Page 17 of Mistletoe Love Match
She nodded and tried to ignore the butterflies in her belly. “We’re stuck and simply need a warm place to stay.” Then again, they weren’t completely alone. There were the mistletoe murderers down the road.
“This happened by chance because of the weather. It’s not our fault we can’t get to Rickety Rock,” he added, like he was working to convince himself.
She drummed her fingers on the dash as a realization hit.
Perhaps their current predicament hadn’t happened solely by chance.
“Oh, bloody hell,” she exclaimed.
He touched her arm. “What is it?”
“Could we have brought this on ourselves, Alec? We didn’t kiss under the mistletoe at the community center. Ralph Dagby said that mistletoe doesn’t forget, and Louise said mistletoe had the power to change everything. Could we have altered our destinies?”
Alec cut the ignition and turned off the headlamps. “I don’t believe in stuff like that. We’re here because of the weather,” he said, looking away.
“You don’t believe in fate?”
He fiddled with his keys. “I believe in science.”
His words stung, and she couldn’t understand why.
“Come on,” he said. “We shouldn’t keep the Krangles waiting.”
She nodded because if she spoke, her voice might crack.
What was going on with her?The two of them had been shagging for months, and she’d never gotten sentimental over anything he’d said to her. What did she care what he thought about fate and destiny? She tried to shake off the feeling when the thought of being alone with him all night long had her heart racing like a virgin on her wedding night. She fumbled to open the door and bumped her foot against the bag with the ring.
The engagement ring.
No matter how she felt about that clusterfuck of a situation, she couldn’t leave it in the car. She gathered her purse and the mistletoe bag as Alec grabbed their luggage. She exited the Jeep and almost fell over. Arctic air greeted her with an icy gust, knocking the breath clean out of her.
“It’s colder than a witch’s tit,” she exclaimed, sounding like her granny. She’d only taken a few steps when Alec came to her side and draped his coat over her shoulders. “You don’t need to play the gentleman,” she said, waving him off.
But he wasn’t having it. “Just wear it, Calliope the Christmas Commando,” he teased, and a warmth settled in her chest. Unfortunately, it didn’t radiate to her bare legs.
She hurried up the path alongside Alec and rubbed her hands together as the man opened the door. Even before she could see inside, they were met with a rush of heat and the comforting scent of pine and peppermint.
This sure beat freezing their arses off.
Alec brushed the snow off his shoulders, set the bags on the ground, then took their coats and hung them on a stand painted to look like a candy cane.
That should have been the first clue that their lodgings weren’t your typical mountain abode.
She looked around, not sure if she could believe her eyes. It was as if they’d left Colorado and entered Santa’s cozy retreat. If Christmas storybook charm was a decorating style, this place had it in spades. She glanced at Alec as they entered the living room area and caught the man wide-eyed. She couldn’t blame him. The place was bloody inviting. A fire crackled in the cottage’s hearth. Evergreen garlands lined with crimson ribbon wrapped around the cozy space, embracing the room. An expertly trimmed tree stood in the corner, with a train track circling the base. All she wanted to do was cuddle up on the couch and soak in the merry vibes.
Toot, toot!
She grabbed Alec’s arm, then released a relieved breath when a toy train passed by on the tiny track. She leaned into him, comforted by his quiet steadiness, and inhaled another breath of peppermint-evergreen air. “This place is . . .”
“Christmas magic,” Alec finished, wonder coating his words.
She kept an eye on the man as she rested her purse and the mistletoe bag on a little table near the door. She hadn’t expected Dr. “I only believe in science” to react like that, but he exuded joy like a kid on Christmas. What had caused his demeanor to shift?
She chuckled, shaking her head at the man.
“What’s so funny?”
“I didn’t peg you as a Christmas enthusiast,” she tossed back.
