Pawliday Love

Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

KILLIAN

“ K iller! Another minute and Indra might’ve-”

“Sent Eden to find you and then Cole would’ve been really mad you stole me away again,” Eden, Coleman Sunders fiancee and step sister as well as one of Noah’s best friends, said as she came up between us and took the box out of my hands with a smile. “Thank you. Now, put on your hat and get your adorable little book boyfriend selves ready to mingle and raise money. Okay?” She nudged Noah, then weaved through the crowd, leaving the goalie staring at me with an odd expression.

“What, LeCav?”

Noah stared at me like I had grown an extra head while I had been gone. “You look different.”

“From ten minutes ago?” I scoffed.

“Killer, you were gone almost thirty minutes, and whatever happened, you look less stressed. Looks good on you.”

Fucking goalies are crazy. “Whatever, hockey boy.”

“Listen, Killer-”

“Seriously?”

“There’s mistletoe strategically placed around here, hidden if you get cornered or easily spotted if you want to thank whoever made your frown turn upside down.” He jerked his head at a bough hidden behind a red bow, but if you looked hard enough, you could see it and take advantage of the tradition.

“Turn my-” I broke off as he headed over to where the rest of the Book Boyfriends waited and started handing out the hats.

Holy shit. LeCav was right. Maybe it was the dog, or the lights, or…

Noelle . Definitely Noelle. When I walked through the door between the two spaces only to find her wearing the most obviously sexy Mrs. Claus dress I’d ever laid eyes on, up on a ladder, talking to a fluffy weiner dog. In heels.

“-how you grant your very own Christmas Wish. Though, if Santa left a book boyfriend in my stocking, even for one night at this point, I wouldn’t mind. I’d even share my Christmas cookies. As long as he’d eat my cookie first.”

I nearly choked when I heard her say eat my cookie first.

As far as Christmas wishes went, it wasn’t the worst one a girl could have. Every girl deserves someone who could eat her cookie the right way at least once in her life, if not for an eternity. Then, the dog who she had been conversing with all alone while tossing strands of lights on top of shelves lined with plants, of all things, barked at me. And she turned, lost her fitting and fell backwards.

Thank fuck for all those reflex drills coach made us run. I caught her in my arms, her sweet scent filled my nostrils and made my mouth water.

She smelled like fucking cookies. The irony was not lost on me. And the way her cheeks flushed? Made me wonder how the rest of her looked flushed for an entirely different reason that had everything to do with that Christmas wish she mentioned just a few moments before.

Maybe the holiday spirit was bullshit this year, but she had been a bright moment on an otherwise abysmal night I fully expected to be annoyed and trying to sneak out early from, even if it was all for a good cause.

But now my plan to write a check and ghost flew out the window for the chance to steal one last glance of the girl who felt so right in my arms…except that she loved fucking Christmas and I was more Bah Humbug than Deck the Halls this year.

The night passed both slow as molasses and too fast as I tried to catch glimpses of her. Dinner and drinks with all the people who bought tickets to the event. Some readers who loved Book Boyfriends & Lattes, others, fans of the team or of Delena Bennett, whose tight end boyfriend, Ty Simmons earned a #Cinnastalker gift tag attached to the Santa hat on top of his head.

Noah and Jaxon decided to mingle like they were hosting their very own Christmas open house for the holidays and their status on the Nice list depended on it.

I hung back, mingling at a bare minimum and pretending to be excited just enough to get by. Every so often, I’d catch a flash of red, and there she was. A smile, her laugh. Wrapped up like a present, and part of me wanted to find out what was under it all. Once, she caught me looking, and smiled, tilting her head and raising the glass in her hand. And for a fleeting second, the blackhole in my heart lightened.

“Don’t you just love the holidays?” Jaxon asked as he came up and sat down in an empty chair next to me. “The one time a year people actually try not to be a dick.”

I snorted. “Do they, though?”

“I said try. And most people are good.” His eyes tracked Nia again as she checked in with Indra and one of the caterers.

“Most people, or one in particular?”

Before he could answer, our phones both vibrated, which meant incoming text from Noah. Fucker couldn’t help himself.

“Goalies,” Jaxon muttered.

NOAH: Wonder who hid the mistletoe so well? Not that I want to kiss anyone, but can you imagine the total lack of holiday spirit by hiding it so all the single guys can at least fulfill a fan's fantasy at this time of year? BAM. Instant Christmas wish.

COLE: Anyone gets near Eden and mistletoe other than me…

I smirked, because Cole Sunders, the left to my right winger, was obsessed with his girl. Who happened to be the stepsister he never knew he had.

NOAH: You really need to watch the Grinch. With Cumberbatch. Tis the season to spread the love.

Jax snorted.

JAXON: Quit while you’re ahead, LeCav.

NOAH: Listen, I am only trying to spread Christmas Cheer. It is one of my sacred duties.

COLE: You’re all getting coal if you don’t stop. Naughty list.

COLE: Eden stole my phone.

COLE: I distracted you, and took it. E

COLE: …

KILLIAN: …

NOAH: I’m with Eden. Coal. ALL of you.

JAXON: What did I do?

THEO: DUDE, I had to leave. Sick kiddo. Ask Indra.

NOAH: Hockey Daddy, you’re on the nice list. Jax, get a pair. And Killer, find the damn holiday spirit already.

KILLIAN: BAH HUMBUG

Jaxon smirked, and just as I was about to type out a response, Nia, the owner of Book Boyfriends & Lattes, grabbed a mic that someone had set up and announced that the final bids on the silent auction items, AKA the book boyfriends, closed in five minutes.

“And don’t worry, our single dad had to leave…to be a dad, but the winning bid will still get a date, or coffee if you prefer, with Theo. Happy bidding, and thank you for supporting our cause this evening.” Nia handed the mic back to someone behind her, and her eyes found Jaxon.

“Wait. Is that her? ”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” he scoffed as he shifted in his seat.

“Holy fuck. That’s the girl from after the haunted house, isn’t it?”

Nia laughed at something one of the other book boyfriends said, and Jaxon glared. Jaw clenched in a way I recognized. “Don’t know what-”

“So you can call me out for being a scrooge, but I can’t ask if that’s the one night stand you had a few months ago?”

He let out a sigh and raked a hand down his face. The white fuzzy ball and #alphamale gift tag fell forward as he muttered. “Fine, scrooge. Yes, it was her.”

“Holy shit. Single mom bookstore owner was your-”

“Any chance either of you would want to help me carry in the cupcakes? The roads are miserable, and they’re just getting here, and,” Indra interrupted as she gestured to her dress and heels, “I’m not exactly dressed to go out in the snow. Plus, hashtag Mr. Nice guy-”

“Sure.”

“It’s a Christmas miracle,” she teased.

Five boxes and one tiered set up later, Nia walked through the crowd, handing out red silent auction envelopes to the winners, and I braced myself for whoever had bid on a night with me, all in the name of charity. I weighed the chances of sneaking out before my winner found me, figuring they’d either give up or contact me later and I could make the excuse that practice and team obligations filled any spare time I had left until after the season was over.

I was formulating my plan for my escape when I spotted red and white making her way through the crowd toward us, red envelope in hand and a smile on her gorgeous face. The caterer thanked us as she and a few other employees finished setting up the dessert display.

“I’m going to check and make sure Indra locked the door,” Jaxon murmured. “Take your own advice, Killer.” He smacked my back, and left me standing there.

“So, I figured the last thing a scrooge would want is someone who was entirely too oblivious to his Bah Humbug winning his time. So, here I am.” She leaned forward, eyes sparkling. “And, I snagged four Tiramisu cupcakes plus a bottle of Prosecco, and maybe a hidden little alcove with a space heater that does have live Christmas trees lit by fairy lights, if you’re game.”

The sound of carols filled the room from hidden speakers, and the last thing I wanted to hear was fucking five versions of ‘Jingle Bells’. “Sold.”