an answer that seemed to satisfy Caitlin for the time being.

Before they left, Emma suggested they all be discreet and not spread the news about the hope chest. She wanted some time to talk to her mother and Abby’s before they did anything with it. Both Sheila and Jackie Stevens had more experience in magic than Emma and Abby.

There was no way Bethany was going to bring it up. Abby had taken Mary’s dress from her and put it back in the chest. She told them she’d have Brandon and one of his employees move it into the second-floor office so no other inn guest received a wedding dress surprise.

Bethany had felt a little sadness when she handed the dress back. Was Emma right about it being hers? If so, she could never imagine wearing it to marry another man after kissing Adam in it.

And their becoming a couple wasn’t in the cards. To wear the dress, he needed to fall in love with her, and she was pretty sure that wasn’t going to happen unless she dyed her hair blond and changed her name.

She crossed the store, flipped over the sign, and locked the door. The day before Christmas Eve was officially a wrap and she was more than ready to head home after she took out the garbage.

Minutes later, she opened the back door with one full trash bag, stepping into the frigid air. The Christmas Corner shared the trash and recyclables area with Rachel’s flower shop. Perhaps her friend might be interested in grabbing a bite to eat. As far as she knew, Rachel’s Christmas festivities at her parents didn’t start until tomorrow night when her twin brother, Donovan, would be coming into town.

She rounded the corner and stopped dead in her tracks.

“Oh, hey.”

Not the guy she expected to run into. “Hi, Will.”

“Um . . . Hey, Bethany . . . er . . . fancy meeting you back here.”

Indeed, it was since his auto body shop was way down the street. “What are you doing?”

“Throwing out some garbage. Let me give you a hand.” He grinned and reached for her bag, taking it and throwing it effortlessly in the trash receptacle.

Just then, Rachel came around the corner, a broken-down box under her arm. “Hi, Bethany!”

“Hi, yourself.” Bethany eyed her friend’s normally perfectly coifed hair that looked more than a little tousled.

“How funny that we came out here at the same time. That never happens,” Rachel said.

Funny indeed. And Will was standing there looking pretty darn happy. Yes, way too content for a man taking out the trash in twenty-degree weather. Without a word, she raised an eyebrow over to her friend.

“Will was helping me close up.” Rachel walked past him and set her box down in the recyclables bin. “Thanks for your help, Will. See you around.”

He stood for a few awkward seconds before saying, “Right. Yeah. Have a good night, Rachel. See ya, Bethany.”

“Bye, Will.” Bethany folded her arms as soon he was out of sight. “What are you doing?”

“Same thing you are. Taking out the trash and closing up.” Rachel moved her neck to each side. “Man, it’s been a long day.”

Was her friend really going to lie to her face? Bethany decided to ask the question another way. “Is Will trying to get on Santa’s nice list by helping with the garbage of all Buttermilk Falls business owners, because if he is, I could use the assistance, too, and will call him first thing in the morning.”

Rachel knew the jig was up. “Fine. Come into my shop, and I’ll tell you everything. It’s freezing out here.”

More than curious, Bethany followed her in, the scent of eucalyptus filling her lungs. She always admired how simple Rachel kept her shop with colorful arrangements in the store’s refrigerator and a work table in the center to cut flowers and create her beautiful displays.

Rachel grabbed her black purse off the counter. Digging in, she pulled out a lipstick tube and swiped her lips a pretty red that matched her festive knit dress. “So, I need you to do me a huge favor.”

“What?”

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