Page 76 of Holiday Hook Up

When she’d opened the hope chest, she’d nearly jumped out of her skin with excitement. The dress had been neatly folded in it. She’d decided then and there that she’d take the gown, put on the wig, and finally admit to Adam it was her. Then she’d remove the wig and put her whole heart out there and tell him she was in love with him.

At least that had been the plan. Now she was cowering in the back alley, drenched from head to toe. She touched her slicked back hair. In all the water and commotion, she must have lost the wig because it was no longer attached to her head.

Disappointed in herself, she hurried through the alley in the direction of the Christmas Corner where she had left her car.

She was a fool to think she could actually go through with tonight. What was she going to say?Hi, Adam. I love you, and we’re meant to be together because Mary’s wedding dress keeps appearing for me, and I have the wedding band that you’ll one day give to me. Oh, and by the way, our first kiss has already happened.

She stopped at the corner, waiting for the one traffic light in town to turn green. Not that it really mattered. This part of the street was pretty deserted. She could hear in the distance people counting down the clock.

Nothing like ringing in the new year drenched and alone.

She crossed the street, reaching the fire station and the vacant office next to it. A catcall whistle caused her to whip her head around.

Adam.She stood frozen as he jogged across the street.“Happy Ne—” She didn’t get to finish, because at that moment, he swept her into his arms, kissing her with everything he had. She opened her mouth, tasting his desire and determination and matching it in spades.

When they finally broke apart, he cupped her face. “Happy New Year, Bethany.”

“Adam.” She had no idea what to say. He wrapped her arms around him, covering her with his jacket.

“You must be freezing.”

It didn’t matter. In his arms, she felt the warmest she’d felt in . . . well, maybe forever. “I’m fine,” she whispered, nuzzling into his chest. “Happy New Year.”

“That second kiss was just as amazing as the first.”

Second kiss.She released her arms from his middle and stepped out of his embrace. “You know?”

He reached into his coat pocket and she gasped. He was holding the blonde wig.

“Where did you get that?”

“In the auditorium on the back of Mary’s chair.”

“Figures she’d bust me.” She took a deep breath. The moment to tell him the truth was now. “I wore it the night of the Holiday Hook Up when I found this dress in a mysterious hope chest that apparently appeared out of nowhere. It’s Mary’s dress.”

Even in the dark, she could see confusion all over Adam’s face. “Mary’s dress. How do you know it belonged to her?”

“Because Josh nearly had a heart attack when he caught me in it. Abby and Caitlin recognized it, too. It’s her wedding dress.”

“Wow.”

She touched the satin fabric. “And it only appears for me.”

“What do you mean, ‘only appears for’ you?”

“Abby realized the hope chest is magical. It holds something entirely different depending on who opens it up. For me, it was this dress.” She sighed. “And now I’ve ruined it.”

“Well, technically, Mary was the first to get water on it.”

“Adam!”

“Sorry, Mary.” He tossed the wig onto a nearby bench and brought her in, sheltering her from the cold with his coat. “You look even more beautiful than you did that night.” He lowered his mouth to hers, but she put her hand up, touching his lips with her fingertips.

She needed to tell him everything. “I’m sorry that I deceived you. I’ve had a thing for you for so long, but you were with Rachel. I didn’t have the guts to tell you, but when you asked if I could send you a blonde your way, I kind of did.”

“And that’s why you wouldn’t let me do the spell on you. Because we’d already kissed.”

“Yes. And I saw how elated you were when you thought you’d gotten Zoe’s batter right. I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

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