Page 13 of Mistletoe Misses
“Yesssss.” I draw out my answer, eyeing her with suspicion. We went to school together, and since I moved back, we see each other nearly every day.
“I know you’ve heard the biggest news this town has had in a while, or you wouldn’t be ordering all that sugar and considering adding more with my scrumptious muffins.” Her judging eyes travel down my body and back. “I saw you lookin’.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” To keep the guilt from heating my cheeks and giving me away, I reach for a straw on the opposite side of the counter.
“Stop,” she calls to her staff with her smug eyes holding me hostage. “No caramel for Miss Denial here until she comes clean.”
The girl stops squeezing caramel into the cup to stare over her shoulder at us, her brow pinched in confusion. No one can ever have secrets in Ember Falls. Sometimes, I miss the anonymity of living in Los Angeles.
“Fine.” I let out my frustration with a loud sigh. “Yes, I know Maddox is here.”
She snaps her fingers in the air, letting the girl know she can finish making my drink. I can’t help being embarrassed for us both.
“Are you going to talk to him?” Willa asks.
“I—”
“Lordy, you two were something else in high school. I was so jealous. All I could attract were the playboys and class clowns. You had Best In Show.”
“He’s not a horse.”
“From what I saw, he’s built like a—”
“Here’s your coffee, Miss Denial,” the lifesaver with my caffeine prescription says with a smile and slides the drink across the counter.
“I don’t know why I come here,” I complain, reaching for my wallet.
“Because you know I have the best coffee, sweets, and advice in town. Although I know you’ll deny it because that’s the theme of today, you know you need all three.”
Willa reaches for the chocolate muffin I fantasized about and adds it to a white paper bag. “This is on the house along with this great advice: Talk to him.”
“I appreciate you caring about me, but I need to get back to work.” After placing a ten-dollar bill on the register, I make my getaway before more ghosts of Christmas past can be dredged up. I’ll face those when I’ve scraped together the courage and mindset to absorb the consequences.
???
“Did you see Maddox Henderson this morning?” Chrissy whispers to her best friend Sandra behind the postcard stand. The biggest gossips in town since we were in high school, nothing gets by these two.
Usually, I tune them out while they use our store to pass along town news for hours on end. This morning, however, the topic of conversation has me wishing they weren’t being so discreet. Their breathy voices barely travel past the display racks, and my neck aches from craning it to listen.
Everyone in town knows my history with Maddox, and it’s bold to talk about him in front of me. Must be a slow news day.
“He was such a gorgeous boy, but all grown up …” They giggle like middle school girls after the popular boy winks at them in class.
I shake my head, wondering where this gossip trail is heading.
“I saw him carrying a toolbox into the bookshop early this morning.” Sandra fans her face with a postcard. “Lily must finally be fixing up the place.”
“If he’s going to be working there, I might need a few new books for my library.”
“I could use a book myself. I also have some things that need fixin’ at my place. Maybe Lily will loan him out for a bit.”
That’s enough. Hopping off my stool behind the counter, I stalk toward them. “Ladies, can I help you with anything today?” I ask, bringing gossip time to a screeching halt.
“Hi, Carmen. We’re just looking for a Christmas gift for my brother. He’s coming into town for the Spectacular.” Sandra glances at Chrissy before turning her narrowed, not-so-innocent eyes on me. “He’s single. Are you dating anyone?”
Subtle. “Nope, and I’m not interested in being set up.”
“Why not? It’s not like handsome bachelors stroll into our little town very often.”
