Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
“I look like a cupcake,” Felicity said as she stared in the mirror.
Clara scoffed. “You look amazing. Your dress, your hair, your makeup. Jackson isn’t going to be able to keep his hands off you.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good thing considering we’re going to be in front of the entire town.
” Felicity didn’t know why, but now that it was time for the Christmas ball, her nerves were out of control.
She wasn’t sure she should go at all. Wasn’t it the type of thing that people went to when they loved Christmas?
She didn’t exactly fit that description.
But Jackson was taking her, and she really wanted to spend the evening dancing in his arms. Dancing. That was it. She’d just focus on that.
She glanced in the mirror and spotted the candy cane hair sticks holding her hair up and laughed. For someone who didn’t like Christmas, she’d sure done her best to embrace it.
“You look amazing,” Clara said again. “Who else could pull off that red and white number that looks like you’ve been gift wrapped?”
“It’s too much, isn’t it?” Felicity asked. The dress was red and white polka dots on the top and red and white stripes on the bottom. She’d added a red bow around her waist, showing off her slim figure. The candy cane hair sticks were just the icing on the cake.
“Nope. It’s a Christmas ball. It’s perfect.” Clara went to grab her dress off the back of the door where she’d left it hanging and said, “I think I see Jackson’s truck. Go on. I’ll see you there.”
“But I haven’t seen your dress,” Felicity said.
“You will.” Clara shooed her out of the room. “Now go.”
Felicity wondered what her friend was up to, but she did as she was told, and once she got outside, she stopped in her tracks.
Jackson was wearing a white suit with a red vest and tie, and she suddenly had a flash of stripping him out of it. She glanced back at the house she shared with Clara and wondered how much trouble she’d be in if she just dragged him inside and locked him in her room.
“Oh no, you don’t,” Jackson said, obviously reading her mind. “We’re making an appearance at the ball. I promised the fairies.”
She raised her eyebrows, wondering what that was all about but deciding not to ask. So far, the fairies hadn’t steered her wrong. If they wanted her at the ball, then that was where she’d be. “All right. Let’s go get our Christmas on then.”
He held out his arm to her and when she clutched it with both hands, he said, “’I’m going to be the envy of the ball, having such a beautiful creature on my arm.”
Felicity rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help being tickled by his comment. Once they reached his truck, she glanced over at him and said, “You look a little too happy.”
“Is that even a thing? Too happy?” he asked, amusement dancing in his eyes.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe not, but you aren’t even a little nervous, while I’m over here wondering what in the world I’ve gotten myself into.”
He laughed. “Relax, Felicity. It’s just a party. You like those.”
“Sure,” she said hesitantly. “But not Christmas parties.”
He gave her a sympathetic smile. “Maybe this year it’ll be different, and you’ll be ready to embrace the magic that your grandmother loved so much. You could think of it as honoring her memory.”
She didn’t answer, but as she contemplated what he’d said, she thought maybe, just maybe, he might be right.
When they arrived at the square, Felicity kept waiting for the dread to kick in, but as they moved through the crowd, all she felt was excited anticipation.
Everyone was dressed up, looking fabulous.
Most had gone all out like she had, really making their outfits look like custom Christmas garments.
And she wasn’t the only one with candy hair adornments.
Apparently, they were all the rage that year, and instead of making her embarrassed, she just felt like she was one of the cool kids who’d gotten the fashion memo.
They’d just grabbed a couple of glasses of champagne when Felicity heard shouting. “What in the world—” she started but then clamped her mouth shut when she spotted Jackson’s mother, Eva, standing in front of Larry the director, screaming at him.
“You double-timing sack of garbage. How many people did you audition on your casting couch for this movie?” Eva demanded.
“Now, Evie, there’s no need to get upset. I was just comforting Donna. It’s not like—”
She threw her champagne right in his face, unwilling to wait for him to finish making excuses. “I want out of my contract with full pay,” Eva said. “Make it happen, or you’re looking at a sexual harassment complaint. Understand, Larry?”
“You’ll never work in this town again,” Larry snapped back.
“Fine by me since you’re the main director here in this town.
I wouldn’t work for you again even if you were the last director on earth.
I’d rather clean toilets than watch you run around acting like you’re god’s gift to women everywhere.
I’ve got news for you, Larry. The only reason they ever gave you the time of day was because they wanted a part in your movie.
But behind your back, they’re all talking about the size of your peter.
” She held her pinkie finger up at half-mast. “It’s not looking good for your reputation, my dear. ”
“Oh, Larry, there you are,” Trace Rhodes said as he popped out of nowhere.
Felicity glared at the man, wondering if anyone would care if she punched him in the nose.
“Trace, what the hell do you want?” Larry snapped. “I thought you left town.”
“I can’t leave,” Trace said. “Listen, Larry. I need my job back. I’ll even take a pay cut, but you can’t fire me. This is the job that is supposed to lead to better opportunities for me. I’m sorry about the other day at the orchard. I was—”
“Fine. Get a replacement actress for Eva’s roll, and you can come back to work,” Larry said.
“Are you serious?” Trace asked, looking a little stunned.
“Very. Just find me someone as pretty as Eva but who doesn’t talk as much as her, and we’re good.”
Trace beamed at his boss. When he saw Felicity scowling at him, he quickly shuffled away, getting lost in the crowd.
“That was quite the show,” Jackson said.
“Are you embarrassed that your mom was part of that?” she asked him.
Jackson laughed. “Hell, no. For the first time in forever, I’m proud of her. Good for her for telling that jerk off and growing a backbone. Maybe there’s hope for our relationship yet.”
“Do you mean that?” Eva said from behind them.
Felicity saw Jackson tense for just a moment before he turned around and said, “Sure, Eva. Just let me know next time you plan to visit. I’ll make sure the guest room is ready.”
His mom tackled him with a hug and then wiped her eyes when she let him go. “You’re a good son, Jackson. Thank you.”
He nodded at her and then said, “Nice dress. You look like a million bucks.”
Eva beamed as she smoothed her red velvet dress.
Then an older actor appeared next to her and said, “Eva, do you want to dance?”
“Why, I’d love to, Eddie.”
The pair walked onto the dance floor, gliding along like they’d been partners forever.
Jackson snorted. “That didn’t last long.”
“What didn’t?” Felicity asked.
“Single life. I’ll bet you ten bucks she’s madly in love with Eddie by next week and will be planning to shack up in the new year.”
Felicity shrugged. “At least she won’t be at your house.”
He laughed. “Good point.”
Jackson held his arm out to her. “How about it? Gonna let me spin you around the dance floor?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” She smiled to herself as he guided them into the crowd.
And then when his arms went around her, she felt that distinct sense of Christmas wrap around her.
The magic she hadn’t felt since she was a kid.
The scent of caramel apples combined with fudge and apple spice swirled around her, and she felt something let go in her chest. The ache that had been there since her grandmother had died lifted, and joy rushed into her heart.
Tears of happiness filled Felicity’s eyes, and as Jackson twirled her around, she let them fall as if they were some sort of baptism that cleansed her of her pain and opened her heart again to everything she’d once loved.
And to the man who held her in his arms and had somehow managed to help her unlock the magic of Christmas.
“Jackson,” she said softly.
“Yeah?”
“Merry Christmas.”
Jackson beamed at her and pulled her in close. Then right before he kissed her, he said, “Merry Christmas to you, too, gorgeous.”
And in that instant she knew… One day she was going to marry Jackson Bell. But first she’d make him work for it.