Page 56 of Hacking the Holidays
“What was the other problem?” Rose asked as we made our way up Ninth Street. “You said there were two?”
“My elf for this evening had to unexpectedly bail,” I said. “I don’t know what it is, but I am having the worst luck with elves this year.”
“Check yourself, Santa,” Rose smirked.
“Present company excluded,” I said, then held up my hand before she could respond. “But don’t worry—I’m not asking for your help. I promised you’d only have to do it once, and I keep my word. I’ll find someone else.”
“You don’t need to ask—I’ll do it,” Rose said.
We turned the corner onto Front Street, and her words finally penetrated my distracted brain.
I stopped walking and turned to her.
“Wait. What?” I asked.
She shrugged, but something in her expression looked almost pleased. “I said I’ll be there. Just tell me when and where.”
I stood there, staring at her. “Are you serious?”
“As Rudolph on a snowy night.” Rose held out her hand. “Let me see your phone.”
I hesitated, then handed it to her without asking questions.
She opened my contacts and added herself, quickly handing it back to me. “There. You now have my phone number in case you need to get a hold of me, for any reason.”
I nodded, then glanced at her details on my phone. “Your phone number ends in one-two-three-four?”
“Impossible to forget,” she said. “But please, no crank calls.”
“Seriously—you are the most unpredictable person I’ve ever met.” I shook my head, unable to stop the grin spreading across my face. “And thank you. Again. I could kiss you for this.”
It was just an expression, that’s all it was supposed to be. Except every nerve in my body screamed that it didn’t have to be just an expression.
It appeared that the feeling was mutual.
Rose’s eyes dropped to my mouth.
Her throat moved when she swallowed.
The air between us was buzzing.
So was my phone. Again.
Just then, two police cruisers screamed past us on Front Street, lights flashing and sirens blaring.
Rose and I looked at each other.
“So much for our moment,” she said with a frown.
“Rain check?” I asked.
“Absolutely,” she said, then gestured to the cop cars. “It’s a little early for police drama in sleepy Leavenworth, isn’t it?”
“Definitely,” I said, glancing at the alert on my phone and feeling my stomach sink. “Unfortunately, I think I know why.”
The squad cars screeched to a stop behind two other squad cars in front of the library. The officers got out and disappeared inside the library.
Rose and I broke into that awkward half-jog people do when they’re trying to hurry without looking panicked, our coffees sloshing around and spilling out of the sip-holes on the tops of our cups. We reached the library just as Eleanor arrived.
