Chapter 11
eleven
. . .
Rosalie
A Little Extra Mistletoe Magic
I can still feel the heat of Wells’ lips on mine from the kiss that has been on a constant replay in my mind since yesterday.
Still feel the roughness of his palm along my neck, his thumb sweeping across my pulse, the way he tasted, the way he smelled.
This is bad.
Really bad.
Tonight is our first “official” fake date outing in town, I guess if you don’t count the unexpected moment with his brother at the bar yesterday, and I’m feeling a mixture of nervousness and excitement at the same time.
I realize that I probably shouldn’t be so excited to pretend with him. But the kissing, the touching, all of it just has my head slightly hazy.
All I know is that the guy I thought I would never like is now front and center in my mind, and that kiss is the only thing I’ve been able to think about. He’s the only thing I’ve been able to think about.
After locking the front door of the shop, I shove the keys into the pocket of my coat and blow out a long, slow, deep breath as I step onto Main Street and make my way to the Town Square.
I’m probably just overthinking things. Giving it far too much airtime in my head.
The problem is it doesn’t entirely feel like faking it all.
But maybe that’s a good thing? Maybe that just means it’ll be easier to pull this off, that we’re convincing.
It’s not like I have a ton of fake dating experience to go off, obviously, so maybe this is exactly the way that it’s supposed to feel. What do I know?
Snowflakes fall lazily around me, sticking to my gloves and scarf, and I pull my coat tighter around me as I walk, taking in Main Street lit up at night.
Sometimes, I take for granted just how magical Mistletoe Falls can be, especially during Christmastime.
Each lamppost that lights my way as I pass is wrapped in thick fir garland with strings of tiny lights threaded throughout, and big, red velvet bows adorn the base.
All of the buildings on our small cobblestoned street have lights strung up around the exterior and festive displays inside their windows, evergreen wreaths hung along the doors.
It truly looks like a Christmas village from a Hallmark movie, and it hits me just how lucky I am to live here. To call a place so beautiful home.
I truly can’t imagine myself anywhere else.
Two kids rush past me, hand in hand, their giggles floating in the cold air around us as they run toward Town Square, and I can’t stop the smile that travels to my lips.
I’ve experienced twenty-eight Christmases in Mistletoe Falls, but this year feels… different somehow.
Maybe because there’s a swirl of butterflies spreading their wings in the pit of my stomach because of a certain man I can’t stop thinking about.
Town Square is packed when I finally make the short walk down Main Street, kids and families scattered throughout.
Of course, our first “public” outing would be during Mistletoe Magic, one of the town’s busiest nights of the year, which practically every person in Mistletoe Falls attends.
There are horses, I mean reindeer-drawn carriage rides, hot cocoa and churro booths, holiday music, games and vendors, and Santa’s story time under the gazebo.
It’s one of my very favorite nights that I look forward to all year round.
The massive, twelve-foot Christmas tree is already lit in the middle of the square, colorful lights twinkling brightly as people stand at the foot, admiring the mistletoe-themed ornaments hanging from the branches.
I’m looking for the one that we placed for Sweet Sullivan’s when I feel a large hand curling around my hip from behind, and I jump, turning to see Wells standing there with a smile.
His long, dark hair is curling out from beneath the edges of his hat, and he’s wearing my favorite dark green hoodie that makes the amber color of his eyes pop.
“Hi,” he murmurs as I turn to face him, my pulse thrumming loudly in my ears. The kiss we shared in his bar comes rushing back again, and every single one of those feelings that I’m still attempting to make sense of comes rushing back in a wave.
Tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear, I smile up at him. “Hi. Where’s your brother?” I look around at the crowd, and Wells’ gaze follows mine.
“I told him we’d meet at the gazebo at seven.” He glances down at the smartwatch on his wrist before lifting his eyes to mine. “It’s almost seven now, so we should probably head over there.”
When I nod, he reaches for my hand and threads his fingers through mine, clasping them together as we start walking.
As if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
Like he’s not at all overthinking everything the way that I am.
Of course he isn’t, Rosalie. Because this is literally what you agreed to do. He’s playing the part.
“You look beautiful, by the way,” Wells murmurs as we walk, turning his attention to me.
A nervous flutter settles beneath my skin, hearing the compliment about the most insecure part of me. I let the words sink in, refusing to second-guess them or laugh it off, like I usually would. Because the way that he looks at me, I can’t help but believe that he truly means what he says.
“Thank you. You look handsome.” My stomach flips, and I exhale a laugh, desperately trying to ignore the silly feeling of giddiness settling beneath my rib cage.
Handsome.
That’s all I could come up with as a response.
“Do we have time for a quick stop before we meet Zander?” I ask.
“Yeah. I’m down for whatever.” He gives me a reassuring smile.
I’m going to need a tad bit of liquid courage in the form of one thing: hot chocolate.
I’m not usually so nervous, but I’m just feeling slightly off-kilter with what happened yesterday in his bar. I’m pretty sure my palms are clammy right now.
We walk hand in hand toward the red-and-white candy-cane-themed stand near the corner of Town Square.
“There’s only one thing that Frosty’s makes better than their coffee, and that’s their hot chocolate,” I say when we make it to the counter and order two with extra whip and sprinkles on top. I’ll worry about the calories later.
Wells blows into the top, which is billowing with steam, before taking a sip, his brow rising as he does. “Damn. Alright, that’s fucking good.”
I giggle. “Told you so.”
Stepping closer, he slides a hand around my waist and closes the distance between us. “Only thing sweeter than this is you.” My cheeks heat, and before I can respond, he says, “Would you look at that?”
His chin lifts as he glances up, and my gaze travels the length of his, landing on the sprig of mistletoe hanging above our heads.
When his eyes meet mine again, he’s grinning, the air shifting between us as he slowly lowers his mouth to mine.
His words are a whisper across my lips as he says, “Just in case anyone’s watching. ”
The kiss begins soft, unhurried. Wells moves his lips against mine like he’s memorizing the shape, the feel, the taste of me, but then it turns heated.
His tongue sweeps into my mouth as he curves his hand around my nape, tugging me even closer, kissing me until I forget that we’re standing in the middle of Town Square and the entire town is likely watching.
Until we’re interrupted by someone clearing their throat.
We break apart, breathing heavily as we both turn to see Bradley and his fiancée standing beside us.
Of course, it would be him who interrupted one of the best kisses of my life.
I’m honestly surprised to see him, and I realize how stupid that sounds. How is it that I’d already kind of pushed him to the back of my mind when he’s the entire reason this is even happening?
Oh, you know, because I’ve been so caught up in Wells and his wicked mouth and the sudden arrival of his brother that I truly haven’t had time to think of much else.
“Rosalie…” Bradley trails off when he flicks his gaze to Wells. “Sorry, I’ve forgotten your name.”
He’s such a prick. It just shows how much more of a man that Wells is when he offers his name up once more but makes no move to put distance between us, nor remove his hand that is fitted tightly to my waist.
“We just wanted to come say hello and tell you how much we’re looking forward to the party,” Bradley says before turning to his fiancée. “And Jessica loved the ideas you sent over. The gingerbread cookies are perfect. You must’ve remembered they’re my favorite?”
I have to fight the urge not to roll my eyes at him. Instead, I tighten my fingers in the fabric of Wells’ jacket. “Actually, I didn’t. They’re Wells’ favorite, but I figured everyone would love them too.”
I actually have zero idea if he even likes gingerbread, but Bradley doesn’t need to know that.
Thankfully, my fake boyfriend plays right along with it. Wells chuckles, dipping down to ghost his lips along the edge of my jaw. “Yeah, I have the worst sweet tooth. Right, Sugar?”
I nod, biting my lip so I don’t laugh out loud. God, he is far too good at this.
“Yep.”
“We’ve gotta run. Lots to do, so little time. Gotta get my girl home before it gets too late,” Wells says, thankfully interrupting the awkward, heavy silence hanging in the air between us. “You two have fun tonight.”
Bradley huffs a goodbye that I hardly pay attention to. His fiancée trails behind him, and they disappear into the crowd.
“God, he’s such a freakin’ dick,” I mutter the second he’s out of sight. “Like he really couldn’t remember your name.”
Wells shakes his head, dragging a hand over his beard. “Yeah, he’s a fucking douche. Honestly, he doesn’t seem at all like the type of guy you’d go for. Might be wrong about that, but…”
When he trails off, I shake my head. “I don’t know if I have a type, per se? But he absolutely turned out to be nothing like I thought he was. Our relationship was kind of… complicated.”
I take a sip of my hot chocolate, letting it warm my hands as I walk beside him toward the gazebo.
We’re both quiet for a second until he says, “I was going to ask about what happened, but I didn’t want to overstep. Didn’t want to bring up old shit when he obviously bothers you.”
“It’s okay,” I say easily, even though thinking about what happened with Bradley feels anything but easy.
It was hard, and it hurt tremendously, but it’s in the past. He’s not controlling me any longer.
“It was messy and hurtful. He was my first real, serious relationship, and it just showed me everything to not want out of a relationship. He was charming… at first. And then, his true colors showed. He made me feel like I wasn’t enough for him, and it was hard to unlearn that after.
Things were really toxic between us in the end. ”
“What a fucker,” Wells hisses.
“Yeah. But I’m much better off, and I know that now.
There aren’t any lingering feelings there or anything like that.
It’s just old wounds being reopened when I see him, is all,” I say, pasting on a smile that I know doesn’t reach my eyes.
“Anyway, I’m not going to let him ruin tonight.
This is one of my favorite nights of the year. Bradley is a problem for another day.”
Wells comes to a sudden stop, his fingers tipping my chin up to capture my eyes, holding them intently. “Fuck that guy. He shouldn’t ever ruin shit for you ever again, Rosalie. If it was up to me, I’d beat the shit out of him for every time he’s hurt you.”
I swallow down the lump of sudden emotion that rises in my throat.
His words are fierce, protective even.
“Now, let me spend the rest of the night taking you on the best fake date of your life, and you don’t have to let that guy cross your mind again.”
I nod, keeping what I want to say out loud to myself as we walk toward the gazebo.
It’s that he already has.