Page 58 of Meet Me at the Christmas Cottage
“Hi.” Her voice breathy.
“I missed you today.”
Her head told her to run away, but her heart had different ideas. “I missed you too.”
“I like your hair.”
He rubbed circles on the back of her hand, making it hard for Bronte to follow their conversation.
“What? Oh, yeah. This is Jordi’s doing.” Bronte motioned with her free hand to the coil Jordi had fashioned at the base of her neck. “Like my regular bird’s nest, but lower and?—”
“Fancy. I like it.”
“Thank you. Should we get to our table? I’m starving.”
“Lead the way.” Jonah motioned Bronte ahead of him but didn’t let go of her hand. “Did they not feed you this afternoon?”
“There were snacks and pizza, I just couldn’t eat.”
“Really?”
“I was so nervous.”
Jonah’s eyebrows shot up. “What’s there to be nervous about?”
Of course he wouldn’t understand the feeling of wanting someone, orsomeones, to like her. Of being afraid that she’d say the wrong thing. But even Bronte had to admit those nerves hadn’t stuck around for long before being replaced with nerves about seeing him. Not that she’d tell him that. Instead, she just shrugged. “I guess just hanging out with new people.”
Bronte led them to their table, and they’d just sat down when Mia’s little boy slid off his chair and circled the table to where Jonah sat.
“You remember my shark, Jonah?” The little boy held up a plastic shark,Jonathon Islandwritten on the side.
“I do remember your shark, Finn. It’s a very nice shark,” Jonah said, bending so he was eye to eye with the boy. “Did your sister like the shark you picked out for her?”
“Oh yeah. She had to stay with Grandma tonight, but Mom said I’m a big boy, so I get to come.”
Jonah and Finn continued to chat, but Bronte felt like she had cotton in her ears. Jonah was so good with kids. He was going to make a great father one day.
A pang shot through her chest. It was the one thing she knew she couldn’t give Jonah. She should have closed down her heart when he’d told her he wanted to raise a big family on Jonathon Island. Why had she ignored the warnings? Maybe Jordi and Dani thought something long-distance would work, but it wouldn’t. They’d never understand because she hadn’t told them the whole story. It wouldn’t be fair for Bronte to hope for something to happen between them when she already knew it couldn’t.
When Finn skipped back to his seat, Jonah turned to look at her. His brows dipped into a frown. “What’s wrong?”
“Hmm?” Bronte’s eyes rose, and she did everything in her power to smile, to put on a mask that everything was fine, even if she felt a crack starting in her heart. “I’m okay.”
Eyes narrowed, Jonah studied her for a breath longer. Bronte wasn’t sure if he believed her or not.
“I promise, everything is great.” Breaking eye contact, she reached for her glass of water.
He pulled her chair closer to his, boxing her in with one of his arms behind her on the back of her chair and one on the table in front of her. The scent of sandalwood and citrus engulfed her. She wanted to melt into his arms, tell him everything. But she couldn’t. It would just cause more confusion in her brain.
She’d had enough peopling today.
If she asked, Jonah would take her home now. She could put on her sweats and…write her book. She didn’t have time to fall into fantasies of being swallowed by Holland’s amazing couch while she snuggled with Jonah and they watched another Christmas movie.
How many words did she still need? Seventy thousand? And her deadline was getting closer, faster than she’d like to admit. Reality leaked into whatever Christmas dreams she’d started dreaming during her arrival on Jonathon Island.
She leaned her forehead on Jonah’s, careful not to bump the still-tender side.
“Please tell me what’s wrong,” Jonah whispered.
