Booked for the Holidays (Carolina Current #2)

Juniper

“I got it!” I yell, careening down the stairs to rush for the front door.

I’m expecting my friend Cassie, but when I yank open the door, it’s not her.

Standing on our front porch is Liam Hargrove, my brother’s best friend and business partner at Jensen Innovations, the tech company they founded while they were still in college.

Their cutting-edge AR/VR platform has completely transformed corporate training and made them both wildly successful (and disgustingly wealthy) in the process.

He’s facing sideways, like he rang the doorbell, then turned to take in his surroundings.

It's been years since I’ve seen him in person, so I take advantage of the moment to ogle him.

He’s wearing a black mid-length wool coat with a camel-colored turtleneck underneath, dark fitted jeans, and lace-up boots.

His dark hair is wild from the blustery day and he’s sporting a five o’clock shadow.

The fitted denim is snug against his thighs and the way he’s gripping the neck on the wine bottle in his hand sends a thrill down my spine.

While I’m standing in the doorway, mouth agape, he turns in my direction.

“June Bug.” He addresses me with an achingly handsome smile, his dark eyes alight with recognition.

At the sound of my childhood nickname, I hold in a groan.

My parents can still get away with it, but I’ve retrained everyone in my life, including Jasper, my older brother, to stop calling me that.

And there’s nothing that can crush your spirit like the man of your dreams, the one you’ve been pining over for years, calling you by your silly childhood nickname.

He steps over the threshold and envelopes me in a hug.

The moment his strong arms wrap around me and the scent of him fills my nose, I sigh. It’s woodsy and masculine, yet crisp, like the winter air around us. My body tingling in response to him is all the confirmation I need that my crush on Liam is still very much intact.

As I delight in his embrace, I let my mind wander to the past.

When Jasper and Liam were attending college together, Liam spent a few breaks and holidays with us due to the travel time and cost of returning to his parents’ home in London.

It was Liam’s British accent that initially had me swooning.

He’s gorgeous and charismatic, with just enough edginess—unshaven jaw and tattoos on his arms—that screams bad boy, yet he always looks put together without even trying. Just like he does now.

It’s a simple coincidence that I’m the one to answer the door for him, yet my brain is taking the opportunity to invent an entire scenario where Liam is arriving at my house as my boyfriend.

“You’re here,” I say, breathless, opening the door to his beaming smile.

“Come here, gorgeous.”

Then, he wraps me up in his arms and sweeps me off my feet before pressing his lips to mine.

In reality, Liam pulls back, and I do my best to collect my swooning thoughts.

“Hey, Liam,” I finally manage to squeak out. “I didn’t know you were kissing—I mean, coming.”

I force a smile and will myself not to blush. Please god, don’t let him be able to read my thoughts.

“It was last minute.” His crooked smile is the perfect mix of confidence and allure.

I motion for him to come into the foyer and take his coat. Turning away from him, I hang his coat on the rack in the corner, but before I part with it, I hold the collar up to my nose, letting the scent of him burrow itself there.

It’s pathetic. It’s sad. It’s all I’ve got.

When I turn back from hanging his coat, he extends the bottle out to me.

“Happy holidays.”

I read the yellow label on the bottle: Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Brut Rose. I’m not a champagne connoisseur, but I recognize the label and know it must be expensive.

And there goes my imagination again, pretending Liam picked out the champagne just for me.

“This is so sweet. Thank you.” I beam as I cradle it in my arms like a love letter.

Liam must notice the way I’m looking at him with hearts in my eyes.

“Uh, yeah, well it’s for everyone.” He motions toward the house behind me.

“Right. I know.”

Basking in the alone time with Liam, I stare up at him as every coherent thought in my brain refuses to make the connection with my mouth.

After an awkward pause, his brows lift. “So, is Jasper around?”

I have got to get a grip, or I’m going to embarrass myself. More than I already am.

“Uh, yeah.” I motion toward our living room off the foyer. “Right this way.”

As soon as Jasper and Liam spot each other, they fall into an easy, breezy, beautiful bromance.

It makes me feel even sillier for being an inarticulate mess.

But to be fair, I don’t want a bromance with Liam, I just want him to see me as more than Jasper’s little sister.

And then fall desperately in love with me.

Oh, and there’s sex, too. Lots of toe-curling sex.

That’s how it would be with Liam, I imagine.

“Hey, man, why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” Jasper asks, standing to greet Liam with a hug.

“Wasn’t sure of my plans until this morning when I got on the plane. I hope the invitation still stands.”

“Of course it stands. I’m just surprised you showed.”

“You said tonight was going to be a rager, and you know I can’t resist a good party.”

Jasper laughs. “It’s got nothing on Elton’s party, but we’ll try to show you a good time.

“You remember my sister, Juniper.” Jasper motions to where I’m now leaning against the doorway watching them.

“Of course, I remember June Bug.”

My face scrunches at the nickname. Again. What does a girl got to do to grow up around here?

“She’s opening a bookstore soon,” Jasper says.

“A romance bookstore,” I add because I love Jasper, but he doesn’t know all the details of my vision. “I just signed the lease for the space last week.”

Liam nods at me. “Congratulations. It must be in the Jensen blood to be an entrepreneur.”

Jasper chuckles. “Yeah, but I told her I’m shit with the business side of things, and she should talk to you.”

“It’s fine.” I throw out a dismissive wave. The visual of me rambling on about my romance bookstore dream while Liam politely nods enters my head. “I’m sure you have a million other things to do.”

When my eyes find Liam’s again, I swear there’s something in them that wasn’t there a moment ago. Like he might be looking at me differently. Like I’m a grown woman with passions and desires that intrigue him.

“Never too busy for Jas’s little sis.”

Or…maybe not.

Jas’s little sis? Ugh. That’s worse than June Bug.

“Let’s find some time to chat tonight.”

Disappointment is crushing my throat, so all I can do is nod.

At that moment, my mom walks into the living room, a gasp of excitement leaving her mouth at the sight of Liam. “Oh, Liam. You flew all the way from London for our Christmas Eve party? We’re so honored.”

My mom might be just as obsessed with him as I am.

“I didn’t make it home to London. I was in Vancouver visiting a friend, then came here.”

“Oh, well, we’re very excited to have you.” Mom hugs Liam. “We’ll put you in the basement guest room.”

“I booked a room at the Snowshoe Inn. I didn’t want to impose.”

“Nonsense.” Mom waves him off. “You’ll stay with us.”

The doorbell rings.

“Oh, that must be Stella,” Mom says, heading for the door with Jasper hot on her heels.

His mega-watt smile somehow increases ten-fold at the mention of his girlfriend.

Well, fake girlfriend, I think. He didn’t confirm, but there’s something suspicious about suddenly dating your childhood rival when you’ve been at each other’s throats for nearly twenty years.

Jasper greets Stella, then we all get a turn while he looks on adoringly at her.

I wonder if that’s what I look like when I smile at Liam. I wonder if my little crush is obvious to everyone else. And most of all I wonder if I’ll ever experience the kind of all-consuming love that I read about in romance books.

Liam and Stella are introduced, and I feel a familiar ache—not jealousy, exactly, but a wishful kind of yearning.

The way he teases her so easily, how she rolls her eyes like they’ve done this a hundred times before.

I watch them, and all I can think is how I’ve never known how to be that effortless around him.

With him, I’ve only ever felt like the girl with the crush, trying too hard not to show it.

While the rest of the group starts to discuss Christmas Eve party planning around me, my thoughts drift to the lease I signed this week.

A perfect storefront location on Founders Street in downtown Cedar Hollow.

Sandwiched between Sugar Pine Bakery and Wild Fern plant shop, it’s the ideal location for my bookstore.

And the space has a two-bedroom loft apartment on the upper floor for me to live in.

It feels like my life is falling into place.

Now, if only I could make Liam Hargrove fall in love with me, everything would be perfect.

“Liam, do you mind going with Juniper to pick up the wine?” Mom says.

At the sound of my name, I finally tune back into the conversation around me.

“Anything to help,” Liam says.

“Great!” My mom beams. “Why don’t you two do that while Stella and I wrap presents and Jasper helps your dad with the decorations.”

While my mom rushes off to grab the list of items for the liquor store, Liam turns to me.

“You ready to go?” For the first time ever, Liam’s eyes scan the length of me.

Whether he’s checking me out or simply seeing if I’m appropriately dressed so I won’t embarrass him in public, I don’t care. It’s a milestone moment.

“Um,” I glance down at my outfit. Not loving the vibe, I hold up a finger as I back toward the stairs. “I’ll be ready in just a minute.”

With Liam’s nod, I rush up the stairs and into my room.

There, I stare into my closet in search of the perfect outfit that is put together without trying too hard. Something that matches Liam’s style.

Embroidered flower cardigan?

Floral print overalls?

Vintage inspired fit and flare dress with bows on it?

Something from my collection of Peter Pan-collar blouses?

Normally my wardrobe makes me feel pretty and cozy, but nothing in this closet is going to impress Liam.

And now I’m having an anxious moment that if I change my clothes, it won’t be an improvement and that will be more noticeable. Or worse, he won’t notice at all, and I’ll feel silly for changing in the first place.

I close my closet door and head to my bathroom to freshen up.

While I’m pulling out my deodorant, I grab my phone and call Cassie, putting it on speakerphone so I can use my hands.

“Change of plans. I can’t hang out right now.”

“What do you mean?” she shrieks. “I’m almost to your house.”

I shut my bathroom door and press my back to it, trying to calm my heart rate. “Liam is here.”

“Wait. THE Liam?” She sucks in a breath before letting it out in a squeal.

“Shh.” I grab my phone and press the volume down. The last thing I need is for Liam to hear me gushing about him on this call. “And yes. THE Liam.”

“Oh my god, I’m definitely coming over then.”

“No, my mom asked me and Liam to go get wine for the party tonight. We’re going to be alone, without Jasper since he’s following Stella around like a lost puppy.”

“You mean a horny puppy.”

“Gross.” I don’t want to think about Jasper like that. “But, yeah.”

I stretch the hem of my sweater out to make room for my deodorant stick, then switch sides to get the other armpit. I’m sweating buckets from the thought of being in an enclosed space with Liam so I’m not even sure a reapplication is going to help.

“Fine, I’ll go home. But I’ll be over later to get ready for the party.”

“Sounds good,” I say, applying some lip gloss before standing back to check my appearance. I should put on some foundation to cover up my freckles but there’s no time.

“Juni?”

“Yeah?” I reply, pulling the top section of my hair back with a cream-colored bow scrunchie.

“Are you going to tell him how you feel?” she asks.

I swallow hard.

Tell Liam how I feel? I’m not delusional enough to think that I love him.

Who falls in love with someone from afar?

Do I even know him well enough to say that I’m crazy about him?

Most of my information about Liam is second-hand or through stalking him on the internet.

I can count the number of interactions we’ve had over the years on my fingers and toes, but each one has made my heart pound and my stomach flutter.

I’m certainly attracted to him. And knowing the company that Jasper keeps, Liam being his best friend and business partner means he’s trustworthy.

“I don’t know. Do you think I should?”

“You know what they say. Christmas is the best time to tell people how you feel about them.”

“Who says that?”

“I think it was in a movie. You know, the one where the guy holds up the cards to tell his best friend’s wife that he’s been a jerk to her because he actually loves her.”

“Yeah, but that scene was weird.”

“You’re right, but it’s still a banger of a holiday movie.”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’ll just see what the vibes are.”

“All right, fill me in later.”

“Bye.”

We end the call, and I pocket my phone before rushing downstairs to meet Liam.