Page 29 of Mistletoe Meet Cute
“Hades?” I whisper as Hadley and Luke continue their argument.
Holly hides her smile behind pursed lips. “She’s a little evil.”
An evil little elf dressed like Mrs. Claus. I can see it.
“Have you seen Dad?” Luke asks as he grabs an extra sandwich and kisses the top of Hadley’s head.
“He’s in the tasting room tonight,” Holly tells him as she tosses him a bottle of water. “I texted you about Dad’s present.”
“Yeah,” he groans. “I got it. That sounds good to me. Thanks, Holls.” He peeks in at Sophie. “Damn, you’ve got a cute kid, Monroe.”
“Isn’t she?” Holly looks over his shoulder. “A perfect little angel.”
Luke shakes his head. “You’ve been baby crazy since Mom brought Briggs home.”
“And he was an ugly baby,” Hadley adds. “The Grinch’s baby is adorable.”
“The Grinch, huh?” I ask, and Hadley flicks her hair over her shoulder and pulls her hat back on.
“Did you or did you not need my sister to force you to decorate for the best holiday ever?” she argues, and I hate that she’s right. “Yup. Just like I said. Grinch.” With a cocky wink, she waves. “I’ve got to get back to Santa before he tells another kid they can’t have a phone for Christmas because it’ll melt their brain.”
“The fuck?” Luke groans.
“Don’t get me started. None of you assholes have to stand next to him all night. Love you guys. See you later.” She throws a peace sign up and pushes through the side door.
“Do I need to kick Santa’s ass?” Luke laughs and kisses Holly’s head. “I’ll call you next week.”
“Have a good game Sunday,” she tells him before he follows Hadley out. Her eyes dart to Sophie before coming back to me. “So... that’s my family. I know they’re a lot. But they’re mine, and I love them.”
“They seem pretty great, vixen.” I step into her space. Close enough to smell her vanilla-mint shampoo but not close enough to touch. She isn’t mine to touch, no matter how much I’m starting to wish she was. She deserves better than what I’ve got to offer. “Maybe not as Christmas crazy as you, but pretty great.”
“I make crazy look good,” she teases.
And that right there is the problem.
She makes it look too good.
CAMDEN
“Yo, Monroe,” is called from the other side of the hotel door. Pretty sure that’s Jamie Murphy pounding his fist. “Get your pampered ass out here. We’re grabbing dinner.”
I open the door and laugh at the idiot standing in front of me with a black-and-gold Kings Santa hat on. “Come on, man. Everyone else is already downstairs.”
Murphy is kind of like the cruise director for the team. He’s always the one organizing what we’re doing. Always smiling. And always peppy. Basically, my opposite. But he’s also a good guy and one of Emmie’s best friends, so I try to humor him.
“Everyone?” I ask, not in the mood to deal with the whole team, but knowing Jamie, I don’t think that was meant literally.
He grins and shrugs a shoulder. “Everyone who matters.”
Yeah . . . That’s what I thought.
“Now get your shoes and let’s go. I’m fucking starving.”
“You’re always hungry, Murphy.” I throw on my shoes and grab my cellphone, wallet, and key card. “Are they in the hotel?”
I don’t bother asking whotheyare.
Jamie’s crew has been the same group of guys for all the years I’ve been on the team, with one or two more added asthey’ve been drafted. It doesn’t hurt that his uncles are our coaches either.
