Wild Promises (The Wilde Brothers #4)

Chapter 23

23

TORI

X ander's offer on the house was accepted, and he planned for a quick closing. The buyers had already moved out, and Xander didn't need to sell a house so there wouldn't be a hold-up. I was happy for him. But I felt a sense of loss because I wasn't sure I'd get to live in that house with him for long.

Dad could pick a buyer at any moment, and then the practice would change hands to someone whose first order of business was to let me go. Xander had been quiet about that side of our plan. I assumed he'd decided to let it play out like I had.

Everything on his end was working out in his favor. His brothers were pleased with his work and new ideas. He was moving into the house of his dreams. I couldn't regret our fake relationship, not if it meant that Xander got everything he wanted.

If I had to move for work, that's what I'd need to do. It would hurt to leave my family and Xander, but maybe it would be for the best. I wasn't sure I could stand back and watch someone else run Dad's practice, and if Xander didn't love me, then I didn't want to watch him move on and date someone else.

Would his next girlfriend be a friend he could see himself marrying and living in that house with? My chest tightened every time I thought about it. Maybe it was a good thing I might need to move.

Since we'd looked at the house, Xander was busy preparing for the winter festival, and I was working a lot to make up for the time we weren't spending together. Most evenings, Xander came to bed when I was already asleep. Sometimes he'd wake me with a kiss, and we'd make love. Other times, he just held me.

I wanted to ask him what we were doing, and where this was going, but we weren't together long enough in the daylight to broach the subject. Every time I thought about talking to him, I'd get nervous.

Besides he was busy with work. He seemed to think the festival should solidify his position. It was best for me to wait.

The Saturday morning of the festival, Xander was up early and headed to the lodge to get everything set up. I wasn't sure there was anything else to set up at this point, but I understood he needed to be there to ensure it went smoothly.

I planned to join him a bit later. I had a few patients this morning, and then I'd meet him at the lodge. I assumed he would be busy and wouldn't have time to spend with me anyway. But I wanted to be there to support him.

I saw my patients, then grabbed a sandwich at a local deli before heading over to the lodge. The sky was gray, but it wasn't too cold. The festival was held behind the lodge where there was now an ice rink, a snowball course, an area for food trucks, and logs around several fires for people to warm up. The large tree was already decorated for Christmas, giving the festival a holiday feel.

There was a line to get tickets to walk through the holiday light display that Noelle had built, and even a snow globe for people to take pictures inside. The area was filled with families and couples.

When I ran into Eli, I asked, "You haven't seen Xander, have you?"

"The last time I saw him was at the snowball area." He gestured toward it.

"Great. Thanks." I started to move in that direction, but Eli said, "Hey, I wanted to talk to you."

I paused, wondering what Eli would need to talk to me about. "What about?"

"Xander. He's different, and I can't help but think it has something to do with you being back in town."

I shook my head. "I'm not taking credit for Xander. I think it was always there. He just didn't believe in himself. He has this reputation for being immature and irresponsible, and I'm not sure it was ever true. He bought into it, and everyone else did too. I helped him see what was already present under the surface."

"I feel responsible for him thinking he wasn't good enough. I'm worried that my judgment might have hurt him."

"I wouldn't be too hard on yourself. It was people in the the community too. Everyone assumed he was a womanizer, and it couldn't have been further from the truth."

"Thank you for seeing what we couldn't. You're good for him."

My stomach sunk. Our relationship wasn't even real. What would happen when everyone found out? "He would have been okay without me."

"I don't know about that. Scarlett helped me see that there was more to life than work. She's opened my eyes to the theater world, and my life is more expansive because of her."

I wanted to tell him I was just as happy with his brother, but was that violating our arrangement? We should have talked about what would happen if one of his brother's asked about our relationship. Plus, I kind of wanted to hear what his opinion was on his brother. "I know how I feel about Xander. I'm just not sure he feels the same."

Eli inclined his head toward me. "I think he does. I see the way he looks at you. The way you were with each other when I ran into you the other night."

I tucked my hands into my pockets. "I hope you're right."

"I have a feeling that Xander will mess up once or twice. Will you give him a second chance? He's a good guy."

I swallowed around the lump in my throat. I had no idea if Xander felt the same as me or if he wanted the same things. "I know he is. I'd better go find Xander."

I didn't feel right talking to Eli about Xander, especially when we hadn't discussed what to say. But it was nice to hear his perspective. He was confident that Xander was into me, but that was because he'd never seen him with another woman. Xander taking any relationship seriously would be impressive to Eli.

He didn't realize that we were supposed to be fake. That it was all an act. My heart felt heavy as I searched for Xander.

I finally found him on the snowball course. Parents watched while kids played. Xander was helping his nephew, Joey. He hid behind one of the snow walls, and formed snowballs while whispering something into his ear. They must be forming plans for their attack.

I searched for Oliver and found him on the edge of the line of parents watching. I approached him. "Is Joey having fun?"

Oliver shifted to the side so there was room for me to stand next to him. "He's having a blast."

Xander took Joey's hand and the bucket and ran from behind the barrier, throwing balls before diving into the doorway of the fort.

Christopher blew a whistle, calling a temporary cease fire. The kids filed out to find their parents.

Joey held Xander's hand as he approached Oliver. "That was so much fun. Can I do it again?"

"In a bit. Let's go find Carolina, okay?"

Joey nodded eagerly and took his hand.

"You're good with him," I said to Xander.

"I try."

"How's it going?" It was nice to be this close to him during daylight. I hadn't spent much time with him lately.

"It's been busy. But I think it's going well. People are having fun, and I can see that they're spending money."

"It is busy, and it's just the beginning." The festival was planned to go all day and into the evening.

"Eli's already talking about making it a thing we do often, like every Saturday or an entire weekend."

"You're not sure about that?" I asked him.

"It's a nice event, but what if people get bored of it?"

"I guess you won't know if you don't try. Business is trying things to see if they work."

Xander blew out a breath. "I have to get used to it."

Christopher blew the whistle again, and Xander said, "I have to get back out there. Thanks for stopping by."

I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around, getting some food. Then I found Noelle by the holiday light display she'd made into a maze.

"Do you have time to walk through it with me?" I asked her.

Noelle smiled. "Of course."

Some of the kids wore paper glasses on their faces. "What are those for?"

"They give the illusion of candy canes on the lights."

"That's a cute idea," I said as we walked behind a family dressed as Grinches. We walked through various themed areas based on popular characters. It was nicely done. At the end, there was an opportunity to get pictures with Santa.

Noelle gestured toward the line. "The photographs are making us the most money."

"I bet." We stood off to the side of the little house for Santa.

"It sounds like Eli wants to pay me a percentage of the guests who walk through."

"You don't agree with that?"

Noelle's forehead creased. "He already paid me to create it. It seems like double-dipping to me."

"That's just business. Your creation is keeping a steady stream of guests walking through. I think it's fair."

"I work hard, but then I have a hard time accepting that money comes easily sometimes. When you have your own business, it's not an hourly wage thing. Sometimes I get paid nothing, and other times, it's a lot."

"When the money does come, remember how hard you worked unpaid when you were setting your business up."

"I'm not sure how I'm going to keep up with everything."

I wondered that too because she woke up early to make donuts. Then she had her holiday decorating business and was still trying to get her interior design business going.

Santa came outside the house, and his elf told everyone he was taking a break for a few minutes. He waved us over to him.

When I got closer, I saw the dark unruly hair curling out from under Santa's hat and the white beard. He looked a lot like?—

"Killian? What are you doing here?"

"I got in this morning for Thanksgiving, and Eli said I had to be Santa because the other one was sick."

"Is that why the line's so long?" I asked with a grin.

"The ladies love me," Killian said, which I thought was all in good fun, but Noelle huffed.

"You're supposed to be working. You shouldn't be out here talking to me."

Killian sobered. "I wanted to say hello. I haven't seen you in a long time."

He hadn't seen either of us in years, but his gaze was on Noelle.

"You've been busy," Noelle said simply. She was holding herself stiffly, as if this conversation pained her. It was a little confusing because they'd always been so close when we were in high school.

"How long will you be in town?" I asked him, hoping to break the awkward tension between the two of them.

"Just until the weekend. Then I have to head back." He turned his attention to Noelle. "Eli said you made all of this and hung the decorations in the lodge."

"That's right."

"I didn't realize you owned your own business."

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me."

The kids started chanting, "Santa! Santa!," and Noelle took a step back.

"You'd better get back to work."

"I'll see you around," Killian said to us, but Noelle didn't answer. When he went inside, Noelle led the way through the end of the maze.

"What was that about?"

Noelle shrugged. "Eli must have asked him to be Santa."

"It felt awkward between you two.”

Noelle gave me a look. "We haven't been close since he left."

Xander and I lost touch, but it wasn't the same. We still texted occasionally, and I talked to him when I was back in town. Noelle seemed to want to avoid Killian entirely. "Did something happen between you two?"

"Of course not. Why would you think that?" Noelle said lightly, but I sensed she wasn't telling me the truth.

We were just getting to know each other again since I returned to town. I didn't feel comfortable pushing for more information. But I wanted to. I racked my brain trying to remember if she mentioned anything ever happening between her and Killian. But she was always private about that stuff. I didn't think she would have told me. Back then, I had been so focused on getting out of town and going to school. When Noelle said she couldn't go to college, I hadn't followed up as much as I should have. I was busy with my life, and I regret that now. "I'm sorry I haven't been a good friend to you over the years. But I'm hoping I can make that up to you."

"I could use a friend."

I hugged her, then said I was going to grab some hot chocolate. When I did, Xander was still busy at the snowball course, so I headed home. I climbed into bed, not expecting to see him tonight. I think he mentioned something about staying in the condo at the lodge, but he hadn't mentioned me staying there, so I didn't ask.

We had to talk about our relationship when things at the lodge slowed down. I couldn't go on like this, wondering what if.