Chapter 45
The next thing Graham knew, he’d been pulled back to the present by his boss’s rich baritone. “Who wants to see a Christmas movie in the heat of LA, anyway? Holiday with the Wholesomes deserves—no, demands—to be witnessed in a winter wonderland like this.”
Graham certainly couldn’t argue with him there. Mistletoe Grove was something special indeed. Maybe it didn’t have high-rise penthouses or destination beaches, luxury shopping or star-studded glamour. But Mistletoe Grove had something better. Mistletoe Grove had something real.
Man, was he going to miss this place.
Burns’ firm hand on his shoulder once again returned him to reality. “There’s just one thing I don’t understand,” the usually tough-as-nails bulldog remarked. “How on earth did you pull this off?”
Graham registered a twinge of guilt spike inside himself then. He couldn’t take credit for this. Not when Coco had been the genius behind it all. “Well, actually, sir, if I’m being honest, the truth is—”
“Shh!” Coco raised a finger to her lips. “The movie’s about to start!”
Sure enough, up on the screen, the opening credits had begun to roll.
Reluctant, Graham responded to her with a smile as everyone—Burns, Orlando, his mother, the Mayor, and most important of all, Brent—settled in to allow the film to begin.
A warm glow radiated in his chest as he huddled together with everyone. It wasn’t how he’d envisioned this trip. Certainly not how he’d imagined spending the holidays. But maybe that was all right. Maybe this was in fact just what he needed.
Maybe, just maybe, Christmas wasn’t that bad, after all.
He pressed his body closer to Brent’s.
This trip might not have been perfect, but it sure was ending with one perfect moment.
* * *
Of all the things Graham ever thought he’d get attached to, the soft tinkle of a humble shop bell had not ranked highly. Still, entering The Cozy Mug for what he knew was bound to be the last time, Graham couldn’t help but detect a sense of melancholy.
The night had been a dream—better than he could have ever hoped for. To think that just a few short hours ago, he’d been certain everything around him was going up in flames. Yet all along, Coco—perhaps with the help of some Christmas magic even—had had different plans in store.
Apparently even he needed a little help now and then.
Because, man, had Coco delivered. Of course, the final word would belong to the critics, but based on the crowd’s reception, the refreshed Holiday with the Wholesomes was shaping up to become a new Christmas classic.
And that would be a testament to Coco’s grandmother better than any red carpet walk back in LA.
The lights, the crowd, the press—if this was indeed to be Mistletoe Grove’s last Christmas, it sure as heck was one hell of a sendoff.
A lopsided smile curled on Graham’s face. Coco Holliday, you sure are full of surprises.
It was all thanks to her that he’d finally made vice president, and that was a Christmas miracle he’d never forget.
Nothing about this trip would be forgotten. It had been a whirlwind, to be sure, but somehow after these past few days in his unassuming hometown, Graham felt strangely…different.
Maybe for the better.
And for that, he knew precisely who he had to thank.
He took Brent’s hands in his. “This has truly been a Christmas unlike any other.”
The remark cracked a grin on his companion’s face. “You can say that again.” He shook his head to himself. “I still can’t believe you actually had me convinced you were dating Coco Holliday.”
For this, he earned himself a shoulder punch. “Hey, it isn’t that hard to believe.”
A playful sparkle lit up Brent’s eyes. “Come on, Graham. A movie star falling for you?”
“First of all,” Graham shot back, “ouch. And second”—he wagged his finger, mischievous—“I sure got you to fall for me.”
An uncomfortable silence folded around them as neither knew what to say next.
“We did have fun, didn’t we?” Brent finally recovered.
Graham released a wistful sigh. Brent certainly had him there.
From their first reunion getting tangled in tree lights to stranding themselves up on the rooftop, from rediscovering the northern lights together to attending his mother’s holiday party in those matching Christmas sweaters straight from 1982…
And that wasn’t even counting the more stimulating episodes from their time together.
A subtle urge stirred in Graham’s groin at the memory. This truly had been an unforgettable holiday.
The unexpected touch of Brent’s lips pressing against his own pulled Graham back to the present. “What was that for?”
Brent’s cheeks turned suddenly crimson. “For making this holiday special. At the rate this town is drying up, this is likely to be Mistletoe Grove’s last Christmas.” A dark cloud shadowed his face. “The Cozy Mug sure won’t be seeing the next Yuletide, that’s for sure.”
The air seemed to grow heavy as Graham watched Brent cast a melancholy gaze over his shop’s interior. Clearly, the loss of this unassuming but well-loved café would leave a void in Brent’s life that was going to take years to replace.
Graham wished more than anything there was something he could do.
“I’m just glad,” Brent said to the empty room, “that if this is Mistletoe Grove’s last holiday season, it sure will be a Christmas to remember.”
Graham tried and failed to come up with a response. What words of comfort did he have to offer? Especially when he was about to turn tail and head straight back to the good life.
“God, you should have seen the look on your face when you found out you weren’t getting fired,” Brent said to change the subject.
Graham forced an attempt at a smile. “I thought my Christmas goose was cooked.”
The pair shared a laugh that dissolved into another silence.
Brent heaved a heavy sigh. “Looks like everything turned out for you then, huh?”
It was a question Graham wasn’t sure how to answer. “I guess everything really did come together in the end.” The tone in his voice, however, implied otherwise.
Brent opted not to acknowledge it. “So, what’s Mr. Hot Shot going to do with that fat raise coming his way?”
And just like that, Graham found himself tongue-tied.
What did he intend to do with his new salary?
He could always trade in for a new Porsche, he supposed—not that he had anything against his current set of wheels.
Maybe he could upgrade to a bigger condo.
If only the space he currently had wasn’t already too much for a bachelor.
Stumped, he chewed at his lip. Surely, there had to be something he wanted to buy with his new windfall, but here in this moment, alone in this cozy little cocoa shop with Brent, nothing about Tinseltown seemed to glitter the way it once had.
“I’ll figure out something to spend it on,” was all he finally said.
Brent nodded in acceptance. “Well, at least one thing’s certain. I sure am glad we crossed paths again, Graham Bartlett.”
Graham hazarded a lopsided smile. “Guess it must have been the magic of Christmas?”
A feisty grin quirked on Brent’s lips. “I thought you didn’t believe in that?”
Graham shrugged in spite of himself. “Let’s just say that someone helped me see things differently.”
The grin on Brent’s face widened into a hundred-watt smile. “Is that a fact? Not so big and bad anymore then, are you?” He spoke so closely, Graham actually felt his breath on his ear.
“Oh, I can still be plenty bad when I want to.” Graham tossed him a playful wink.
“Well, in that case,” Brent replied, “what do you say we see if we can make the naughty list together?”
A loud snort escaped Graham at the terrible joke. “I don’t know, Brent. I mean, my plane leaves tomorrow. I really don’t think we ought—”
“Come on,” Brent encouraged as he nuzzled Graham’s ear. “One last romp for old times’ sake. You know, really go out with a bang.” He cupped Graham’s crotch through his jeans just how he knew he liked it.
A bolt of electricity surged across Graham’s system like he’d just been struck by a live wire. “Now that you mention it, I do seem to be sensing my pole heading north.”