Page 57 of Meet Me at the Christmas Cottage
Dani gasped. “That’s going to look great on you.” She leaned closer to Bronte and said low, so no one else could hear, “You’re going to make Jonah weak in the knees.”
Grinning, Bronte reached for the dress to go try it on in the bathroom.
“Dani, did you hear that Bree’s back in town? I just found out this morning from my mom.” Jordi’s words stopped Bronte.
“What? She’s back?” Dani hissed. “Has anyone told Jonah?”
From the level of their voices, Bronte knew she wasn’t privy to their conversation, but she turned around anyway. “Bree? LiketheBree?” Her stomach plummeted.
Jordi and Dani looked up as if they’d been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Jordi shifted on her feet, and Dani nodded.
Bronte swallowed. This was fine. It was okay. One kiss didn’t make Jonah hers to be jealous over. Even as she reminded herself, she couldn’t help the growing pit in the bottom of her stomach. Hadn’t Dani said she didn’t think Jonah had ever gotten over Bree?
“That’s great,” Bronte somehow choked out. She could already see this playing out in her head. She’d never had a chance, really, even if she had started to want one. It was the plot for every romance story. High school sweethearts have a falling out, and a few years later they bump into each other at some small-town tradition and realize they were always meant to be.
It was the perfect ending for someone like Jonah—the family man who loved rom-coms and believed in happily ever afters.
Not that she wanted to…Oh, who was she kidding?
She wanted to. She really, really wanted to.
“Hey.” Dani bumped Bronte’s shoulder with her own. “It’ll be fine. I’m not even sure when she got in, but there’s no way she could be here for Jonah. No one knew he was coming in. She probably won’t even be at the ball tonight. Her name hasn’t come up on the registry.”
Bronte forced a smile. “Right. It’s going to be fine.” She held her dress up, shaking the hanger. “Let’s see if this is going to fit.”
Jordi squealed again as she shooed her in the direction of the bathroom.
“You’re going to look so amazing, Jonah isn’t even going to remember who Bree is.”
Jordi’s confidence had a sliver of Bronte believing that maybe, just maybe, a Christmas miracle could happen and the stars would align, even if Bronte had her doubts.
ChapterFourteen
She was Cinderella at the ball. She stood at the top of the stairs, and everyone froze and turned to look as she floated down the steps into the arms of the prince.
Okay, so it wasn’t exactly like that. There were no stairs, and no one was turning to look at her, but that was fine with her.
After getting ready, the girls had made their way over to the ballroom. Dani had to be there early, so Bronte wandered, taking in the stillness before the guests arrived.
Draped in lights, the garland twinkled as it fanned out from the great chandelier. Wreaths hung on the tall windows that circled the entire room. The mini Christmas trees Jordi and her mom had wrapped in lights surrounded the room, adding the perfect amount of mood lighting and making it smell as if they were actually in a pine forest. Round tables with white tablecloths and centerpieces of mirrors and tall tapered candles were set up, leaving plenty of room for the live band and dance floor. A large Christmas tree graced the center of the stage, white lights sparkling from every branch.
Once guests started arriving, dazzling in their formal wear, Bronte checked the seating list and made her way to her table, reminding herself to breathe.
Scanning the crowd, she tried to quell the sinking in her stomach when she couldn’t find Jonah. Had he already found Bree? No, Dani had said Bree hadn’t bought a ticket. She wouldn’t be here tonight. There were so many new faces from the tourists who’d come over from the mainland and other islanders she hadn’t met. Not that she could tell the difference between the two groups. She was just as much a visitor as anyone else for tonight’s event.
Smiling, she wove her way toward table number one, her assigned table. Not wanting to sit at the table by herself, she decided if there wasn’t anyone there yet, she’d find Dani to see if she needed help with anything. Her heart in her throat, she finally caught sight of their table, noticing that Mia and Cody sat in their seats.
“You look absolutely stunning tonight.” Jonah’s breath tickled her ear.
She turned, finding Jonah behind her. Jonah dressed in a T-shirt, sweatpants, and Santa socks had been her favorite, but dressed-up Jonah was a whole other thing. His dark-blue Army dress uniform fit him perfectly, and his dark shoes had been shined to perfection. His face was clean-shaven, and she wasn’t sure if she preferred Jonah without his scruff, but it didn’t matter because he was there, and her insides were turning to liquid butter.
“You don’t look too bad yourself.” She took in the medals on his chest and wanted to ask about them, but Jonah caught her hand in his and brought it to his lips.
She couldn’t breathe. She vowed to never again wash the place his lips met her skin. She internally rolled her eyes at herself. She was being ridiculous.
“You’re exquisite.” Jonah’s eyes never left hers, pulling her back into the squishy romancy space she had told herself she wouldn’t step foot in again. But Jonah made her feel as if she were the only person in the room. No one had ever made her feel that, had ever made her feel seen.
He took a step closer to her.
