Page 49 of Wintertime Love (Holiday 2)

The very idea of me, the woman who’s always been so bold and vocal in what she wants, is scared of asking a simple question. It is preposterous. And yet, Finn has managed to tear down every wall I have ever built and has arrogantly taken residence in my heart.

Stupid Irishman with his stupid smile!

He says he won’t hurt me but hasn’t he already set me up for exactly that?

I watch him from the corner of my eye as the front door opens and Lucia barges in. “Clara, do you have the leftover decorations in your office?”

I immediately jump to my feet and block the entrance to my office, my eyes narrowing on my friend. “I don’t think so.”

Lucia gives me a calculating look. “Come on. You don’t need those.”

“I might. This is a competition. Stop stealing my decorations.”

Lucia tries to dodge me, only to get blocked each time.

“It’s only a few wreaths. You already have like five million hanging around here!”

People around us are chuckling and one of them calls out, “You do this every year, Lucia. Give up. Clara takes these things very seriously.”

Lucia pouts. “Just you wait. I’ll get those wreaths. Even if I have to break in…in the middle of the night.”

Finn, who’s now watching us with renewed interest, glances at me.

I don’t remove my eyes from my friend as I state, “Finn, we’re sleeping here tonight.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he replies, dutifully.

I smile, maliciously at Lucia. “I’d like to see you try and get in here.”

My friend mutters something nasty under her breath as she huffs.

Danny, who’s just walked in, studies us> “What’s going on?”

“Clara refuses to share her decorations,” Lucia immediately latches on to him for backup support.

Danny smirks. “That’s because you never return them.”

They erupt into a heated argument.

Finn sidles over while watching them. “What’s going on?”

I’m silent for a few seconds before I say, grimly, “We need to get more stuff. Danny looked way too pleased when he walked in here. This place needs to sparkle like a goddamn unicorn.”

Tension is taunt in the diner and Lucia sits down at the counter, muttering something about how she needs better friends.

I ignore her and hand Danny the menu. “Where’s Ben?”

My friend grins. “With Sharon. She’s helping him out with his holiday homework. He’s taken a real liking to her.”

“That’s because she feeds him cookies,” Lucia pointed out. “She probably feels threatened by Clara.”

“By me?” I echo as I brew up a Flat White for her. “What did I ever do to her?”

Finn is now paying attention to the conversation.

Lucia shrugs. “With Ben campaigning to get you to marry his brother, why wouldn’t she be?”

I make a face and steal a look an uneasy look in Finn’s direction whose face is now carefully blank. “It’s just a joke. Besides, Danny has a hard thing going on for Sharon. She’s the only one who can keep him in line.”

---