Page 57 of Grumpy Glitter Christmas
He spotted Felicity and headed toward her, his expression equal parts stoic and pleading.
“Don’t,” he said.
“Don’t what?”
“Whatever you were about to say. Just don’t.”
“I was going to say you look very handsome,” Felicity said innocently.
“Jade made me buy it,” he grumbled. “Said I couldn’t show up to your fancy gala looking like I just came from the tree farm.”
“Well, she was right. You look great, Brice.”
“I look like I’m about to go to prom,” he muttered. “With a bear. As the bear.”
Before Felicity could respond, Meena appeared, her midnight blue gown swishing as she approached with her clipboard. She opened her mouth to say something to Felicity, then caught sight of Brice.
She stopped. Stared.
Her mouth opened slightly, then closed. A faint flush colored her cheeks.
“You’re...” she started, then seemed to lose her train of thought. “You’re... different.”
Brice’s jaw tightened. “Got a problem with it?”
“No,” Meena said, recovering her composure with visible effort. “No problem. It’s just... unexpected. You actually own a suit.”
“I didn’t realize you used a clipboard as part of your party outfit,” Brice shot back.
Meena looked down at the clipboard in her hands as if seeing it for the first time. “This is... this is my backup clipboard. My evening clipboard. For events.”
“You have multiple clipboards?”
“Organization is key to success.”
“You’re clinically insane,” Brice said, but there was less heat in it than usual.
They stood there, glaring at each other, but something was different. The air between them wasn’t just antagonistic anymore. It was charged with something else, something neither of them seemed to know what to do with.
“Well,” Meena said finally, her voice a touch breathless, “I should... check on the caterers.”
“Thought that was handled,” Felicity said.
“It is. I mean, I should double-check. Triple-check. Quality assurance is crucial.”
“Meena.”
She looked up at him, and Felicity saw it—the moment of naked vulnerability before Meena’s professional mask slammed back into place.
“You look good,” Brice said gruffly. “The dress. It’s... good.”
“Thank you,” Meena said quietly.
They stared at each other for another moment, the tension so thick Felicity felt like she should excuse herself.
Then Meena cleared her throat. “I should?—“
“Yeah.”
