Chapter 21 #2
I watch the color drain from her face.
“‘Anonymous source claims Holiday Patterson and Lucas Jolly had a secret romance before she left for culinary school,’” she reads aloud and gasps.
“‘What will Dominic do to win back his ex-fiancée?’” She scrolls further.
“‘Lumberjack hottie wants to put a bun in Holiday Patterson’s oven.’” Her mouth falls open. “Oh my goodness. This is a nightmare!”
She drops my phone.
“Hey, it doesn’t matter. But this is pressure we didn’t sign up for or need.”
“After the contest, when Dominic returns to Paris without me, everyone will leave me alone,” she promises. “I’m so sorry. I-I—”
“Not your fault, HoHo. Just be aware that we’re being watched and talked about. The farm isn’t safe. I want this to die down,” I admit. “Emma had a lot of PR training in her influencer days, and she suggested we don’t feed the beast. Don’t give people anything to talk about, and they’ll get bored.”
Holiday leans her head back and closes her eyes. “I hate that he’s coming here and bringing this mess with him.”
“I do, too,” I admit.
Holiday turns to me. “Speaking of exes…do I know any of the people you dated?”
I swallow hard. “Do you really want to have this conversation?”
The smirk on her lips fades. “Yes. Because of that response.”
My heart races because I know this won’t make her happy. “Lindsay Moore, Kristin Benford, and Amanda Hartly.”
Holiday glares at me, and I see her nostrils flare. “You dated my friends?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Oh no, you don’t get to be pissed about that, babe.
You were hardly friends with any of them.
And you were engaged. Anyone who could hold a conversation with me got a chance,” I explain.
“I broke it off with each one of them because at the end of the day, they weren’t you.
I was happy for a little while, but it never lasted.
I could’ve married any of them, and it would’ve been zero fucking prerogative to you.
I really never believed you’d come back. ”
“But here I am,” she says.
“Here you are, always proving me wrong,” I tell her. “Showing me that my wishes on stars came true.”
She lets out a laugh. “You didn’t.”
“Yes, I fucking did. Every chance I got,” I confess.
Holiday licks her lips and I can’t help but notice. “Surely you didn’t wish for my relationship to end in flames?”
“Maybe a little,” I say, starting the truck with a chuckle.
“You’re terrible.”
We drive back to my house in comfortable silence. She hums along to the radio, and I steal glances at her when I think she’s not looking. She catches me twice and smiles like she knows exactly what she does to me.
I pull into my driveway and park next to her car. Neither of us moves.
“This isn’t goodbye, is it?” she asks, but she doesn’t reach for the door handle.
“Hell no.”
The cab feels more intimate in the darkness.
“Okay, then enjoy your five days without me,” she says.
“Enjoy? You’ll be the only thing on my mind.” I want to pull that turtleneck down and put my mouth back on those marks or add more. Want to make sure everyone who looks at her knows she’s mine.
We get out, and the November air is cold enough to make our breath fog. I follow her to her car, and we stand in the space between our vehicles.
Holiday looks up at me, and her lips are parted slightly. Her eyes are full of want and challenge.
I reach up slowly and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. My thumb grazes the side of her neck, and she sucks in a breath.
“Lucas,” she whispers.
I want to kiss her. I want it so bad, my body aches with need. Right now, I could back her against her car and taste her mouth, make her forget every doubt she has.
My hand slides from her neck to cup her jaw and her eyes flutter closed.
“After fifteen years, you’ll survive five days,” I say close to her mouth.
“Asshole.” She opens her eyes, but grins.
“You haven’t seen anything yet.”
She steps back and opens her car door. “Good luck, Lucas. You’re going to need it.”
“You, too.”
She climbs into her car and starts the engine. Her headlights come on as she backs out of the driveway with a wave. I watch her taillights disappear and go into my dark house.
I add logs to the fireplace and start it. When flames are licking up the side, my phone dings.
Holiday
Made it home safely. And just so you know, I’m not mad that you dated my friends. I’m jealous that you gave yourself to them.
Lucas
We don’t want to talk about jealousy, sweetheart. It killed me seeing you plan a wedding with someone else.
Holiday
You know, I have to confess something. All those years I didn’t come home, it was because I was scared I’d see you and give it all up. What if I just need to get you out of my system?
Lucas
Oh, that will never happen. I’ll linger under your skin for eternity.
Holiday
That’s what I’m afraid of. You ruined me, Lucas Jolly. For anyone else.
Lucas
More proof my wishes always come true.
I set my phone down and lean back on the couch, grinning.
Holiday Patterson wants me, and she’s making damn sure I know it.
Now I just have to make it five days without breaking my own rules by going to see her.
I want her to be absolutely sure that I am what she wants.