Page 17 of Stay this Christmas
I hated it.
Even if a tiny, unrepentant part of me loved it.
By the time class ended, I’d boomeranged between high anxiety to near-peacefulness and back to anxiety again. Eliza and I followed the rest of the class, wiping down our mats and stowing the gear we’d used. I turned to whisper that I wanted to get out of there as fast as possible, but she’d disappeared.
When I found her, my heart slid through a trapdoor in my chest to the deepest levels of mortification. She stood with Sam at the front of the room, grinning wildly. Of course she’d had to stop to talk to him, the little chatterbox. I couldn’t just walk away—I’d driven us here, and leaving her would be an awfully petty response to her chatting up my ex. But I couldn’t very well go join in their conversation, either. Not when my stupid shoulder blades still burned as though his innocent touch had marked me.
“How are you adjusting to Magnolia Ridge after traveling the world?” she asked. “Pretty big change, right?”
“It’s not so bad. And I wouldn’t say I traveledthe world.”
“You left the country, though.”
He nodded, and she gestured as if to say,See?
“So why come back? I mean, I love Magnolia Ridge, but it’s not very exciting.”
Annoyance squirmed around inside me, making me antsy for her to wrap up this conversation. No, Magnolia Ridge wasn’t bursting with tourist attractions and wild nightlife, but she didn’t need to go around pointing it out, either.
Sam glanced at me for the barest second before turning his attention back to her. “I’ve missed the people here.”
A tingly something started up in my chest, but I did my best to ignore it, focusing instead on Eliza’s gigantic, satisfied smile. It probably wouldn’t really matter what he said or did, she’d find a way to link it to me in the end.
“You picked the best time to come back. You’ll have to check out the Christmas market downtown on Saturday nights. It’s a great time. I’ve got a booth there selling my soaps, FYI.”
His ready enthusiasm faded a touch, like dialing down the sun. “Not really my thing.”
Undeterred, she plowed on. “You don’t have to be into arts and crafts to enjoy the market. There’s all kinds of great food, and the Christmas tree will be lit up and everything. It’s a must-see.”
“I’m not really a Christmas guy.”
His casual response rocketed around in my brain, searching for something to slow it down and make sense.
“Since when are you not a Christmas guy?”
Sam and Eliza turned to me before I realized I’d said that out loud. Apparently mindless blurting was my thing around him tonight.
He didn’t look all that concerned about my shocked reaction. “It’s arguably the worst holiday.”
I worked my mouth but couldn’t find the words. The worst holiday? Who was this man?
“Sure, I can see what you wouldn’t like about it, what with all the cheer, goodwill, and the cozy times.” I didn’t even know what I was saying. Sam didn’t like Christmas? When had that happened?
His grin warmed me up better than standing in front of an open fire. I wanted to stick my hands out and toast them in his glow.
“I am intrigued by the cozy times.”
Ugh. His cockiness doused that fire with a bucket of ice water. “Never mind. Come on, Eliza, I need to get going. Mrs. Palmer has an eight a.m. appointment tomorrow.”
She looked confused. “On Sunday?”
“She decided she’d rather do PT before church.” I shook my head. My work schedule wasn’t really the point of any of this. “We should go.”
“Okay.” She turned back to Sam. “Thanks for the class, Sam. I’m sure we’llbothbe back.”
It took superhuman strength not to roll my eyes at her obviousness.
“No problem, I’m glad you were here.” He glanced at me, looking almost as satisfied with the night as Eliza did. “Bothof you.”
