Fake Dating My Valentine (Small Town Hoilidays #2)

1. Torey

Chapter 1

Torey

" W ell at least one of us is wearing the glow of being well-loved." I was happy for my best friend, really I was, but I couldn't deny the sharp pang of envy that shot through me. She'd found her happiness, and damn if she didn't wear it like a second skin.

Nix sighed dreamily, her smile so radiant it outshone the harsh fluorescent lights in the bakery kitchen. "Lee does love to start the day with an orgasm or two."

"Lucky bitch." I grinned. Lee and Nix were solid now, but their path to happiness had been anything but smooth—last Christmas had brought enough drama to fill a Hallmark movie marathon.

“I’m pretty lucky, aren't I?" A rosy flush crept across her cheeks as she slid another batch of croissants into one of the industrial ovens. "What do you think about adding red food coloring to a few favorites for the Valentine's Day rush?"

I kneaded my dough with extra vigor. Valentine's Day was its own special kind of torture when you were single in a small town—especially in Holiday Grove, where every calendar event was treated like a combination of New Year's Eve and the Last Day on Earth. "As long as you're not trying to make me turn my rolls, biscuits and baguettes pink or red, I'm on board."

"No red baguettes," Nix promised, "but you'll have to take photos for social media."

"Just tell me when they're coming out of the oven." Besides working at the bakery and supplying bread to local restaurants, I handled marketing for half the businesses in Holiday Grove. The constant hustle kept my bank account growing—for what, I hadn't figured out yet.

But I would.

Hopefully.

Some day.

"Are you sure you're not spreading yourself too thin?" Nix fixed me with that penetrating stare she reserved for moments of genuine concern. "You can always say no to some things, Tor."

"Yeah, I know, and I'm fine. I like keeping busy. It keeps me..." I paused, searching for the right words.

"Busy?" she offered with a smirk.

We shared a laugh that was cut short by her stomach's angry growl. "Hungry?"

"I only had time for an espresso this morning."

"No wonder you're glowing—you're burning calories like crazy in the bedroom and running on caffeine fumes." My own stomach chose that moment to join the chorus. "Okay, I'm getting us lunch."

"Yes, please! Can we get something from the Merry Holiday Deli? Your focaccia would be perfect with some pastrami and cheese."

I studied Nix for a moment, filing away her sudden craving for future reference. Too early to ask if she was pregnant, but I'd keep watching. I hung up my flour-dusted apron and headed for the best—and only—deli in town.

The moment I stepped inside, a symphony of aromas hit me, briny pickles, smoky meat, and the nutty warmth of Emmentaler cheese. A crowd of construction workers from Lee's spa resort project blocked the counter, giving me time to scan the chalkboard menu even though I knew it by heart.

"If we want the next few generations of Holiday Grove, we have to be more proactive." Krista Jensen's voice carried over the lunch rush chatter. As town busybody and self-appointed festival queen, her words made my stomach clench. "I suggest we restart the Matchmaking Brigade."

My groan was thankfully lost in the construction workers' animated discussion about their lunch orders.

"Oh, I love that idea!" Molly Dickson's enthusiasm felt like nails on a chalkboard. "And with the Week of Love Valentine's Festival coming up, we should make it interesting."

"I'm listening." The third voice had to belong to Sara Kinley, the youngest of the meddlers at forty-four.

"Let's turn it into a competition. Whoever matches the most couples, gets crowned Queen of Matchmaking for the year."

A chorus of approval rose from their table, and my heart plummeted. As a twenty-seven-year-old lifetime resident with no plans to leave, I'd be their prime target. I placed my order, ignoring the knowing smirk from the teenage cashier.

I fled the deli, clutching our lunch like a shield. Back in the bakery kitchen, Nix took one look at my face and raised an eyebrow.

"What's got you looking like you've seen a ghost?"

"Worse. The Matchmaking Brigade is back in action, complete with a competition to crown the Queen of Matchmaking." My voice cracked with panic in the empty kitchen.

She chuckled, but her eyes were sympathetic. "Would it really be so terrible to let them play matchmaker?"

"Yes!" I buried my face in my hands. "They'll pair me with Jordy Wright, who still hasn't outgrown his nose-picking habit from second grade. Or Bobby Nelson, who thinks a woman's place is barefoot in the kitchen, popping out babies."

"What about Mac?"

Mac Lancaster was Nix's boyfriend's brother. And we had all met around the same time Nix and Lee were hooking up last Christmas.

"The touring rock star isn't exactly local boyfriend material," I sighed. "Besides, we tried that already."

"Really? I always thought there was something there."

"Nah. We kissed once, but the chemistry was more dead than last week's sourdough starter. Which is completely unfair given how ridiculously attractive he is. Now I'm just friends with a rock star."

"Congratulations?" She slipped the last batch of cookies into the oven. "But being Mac's platonic friend won't save you from the Brigade."

"No, it won't." I slumped against the counter, mind racing through possibilities. "But I'll figure something out. I have to."

"Let me know if you need backup." Nix gathered a stack of bakery boxes. "I need to make these deliveries before heading to Lee's, unless you need anything?"

"Go ahead."

"Shoot." She patted her pockets. "Left my keys at home when Lee picked me up."

I straightened, seeing my escape route. "I'll get them!"

Nix frowned. "That makes zero sense."

"I need to clear my head before the Brigade strikes. I'll grab the keys while you work your magic with those sandwiches."

"Fine," she conceded.

"You and Lee really should move in together. Living on opposite sides of town is ridiculous."

"We're discussing it. Lee's ready, but I need to talk to Ryan about the house first." She bit her lip. "He should be home soon."

The cool January air cleared my head as I drove my little blue sedan toward Nix's farmhouse. The familiar route calmed my racing thoughts, though I still hadn't crafted an escape plan by the time I pulled into her gravel driveway.

The key bowl by the door was empty, sending me on a scavenger hunt through the living room, kitchen, and laundry room. Nothing. "Great." I trudged upstairs, mentally listing potential solutions to my Valentine's Day predicament.

Lost in thought, I collided with what felt like a warm brick wall. Only this wall was breathing, scarred, tattooed, and rippling with muscle. A towel hung precariously low on sculptured hips, and droplets of water traced paths down abs that belonged in an anatomy textbook.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from the magnificent sight. Who needed art museums when this masterpiece was right here?

"Torey?"

The deep, amused voice finally registered, forcing my gaze up past the broad chest to familiar green eyes dancing with mischief.

"Ryan."

My best friend's older brother stood before me in nothing but a towel, and holy hell, the years away had been very, very good to him.

Was I enjoying the show?

Absolutely.