Page 69 of Never Sleigh Never
After I dress, I swing by Sip and Sleigh. A coffee is exactly what I need before heading to the festival grounds. Lauren has been doing a fantastic job managing the graphics and marketing, which is helping to build excitement for the festival. I don’t think I could have done all of this without her help. Even her taking the reins on organizing the sleigh ride has been a blessing.
The bell jingles as I step inside, still smiling like someone who got thoroughly… well, distracted.
Sloane zeroes in on me, her eyes sparkling. “You’ve got a little extra pep in your step. And I doubt it’s because you love snowman contests that much.”
“Maybe it is,” I say, the words sounding braver than I feel.
She rolls her eyes. “Ooor maybe it has something to do with me overhearing the Gigis this morning and their fresh batch of hot gossip.”
Shit. Hot gossip could be anything, and nothing’s hotter than what Logan and I did last night. Don’t blush. Don’t blush. Oh look, I’m blushing so hard I might combust and take the croissants with me. Perhaps it’s something else. At least I can pretend. “Let me guess. Mr. Holter’s lawn gnomes went missing again, when in fact, they’re only buried by the snow.”
“Nope.” She pops the p for extra emphasis.
“Mrs. Haugan inquired about the non-delivery of her mail. Again.”
She shakes her head.
I sigh. “I give up.”
“It’s about how a certain hometown hockey hero’s truck was spotted next to yours outside Santa’s Workshop for an unreasonable amount of time to be considered a casual conversation.”
Heat creeps up my neck. I yank at my scarf, like that’ll help. “Oh.”
“Exactly.” She quirks a brow. “So, why was Logan’s truck outside Santa’s Workshop for an unreasonable amount of time?”
“He dropped off my snowman’s top hat. And we wrapped presents.” Not technically a lie.
“Uh-huh. Just wrapping presents?”
I can’t tell her he gave me a Christmas present he unwrapped with his tongue that sent me into orgasm bliss several times. “That’s it,” I spit out. I don’t know what Logan and I are doing. Besides the one-time exchange of orgasms. I’d hate for it to be only one time. But everything between us is so new. We haven’t even discussed what we’re doing. As far as I know, it will be a one-and-done situation, and later he’ll forget it even happened, and we’ll go back to sabotaging each other’s events.
She tilts her head to the side. “Is that why you have a hickey on your neck?”
Did he give me a hickey? My hand flies to my neck. My fingers meeting the crocheted fabric of my scarf instead of skin. Dammit. It would be impossible for her to see if I had a hickey.
Her smile goes full supernova. “Yup. Got my answer.”
“Don’t say anything,” I hiss.
“As long as you give me all the details later.” She straightens, all professional again. “You know, people take the Gigis words as gossip, but I’m thinking they’re more like truth bombs. They detonate at the perfect time, exploding all over Mount Holly.” She slides a paper cup toward me. “Here’s your coffee. Enjoy your splendid day…” she leans in, voice dropping to a whisper, “thinking about Logan.”
Another wave of heat scorches my cheeks. I snatch the cup, muttering a thanks, and head for the door. Splendid day, indeed. Twelve full hours of trying not to daydream about Logan Crawford and failing.
Twenty-Four
Something Worth Gossiping About
Logan
Brie wanders from one group to the next, her breath visible in the cold air as she inspects each snowman like she’s running a covert investigation. Honestly, I have no idea how someone cheats at a snowman competition—but if anyone could find a way, it’d be the Dillards. I’m convinced they’ve got secret spray bottles in their pockets to polish the snow until it gleams. She stops by a cowboy snowman and smiles, bright as sunlight hitting fresh snow.
“Dad! Dad! You’re not helping.” Josie’s mitten smacks against our snowman’s torso.
Her voice jolts me out of my staring. “Yeah. Right. Sorry. What do you need me to do?”
“He needs more snow on the back of his head. It’s not round.”
“Got it.” I crouch and patch the back with handfuls of snow.
