Page 12 of Christmas Wish

I closed the door and walked back up the house. I heard his car start, but I didn't look back. I just wanted to hold onto this feeling.

Chapter 2

I turned in my bed and sighed. I grabbed my phone off my nightstand and looked at the display. It was 4 a.m. and I had been trying to fall asleep since midnight. I was hoping Tucker would text me. But what was there to say? "It was fun being your fake boyfriend, have a nice life?"

I pushed my covers back and stepped out of bed. Tucker had mentioned that him pretending to be my boyfriend would be just like a movie. Which meant he had seen the movies like that. Which meant he knew that the couple always fell in love at the end.

Was he trying to see if I loved him? I pulled on a pair of jeans and the same sweater I was wearing earlier. I ran down the stairs and pulled the phone book off the shelf. It only took a second for me to find his parents' address. He really did live close. Which was good, because I didn't have a car.

"What are you doing up?" Izzy had just walked into the kitchen and turned the light on.

What am I doing? Stalking Tucker Mills, of course. I had completely lost my mind. I slammed the phone book shut. "Nothing."

Izzy looked down at the phone book.

"What are you doing up?" I asked.

"I'm starving. I was craving some of those Christmas cookies." Izzy sat down at the kitchen counter and removed the plastic wrap from one of the plates of cookies.

"I didn't realize you got late night cravings for cookies. Are you secretly Santa Claus?"

She laughed. "Yeah, I'll probably look like him soon. I'm pregnant."

"What? Oh my God, Izzy." I wrapped my arms around her. "You're going to be a mom?"

"I'm going to be a mom! Oh, but don't tell Mom and Dad yet. I was going to surprise them tomorrow. Only Ben knows."

"Of course. I won't." I released her from my embrace. I suddenly wanted to cry. "Izzy, what happened to us? We used to be so close."

She sighed. "Life? I don't know. I'm used to sharing a room with you. And now we don't even live in the same state."

I sat down next to her at the counter. "I'm sorry if I've been acting weird the past few days. I just really thought you would have called me right after you got engaged."

"I wanted to. I just through with everything that happened with Brendan..."

"That doesn't mean I don't want you to be happy."

"I know. And if I knew you were dating Tucker Mills, I definitely would have called you. You could have told me about that too, you know."

"God." I put my face down in my hands. "I'm not dating Tucker Mills."

"What?"

I lifted up my head. "He was just pretending to be my boyfriend to get Mom off my back."

Izzy laughed. "Very funny. Tucker adores you. Obviously you've been dating for awhile. I almost thought he was going to pop the question at one point tonight. And that kiss..."

"What? No. Izzy, I just ran into him at the grocery store tonight. My car was stuck in the snow and he offered to take me home. And one thing led to another..."

"Wait, seriously?"

"Yes." I was so embarrassed. My whole family was going to think I was crazy.

"Julia, he didn't look like he was pretending."

"I know. I mean, I think I know?" I sighed. "I don't know at all. He's Tucker Mills. And I'm just...me."

"Julia, I don't think that Tucker was pretending. I think he might be in love with you. Who else would do that on Christmas Eve?"

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