Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
MATTHEW
“So, tell me about McKenzie.”
Avery’s question startles me. Not because I find it completely unexpected after our conversation earlier, but mainly because it’s been a while since anyone other than my mom has brought her name up with me.
After finding out we had very different opinions of where our relationship stood, Mitch stood by my side as I grieved the loss of what I thought my future would look like and helped me move on.
Since then, her name has never been brought up.
We don’t discuss her in any form and haven’t in years.
Hearing her name so casually mentioned by Avery makes me think that maybe I didn’t deal with the hurt, but rather just pushed it aside.
Buried it deep down so that I didn’t have to feel because if I didn’t hear her name, I couldn’t be reminded of the pain that was now associated with it.
The funny thing is, hearing it from Avery doesn’t bring that same pain.
“What do you want to know?’ I try to keep my voice level as I focus on the road ahead of me. The snow is starting to lighten up, which I’m relieved about because that means so is the pressing weight on my chest as I try to get us to where we’re going.
I don’t want to admit it to Avery, but there have been a few times on the drive so far, most while she had been sleeping, where the roads were a little more dicey than I would have liked.
The Coquihalla Highway is fantastic in the summer, but the steep climbs and windy curves make it treacherous in the winter.
“Why are you letting her stop you from going back home more often?”
“Wow, right to the point, huh?” I ask, taking one hand off the steering wheel to rub at my sternum. It’s a habit that I developed when I was younger; almost as if the physical act would help with the building pressure of anxiety in my chest.
“Sorry, I can be blunt. I just…I mean, I guess I get it. I wouldn’t be thrilled if Maxwell decided to move back to Kamloops with his girlfriend.”
“Yes, but imagine Kamloops being a fraction of the size and everyone in town knows everyone’s business.
” I can’t help but let my bitterness leak through with that statement.
McKenzie is only one of the reasons why I haven’t gone back to Gingerbread Grove.
Everyone knows everything. They all know I don’t want to run my dad’s store.
They all know McKenzie left me for Cal. They especially all know that I ran away to the city because I didn’t want to deal with any of it.
“Okay, I see it now.”
“Plus, ugh, her husband is now the mayor.”
“He’s what?” Avery exclaims from her seat, nearly dropping her cup of coffee.
“Yeah, elected a couple of years ago. From what my mom tells me, after they moved back to Gingerbread Grove, he set up a real estate office that did surprisingly well for a small town. He focused on the vacation properties and also got into rental management or something. Built up a real name for himself in the town and was a big factor in them becoming a ‘destination Christmas town.’”
“So, he just came into the town and…”
“Took it over? Pretty much.” The gnawing ache in my chest burns again as I think back to the few times I did return to Gingerbread Grove over the years.
Cal and McKenzie act like they own the city and I was just a visitor.
Sure, I technically was since I no longer live there anymore, but it didn’t feel like my hometown.
If anything, I felt as if I had never lived there with all the changes they had made to it.
“That must be incredibly frustrating.”
“Yes and no,” I answer honestly. “I never saw myself living in Woodland Springs my whole life, especially once I knew for sure my parents weren’t going to accept my career as a Software Engineer.
And don’t get me wrong, I’ve made a decent name for myself in the tech world in Vancouver.
Mitch and I are doing the best we can to build our small company and we’re growing every year.
But it’s…” I let my voice trail off, not knowing how to finish my sentence.
How do I sum up ten years’ worth of emotions and baggage surrounding my family, my career, and my small town?
“Frustrating?” she finishes for me with a sympathetic smile.
“Yeah, that.” I give her a smirk without taking my eyes off of the road. I know if I even glance her way, I’m going to be lost. I don’t know how this stranger dressed like an elf muscled her way into my life, digging up things I haven’t thought about or felt in a long time, but here we are.
“But you could avoid them the best you could, can’t you? You don’t have a reason to hide or anything. But maybe you could just sort of feign indifference?”
“I would, but it’s also the time for the Christmas Festival.”
“The what?” Avery asks, sitting up straighter in her seat.
“It’s something Cal started when he became mayor.
He said it would ‘help the morale of the town’ and ‘boost the Christmas economy.’ So, he started a festival in the lead up to Christmas.
If you ask me, it’s because he wanted to directly compete with Candy Cane Creek, and they already had their events established for decades. ”
“The rivalry between your two towns is real, isn’t it?” She reaches into her bag from the gas station and pulls out a stick of jerky.
“That’s putting it lightly.”
“I’ve heard of the Candy Cane Creek Festival, but what’s so different about yours?”
Mine. The thought that I have anything to do with Gingerbread Grove or its ridiculous festival is comical. “I haven’t been since they started, but from what I hear there is a mix of baking, holiday events, and some sort of epic snowball fight.”
“Epic Snowball fight?”
“From what I hear, it’s quite popular, like laser tag, but with snowballs. People train for it all year.”
Avery is quiet for a moment. I’m not sure if I’ve stunned her with how ridiculous my town has become, or what, but it’s making me antsy.
“I think you should go.”
“What” I ask, nearly swerving the car while I look over at her.
“I think you should go. Even better, I think you should enter the competition.”
That’s it. I’ve officially gone on a road trip with someone who’s completely lost her mind. “No.”
“Come on! You should go and show them that you aren’t intimidated—or frustrated—by them and show just how great you are!”
Just how great I am, huh? The idea is laughable.
“There’s one problem. The competition is for couples.
” The thought of showing up alone in town is bad enough, but to try to even watch the competition without a significant other?
No thank you. I’m already showing up to work at my dad’s store, just like I vowed I never would.
Now the fact I’m doing it alone is just icing on the cake.
“Hmm, being single could be a problem,” she ponders out loud.
That felt like a shot in the gut hearing her say that out loud. Being single had never bothered me. I didn’t stay with Emily as long as I did because I was scared of being alone; it was just more comfortable than anything else. But now hearing Avery talk about it feels—odd.
“I mean, I’m just assuming you’re single. You could have a girlfriend back in the city.” She begins to ramble, wringing her hands in her lap. “Of course you do. I mean, it only makes sense you’re holding back because she’s not here with you rather than not exist.”
I bite my lip, trying not to laugh at her antics.
“I’m sorry. I’m going to stop talking, and assuming,” she continues, before slamming her palm to her forehead. “Why do I do this?”
I can’t hold back a chuckle. “Don’t worry, you’re right. I’m single. But what do you mean by ‘of course you aren’t?’” Glancing over at her as headlights flash from an oncoming car, I see her pink cheeks as she lowers her hand.
“I just mean—uh—well, you’re a good looking man, obviously smart, and successful. I just assumed…”
I can feel myself blush at her words. I know I’m not the worst looking guy, usually, but I’ve always been placed in the ‘computer geek’ category with women.
Only talking to them if they need help with technology or being flirted with if there is some way I could help them.
My favourite is when they assume I am rich because I co-own a tech company but aren’t interested any longer when they find out it’s very far from the truth.
“Um, thanks, but I’m single, so it doesn’t help me when it comes to the competition. If anything, it was also part of the reason why I didn’t want to make a big deal about coming back to town.”
“What if I came with you?” she shoots back.
“As what? The elf that begged me to give her a ride?” I joke.
“No, silly. I could pretend to be your girlfriend.”
I had to stop myself from slamming on the brakes at her words. “Pretend to be my girlfriend,” I repeat.
“I did it again, didn’t I? I spoke without thinking. I do that sometimes. And ramble. Oh gosh, I’m doing it again. I’m sorry.” Both hands cover her face now, more muffled words as she mutters them.
Without thinking, I reach over and place my hand on hers, lowering them back down to her lap. Without risking taking my eyes off the road, I link my fingers with hers. I hate the turmoil in her voice.
“Tell me how it would work.”
She squeezes my hand and part of me is worried she’ll let go, but she doesn’t.
“I don’t know. I didn’t think that far ahead.” We both chuckle, still holding hands. “Is that something you’d be interested in? Would it make you more comfortable going home?”
I pause, truly not knowing how to answer that.
My mom would have a million questions about why I would have kept a relationship secret.
I never told her about Emily, so hiding a real girlfriend from her wouldn’t be far from the truth.
I never saw a reason to bring it up unless I knew it was serious, which Emily never was.
One thing I do know is that if I do this, I’m going to have to learn everything there is to know about Avery, and fast.
But the alternative is showing up to Gingerbread Grove in the height of the holiday season alone. I would need to face McKenzie and Cal—and my parents—and romantic relationship or not, it would be nice to have someone that would be on my side through it all.
“I think I would.” I answer, and she immediately lets out a breath.
“That’s great. But I think the real question is, would I even be someone you would want to date—fictionally, of course. I mean, am I your type?” She closes her eyes and scrunches up her nose. “I’m doing it again. What I mean to say is, will everyone buy that you’re dating someone like me?”
“What do you mean by that? You mean, do I normally date elves?” I joke.
I’m genuinely intrigued why she would think that someone as beautiful, seemingly smart and thoughtful wouldn’t be my type.
If anything, it would be the other way around.
Sure, I might not date women who look like they escaped Santa’s workshop, but I can’t say my dating history leaves me in a position to comment on someone that may or may not have experience in a toy workshop.
“I mean, I can be—abrupt. I don’t always have a filter when I talk. I ramble when I’m nervous. I ask more questions than I should.” She looks down. “I dress like an elf.”
“I can’t say I’ve ever dated someone with your current attire, but honestly, I’d say all of that makes you perfect.
You can take some of the heat off of me,” I laugh, letting her know that I’m not serious.
Not completely, anyway. It dies off when I see she doesn’t share the sentiment.
“Hey, I’m serious. I don’t see why anyone would have a problem dating you, fake or not. ”
“Well, my experience today would suggest otherwise,” she mumbles.
I hate how small her voice sounds, and how I can see she’s folding herself into the seat next to me. I may not know her well—or at all—but I know that she deserves more than this.
“What would you get out of it?” I ask, pretending like I don’t see how small she’s trying to make herself.
Movement catches my eye as she sits up sharply. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I get to put on a face and greet the town with you on my arm. You’re saving me from having to show up to do a job I don’t want to do, with people I don’t want to see, and in a town I don’t want to be in. What do you gain? Why do you want to help me?”
The car is quiet again, with only the soft, soulful voice of Bing Crosby sitting between us. For a quick moment, I worry I said the wrong thing, but I genuinely want to know why she would be willing to help me out like this.
“I don’t know. I guess as a thank you for driving me up here when you really didn’t have to? Or maybe it’s just a way to distract myself from Maxwell and his harsh rejection.”
My heart sinks when I think of the way Avery was treated.
I know the pain she’s going through. I know the embarrassment and devastation that comes along with it.
While I may be selfish in using what she’s gone through to make my life a little easier, I wonder if maybe it’s what she needs, too.
But it won’t be easy. My family—and the town—will have questions.
“Please, Matthew. I want to help you.” The softness in her voice is the deciding factor for me.
I may be selfish for letting her do this, but I also feel like deep down, it would be helping her, too.
Plus, it would be nice to have someone do things for me, like picking up coffee and candy.
I never thought in a million years I would be in this situation.
In a car with a Christmas-loving stranger I met at the airport discussing a fake relationship.
What’s even crazier are the words coming out of my mouth.
“Okay, let’s do it.”