Approximately Yours (North Pole, Minnesota #3)(41)

Elda laughed. “Tell me you’re kidding.”

“I’m kind of kidding,” Holly said. “But, like, isn’t it all about putting your best foot forward to make a good impression? Isn’t that the game?” In her own case, Holly was putting her cousin’s face forward, since it was such a good face. Elda, as awkward as she was, drew people to her. Holly, the loner, didn’t.

“I’m starting to think it should be easier, like, I want a guy to like me for me. Isn’t that what you want?”

I’d like a guy to like me at all, thanks.

Elda picked up the little marzipan figure of herself. “The only time our conversation really clicked was when we were talking about you.”

Holly folded her arms and gazed over at her cousin. “Stop.”

“I mean it. He was all, ‘Holly hates me. What did I do?’ Maybe you should date him.”

Holly giggled. She should date him. Yeah, right. Maybe in some universe that didn’t even exist yet. Her nervous laugh was nearly out of control right from the start. When she was finally able to control herself, she said, “You’re out of your gourd. Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m not being ridiculous. You’re the one who’s had all these meaningful chats with him on my phone. I mean, you two text for hours. Hours, Holly. He bought the architecture tour tickets to impress the girl he thought would appreciate them.”

“He bought them because he thought he was talking to you.”

“Okay, I just spent the afternoon with him, and he was not impressed by me. Not even a bit. But he’s all concerned that you don’t like him. Which I don’t think is true at all. I think you do like him. Very much.”

Holly rolled her eyes. Oh my God, this conversation. Elda had to get off this topic. If people started talking about Holly liking Danny, holy crap, she’d be mortified. She’d be dead. She’d literally not survive the next ten days. “Do I think Danny’s cute? Sure. But who doesn’t? He’s universally attractive.”

“And you think he’s smart and nice. The two of you have a lot in common.”

“And we have one very, very glaring difference—we are not even remotely in the same league. He’s, like, Mr. Super Celebrity, King of Popularity around here, and I’m hiding from the world in my grandma’s garage.”

“Stop selling yourself short.”

“I’m not, Elda. I’m valuating myself at exactly the right price.” Her hand twitched involuntarily. She hadn’t texted Danny in over twenty-four hours, and she was jonesing for a fix. Building the gingerbread showstopper was great, but it couldn’t hold a candle to chatting with her crush, the guy whom she was trying desperately to hand over to her cousin, if only she would take him. “Someone like Danny Garland would never, ever go for a girl like me. Not that I want him to. I don’t like Danny, so let’s stop talking about this, oh my God.”

“Okay.” Elda hoisted herself up from the floor.

“Hey,” Holly said, “you want to run with me out to Wal-Mart in the morning to find more candy?”

Elda shrugged. “Sure. Early?”

“Early,” Holly said. “Like eight?”

“Perfect. And Holly, one more thing. Danny and I were together all day today. He didn’t even try to make a move on me. He patted my shoulder once.” She laughed.

So did Holly, because who patted a shoulder?

“If he was just looking for a meaningless fling with a pretty girl, he would’ve tried harder today.” She raised her eyebrows all the way to her hairline, as if that was supposed to complete her thought.

It did. “Point made,” Holly said. “Even though none of this has anything to do with my situation. I don’t like Danny. And he doesn’t like me.” He liked Elda, he wanted Elda, and Holly would never crush his soul by telling him she’d been the one behind those texts.

Seeing the disappointment in his eyes would ruin her.





Chapter Thirteen


ELDA: Hey.

DANNY: Hi!

ELDA: I’m running out to Wal-Mart tomorrow morning. For candy. Want to come?

DANNY: Okay.

ELDA: 8 AM. I’ll pick you up at Santabucks.

DANNY: See you then!

DANNY: (gif of De Niro from Taxi Driver) DANNY: (gif of Joe Pesci from Goodfellas) DANNY: (gif of someone screaming into the abyss) DANNY: (gif of someone else screaming into the abyss) DANNY: (gif of a skeleton staring at his phone, waiting for a response)





Chapter Fourteen


Saturday, December 23

“She’ll be here,” Jamison said. “Stop worrying.”

“Whatever.” Danny was sitting at one of the Santabucks tables, waiting for Elda to show up. They were supposed to be going shopping together for extra showstopper supplies, but she was five minutes late. He was picturing a whole slew of scenarios right now—she’d found something unsavory about him online and had lost interest, she’d stopped responding to his texts last night because she’d had a heart attack or someone else had had a heart attack, she was somewhere in North Pole right now making out with Phil Waterston…

An unfamiliar light-blue minivan pulled up outside, and Danny perked up. Elda wasn’t blowing him off. Well, that was progress. Two doors opened, and two girls hopped out. Elda and Holly. Holly. Danny’s emotions were such a mess of confusion, he dropped half his cinnamon crunch muffin on the floor.