Chapter Nine
“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer is something I hear a lot…but if you truly can’t stand someone, then why the hell would you want them in your life?” - Miss Know-It-All’s Gossip Column.
Saturday night was the official tree lighting ceremony for Rock Canyon. Everyone gathered in the park at the center of town, where all the trees were strung with lights. It was gorgeous once it was lit, especially with the sprinkling of snow on the branches.
Gracie pushed Pip in the stroller she’d snagged along with the baby monitor. When Gracie had told Jocelyn her name, she asked if she preferred Josie, and she’d shaken her head. After about a minute of head shaking at all the variations Gracie suggested, the little girl finally opened her mouth and whispered, “ Pip .”
Gracie had cried, squeezed her tight, and knew she was done for; she already loved the pint-sized little squirt.
“Hey, Gracie!” Mike Stevens, one of her best friends, came up behind her and wrapped an arm around her neck. “Happy Tree Lighting.”
Mike had been her friend since Gemma and she were sophomores in high school. Back then he’d been a goofy guy with long hair. Now, he was hard-bodied, handsome, and a bit of a disaster romantically. It was a pretty common joke among the citizens and Miss-Know-It-All that Mike couldn’t keep a woman.
The two of them had that in common.
“Tree Lighting is not actually a holiday, Mike.”
“Yeah, yeah. How’s the little bit doing?”
Gracie slowed down so he could look down at the toddler, who was busy enjoying blueberries in her little snack cup. Her face and hands were stained purple, and when she caught Mike looking at her, she shrunk away.
“She’s still adjusting.”
Mike backed off. “They still haven’t heard back from her grandma yet?”
Gracie didn’t really want to talk about it. Her heart ached every time she thought about having to give Pip up. “No, they did. She wants her. They’re just doing a home inspection.”
“Well, that’s good, right? At least she has family who wants her.”
I want her.
Gracie stumbled a bit at the thought. Not that she was surprised, because for some reason, she’d felt an intense connection with Pip since the moment she saw her.
It was the wish that she could fight for her.
“By the way, I hear you’re shopping for a boyfriend,” Mike said.
She made a face at him. “And where did this information crop up from?”
“Gemma. She said you were trying to find someone so your mom won’t be all over you about being strong and single.”
Damn Gemma and her big fat mouth.
“If you must know, I’m only looking for a fake one. You offering?” she asked.
Mike looked appalled, and she hit him in the shoulder.
“Hey, no offense,” Mike said, laughing. “It’s just I think of you more like an annoying little sister than a potential girlfriend.”
“That’s the whole point, doof! I just want my parents to think we’re dating.”
“Yeah, but Gracie, I’m not that good an actor.”
Gracie’s jaw dropped. “I can’t believe this. That you, in my hour of need, can’t even pretend you are head over heels in love with me!”
Mike took her by the shoulder, and before she knew what he was about, planted a kiss on her. It was warm, searching, and…
Really incestuous.
Gracie pulled back, nodding. “Okay, okay, you were right. That was a mistake.”
“Big mistake.”
“Again, you don’t have to say it like you’re all disgusted.”
He actually wiped his hand over his mouth, the jerk. “I kind of am. What did you have for dinner? Hot dogs in spaghetti?”
“You’re a freaking jerk!” she laughed.
Mike put his arm back around her. “Sorry, pal, but it looks like it’s back to the drawing board.”
* * *
Eric followed behind his parents down Main Street on the way to the tree lighting ceremony. He had no idea why he’d said yes to going with them; the whole shindig was for families with young kids. From the lights to the free hot chocolate and donuts, and then of course there was Robert E. Roullett sitting in the little shack they called Santa’s Workshop during the holidays, playing the big guy in the red suit for all the kiddos.
He kept telling himself it had nothing to do with whether or not Gracie would be there and everything to do with the chance to tell his parents about his book deal. He’d been wavering back and forth for days. He’d sent Neal an email back yesterday telling him to go ahead, and his new editor had emailed him almost immediately to introduce herself.
But he hesitated about telling his family. If he explained what his book was about, then he’d have to reveal he was Miss Know-It-All, and he could just imagine how well that would go over with his dad or his little brother.
In fact, once the people of Rock Canyon found out, he was either going to get laughed out of town or he’d have an angry mob at his doorstep. It was a stone-cold fact that everyone had been the topic of “Small Town Scandals” at one time or another.
Shit, he really hadn’t thought this through.
On the plus side, he’d changed the name of the town and the people in it for the story, and it was technically a work of fiction. He’d just based enough of it on the true happenings of Rock Canyon that anyone from here who read it might be able to piece the puzzle together.
He glanced across the street and noticed Gracie and Mike walking almost parallel to them. The two of them were best friends, so it was no surprised to see them together. He was a little surprised to see Gracie pushing a stroller though. He’d thought her keeping Pip was only temporary.
He was about to call out to them when Mike leaned over.
And kissed Gracie in a very un-friend-like way.
Eric stopped in his tracks, completely floored and unable to comprehend what he was seeing. Gracie and Mike. Mike and Gracie.
With his stomach churning, he ground his teeth, fighting the jealousy that was burning up his esophagus.
They pulled apart, and he wished he could hear what they were saying. Gracie hit Mike playfully and appeared to be teasing him.
Before he knew it, Eric had stepped off the curb and was crossing to road, headed over to them.
Only he’d forgotten to wear his snow boots, and when his sneakers hit the patch of ice between the crunchy snow, his feet flew out from under him. As he landed flat on his back with the wind knocked out of him, he heard the honk of a horn.
When he turned to find headlights barreling right for him, he tried to move but couldn’t.
Please, I don’t want to die with the vision of Gracie and Mike sucking face as my last moment on earth.
* * *
The chorus of shouts and the blare of a horn made Gracie jump a foot in the air. She looked over Mike’s shoulder, and her mouth went dry at the sight of Eric sprawled in the middle of the road, his mother and father hovering over him.
“Oh my God!” Gracie cried.
Mike turned around and rushed out to help. Gracie lowered the stroller off the curb and followed behind, reaching them as Buck and Mike managed to pull Eric to his feet.
Connie stood on the curb, barking orders. Her long dark hair was pulled through her cap in a ponytail that trailed over her red wool scarf and white down coat.
“Check to see if he’s concussed! We might need to take him to the hospital.”
“I’m fine, Mom,” Eric snapped.
“You sure, son? You took quite a spill,” Buck said.
Gracie lifted the stroller up onto the sidewalk, and when she pulled up alongside the group, she found herself mentally checking Eric over for visible bloody wounds. He was rubbing the back of his head through his knit cap and giving her a one-eyed squint.
Finally, he looked away from her and focused on his family. “I’m all good. Just didn’t see the ice is all.”
“Lived in Idaho his whole life and doesn’t know to wear snow boots or at least spikes?” Mike slapped Eric on his shoulder. “What’s happened to you?”
Eric shrugged him off with a scowl so dark, Mike took a step back and Gracie frowned. “I was in a hurry.”
“Yeah, sure, pal.” Mike looked as confused as Gracie felt and nodded at her. “I’m supposed to meet Travis and Charlie down there. You coming, Gracie?”
“Yeah, I’ll catch up. I think I’ll walk with the Hendersons, if that’s all right with you?”
Mike shrugged. “Sure. See you all down there.”
As Mike walked away, Connie smiled brightly at Gracie. “I’m so glad you came. I’ve been waiting to meet this little sweetheart.” Connie bent over and held out her hand. “I’m Connie. Can you tell me your name?”
Pip looked at Connie’s hand but said nothing.
“I’m the one who sent you all the fun toys. Do you like them?”
This seemed to win Pip over, and she pulled her thumb out of her mouth, smiling and nodding enthusiastically.
Buck came up alongside his wife but stayed quiet, as though he sensed Pip’s apprehension of men.
“Do you want to come see Nana Connie?”
When Connie held out her arms to Pip, Gracie was a little shocked that the toddler took her up on the offer. Once Connie had her, Pip’s eyes grew wide, and Gracie smiled reassuringly as Pip looked down at her from Connie’s six-foot-one height.
“Buck, give Gracie a break and push the stroller, will you? Gracie, you don’t mind keeping an eye on Eric?”
Gracie glanced at Eric, who was still looking a little dazed. “No, I don’t mind, but if he goes down, I’m not even going to try to catch him.”
“Understood. Just holler timber !” Connie grinned at him over her shoulder.
“Thanks, Mom,” he grumbled.
As Eric’s parents pulled a little ahead of them, Gracie watched Pip for any signs of distress, but she seemed fascinated by the older woman.
Eric cleared his throat. “So, I heard you and your boyfriend broke up.”
Gracie rolled her eyes. “You mean you saw it in ‘Small Town Suckage’?”
Was it her imagination or did Eric just tense up?
“No, I stopped by Travis and Gemma’s and she mentioned it. Plus, I figured you wouldn’t be out with that dickhole Trent Ford unless you were single.”
Gracie blushed, remembering Eric’s words and the effect they’d had on her libido. She’d raced out of Jensen’s as fast as she could, and, unfortunately, had to sneak off for a late-night “stress relief” shower. When you go almost six months without sex, you tend to be pretty easy to rile up.
“And you know, I saw you kissing Mike a few minutes ago.”
Oh, balls.
“It isn’t what you think,” she said.
“It’s not?”
“No. I was just asking him to pretend to be my boyfriend.”
Eric’s head whipped her way. “You what?”
“I said, I asked Mike to be my fake boyfriend because I really don’t want to deal with two weeks of my mother lamenting about my single status. I figured I’d just get someone to pretend for me, and when they’re gone, we’d break up.”
After several seconds ticked by, Eric drawled, “So, you asked Mike to be your fake boyfriend, he kissed you, and then…”
Gracie sighed heavily. “Basically, we both agreed that there was no way we could pull it off.”
“All you need is a fake boyfriend huh?” Eric took her arm in a surprisingly firm grip, slowing her down.
“Yeah…why?”
Eric looked toward his parents and then shot her what could only be described as an evil grin.
“Because I think there’s a way we can help each other out.”