A Cross-Country Christmas(29)

She couldn’t deny that a part of her was tipping over the precipice that held up her resolve. A part of her was falling for every single word, every crooked smile, every flash of his blue eyes. She knew better than to get sucked into this. She knew better than to give it any more weight than it deserved, which should be exactly zero.

Dot floated off, and Lauren slowly slid her hand out from under Will’s.

“I hope that was okay,” he said, as if dropping an act. “You looked a little uneasy.”

“Mm hmm.” She tried to stay calm, to put her insides back in their proper places. Her heart was suspiciously in her throat. Of course, he was only saying that because he knew the whole idea made her uncomfortable. Of course, that was it. Not because he meant it.

“I take it being put on the spot ranks right up there with not having an itinerary?” he asked.

She cleared her throat, forcing the words in her brain to stop mucking about and make a sentence. “Uh, yeah,” she said. “It does, actually.”

His face was all kinds of casual, as if what he’d said meant nothing. Probably because it did mean nothing. ‘Flirting doesn’t mean anything,’ wasn’t that what he’d said just a few minutes earlier?

But then, he’d also said he couldn’t flirt with Lauren.

If that wasn’t flirting, then what the heck was it?

He was giving her an out—that was it. If she thought about it, it was a kind thing to do. And thank God he wasn’t legitimately flirting with her.

She should be glad of that…

So, why was the tiniest part of her disappointed?

She pulled out her credit card before he could grab the bill. “This one’s on me.”

“Oh, no way. I don’t think so,” he said.

“You got the last one,” she said. “And besides, you really just saved me from some serious humiliation back there, so I owe you.”

“Serious humiliation?” he countered. “Kissing me would be seriously humiliating?”

Looking slightly to one side, she half smiled and shrugged a reply—then looked up at him.

“Huh. Well. We can’t have that, now, can we,” he said, as if seeing some unspoken gauntlet being thrown down. “So. Bellies full, traditions avoided. . .why don’t we go three for three and see if we can find some Christmas spirit?”

Lauren looked out the window and just across the street, hanging from a light post and waving gently in the breeze, was a Christmas flag.

A red Christmas flag.





Chapter 13





Lauren had noticed that when they’d left the hotel that morning, Will didn’t check out.

They were now walking around this little town with a hotel key that was good for exactly one room.

“Okay,” he said as they walked down the small town’s main street whose Christmas decorations could rival Disney World’s. “I have a plan.”

“Please tell me it doesn’t involve karaoke. Or ice skating. I’m terrible on ice skates.”

“No promises.”

Each lamppost was adorned with large Christmas themed decorations (red flags everywhere) that were lit, creating what she was sure would be a beautiful nighttime drive. The boutiques and stores along the street had painted windows with various wintry scenes, and Lauren was certain if she actually enjoyed this holiday, she’d probably never want to leave.

It was the quintessential Christmas town. Something straight out of a movie. In the distance, the mountains boasted fresh snow, and Lauren had to admit—it was a stunning sight.

Walking around the little town together, they almost seemed like a couple. Or friends, at least. And maybe they were. Maybe that was enough.

“What’s the plan?” She stuffed her hands in her pockets.

“It’s a surprise,” he said.

“I’ll look for a large woman in a tent, then.” She smirked, thinking of their first impromptu stop at Big Mom’s Wigwams.

He laughed, and she loved it just a little.

An hour later, Lauren was standing at the top of a snow-covered mountain decked out in winter gear, dug from the bottoms of their suitcases, holding a circular inner tube she was supposed to use as a sled.

Surprise, Lauren.

She grew up in Illinois—she wasn’t a stranger to sledding. She and her brother use to sled the hill at their favorite park all the time. It had been years since she’d gone, and she wasn’t sure she had the right disposition to enjoy it or the athleticism to accomplish it.

She absently wondered if this Mistletoe Town had a hospital.

“It’ll be fun!” Will beamed.

As Lauren watched the kids tearing down the hill at break-neck speed, worry crept up her spine.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. “You look green.”

“I don’t sled. I mean, I haven’t been since I was a kid, and even then, I always found a way to get hurt. Remember that one snow day we had when everyone went sledding at Kiddie Corral? And Benji Fritz came flying into me like a rocket? He knocked me into a tree, and I had to get stitches in my chin.”

“How do I not remember that?”

She shrugged.

“So, this is like, revisiting a painful memory for you.” She heard the tease in his tone.