Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
AVERY
“What do you mean, you just asked him for a ride?” Meg asks me as she stops her coffee mug mid-air while going to take a sip. “You can’t just do that to people, Avery! Have you learned nothing from those podcasts I sent you?”
“It wasn’t like that. Matthew isn’t a serial killer.
” I roll my eyes as I place my elbows on the kitchen island in front of me, holding my mug in both hands.
The steam from the coffee and the warm spices of the gingerbread creamer wrap around me like a warm hug, deflecting the criticism from my well-meaning sister.
After hearing I was back in town, Meg invited herself over with sugar cookies from my favourite bakery to get the full story of what happened in Vancouver and provide support.
I purposely waited until she was good and mad at Maxwell before telling her about my adventures home.
Since her anger was focused on my ex in the city, I thought that I could slide in my late-night hero into the narrative, but I was wrong.
Thinking of Matthew now gives me the feeling of a thousand tiny butterflies flitting through my stomach.
Since he dropped me off at my apartment in the early hours of the morning, we have been texting about what to do with our fake relationship.
What started out as us getting to know each other with basic things a couple would know, quickly turned into him needing support once he made it to his parents’ place and his mom started fussing over him.
One thing I learned was Matthew does not like being fussed over. Especially the way his mom currently was.
But then my thoughts drift back to the surprise on his face when I brought him the coffee and treats. Maybe it’s the little things that he appreciates the most. The subtle acts of kindness, not the overwhelming, smothering kind.
But as we were both drifting off to sleep, he started to fill me in about the competition.
The ‘Yuletide Games,’ as they call it. I couldn’t help but enter into a fit of giggles when he started to describe events like pairs speed skating and downhill sledding that the town had done in the past. He was more than mildly relieved to learn the pairs speed skating had been removed from the docket this year after a particularly over-competitive run last year where multiple couples ended up in the hospital with minor injuries after there was some behaviour that was not fitting for the season, including pushing and tripping.
He told me there were even rumours of tampering with the icing for the gingerbread house competition.
Something about running icing and collapsing structures.
It’s why they ultimately had to scale back the allowed sizes of their entries.
“There’s something you aren’t telling me.” Meg raises an eyebrow as she lowers her mug to the countertop.
Bringing my gaze back to my sister, I realize the goofy grin on my face that appeared while thinking about Matthew and the games.
“Matthew and I sort of, uh, agreed to fake date,” I say, looking down, talking more to the coffee in my hands than Meg.
“Sorry, repeat that again,” she demands, using her older sister voice on me.
“Well, he has it rough going home to Gingerbread Grove. He has an ex like Maxwell, but actually much worse because now her and her husband pretty much run the town. Then he has a mother that hasn’t accepted he doesn’t want to live in his hometown anymore, a dad that doesn’t like his career choice.
Then there’s the whole Yuletide Games…” I know I’m rambling, but I can’t help but feel like I’m ten years old again getting interrogated about breaking mom’s expensive vase.
Meg would always back me up with my parents, but then take it upon herself to find out the truth when we were alone.
“And you fit into this because…?”
“Because he saved me, Meg. I would still be stuck in Vancouver if it wasn’t for his help, stranded like a sad elf with no way to the North Pole.”
“You could have changed out of your costume.”
I roll my eyes. “That’s not the point.”
“Plus, you’re acting like Vancouver is some sort of war zone.”
“An emotional war zone,” I mutter, taking a sip of my latte.
Meg continues, ignoring me. “He gave you a ride—a risky ride, if you ask me. He didn’t save your life. In fact, you put your life in danger not only with stranger danger but also driving that highway at night in a near-blizzard.”
I remain silent and avoid eye contact while she speaks, finding my cooling coffee very interesting.
I know what she’s saying is true. It goes against everything our parents taught us while growing up.
Don’t get into cars with strangers. Don’t drive the highway at night in the winter if you can avoid it.
Did I listen? No, but thankfully it worked out for me in my hour of desperation.
“He’s good looking, isn’t he?” Meg exclaims, more of a statement than a question.
“What? No! I mean, yes, but that has nothing to do with it.” I can feel my cheeks warm under Meg’s gaze, but I try to convince myself it’s from the wafting steam off my coffee.
It’s certainly not me being attracted to Matthew.
Not with his dark blond hair, piercing hazel eyes, and dark-rimmed glasses.
I’ve never fallen for the ‘intellectual looking’ guys before, but Matthew is changing what I thought I knew about myself and what I want.
I don’t know what I’m thinking anyway. I just met him. Not to mention Maxwell and I just broke up. Or maybe we broke up a while ago and I just didn’t know.
Is that even possible? Can someone break up with you and just forget to tell you?
“Okay, walk me through how this happened. I thought you were just going into Vancouver for a conference.”
“I was.” I place my mug down on the counter and rub my hands over my face. “I thought it would be a good idea to surprise Maxwell while I was there.” I fill her in on every embarrassing, horrific detail of my time in Vancouver. Including how it all happened while dressed like an elf.
“That jerk! I always knew you were too good for him,” she spat, starting to pace. “He’s lucky he’s in Vancouver. He’d better not think to even show his face in Kamloops again.”
“Meg, it’s bad, but it’s not that bad.” I pick up my coffee again and take a sip, trying not to wince at how cold it is.
She stops and looks at me, placing her hands on her hips. “Avery…”
“Meg…” I lower my voice to meet her level of seriousness while trying to lighten the mood.
When I see it’s not going to have its desired effect, I sigh.
“Look, am I upset about it? Yes. You know how I felt about him and where I thought our relationship was going. Heck, I was planning on moving down there. Even quitting my dream job to make that happen.”
“You were going to quit being Head Elf? Avery! You’ve worked so hard to get there!”
“I know.” Pain stabs my gut for even thinking of leaving my job, but at the time, I was willing to do it if it meant that I would have a life with Maxwell. Now, I can’t believe that I was so silly.
Meg rounds the island and pulls me into a hug, resting her chin on the top of my head. “Love makes us do silly things sometimes.”
I close my eyes and wrap my arms around her. Just like that, I’m transported to being a kid again, comforted by hugs from my big sister. I fight back the tears as emotions that I don’t want to feel bubble up—especially emotions linked to Maxwell Gladwin.
Bah Humbug to him.
“So tell me how this turns into you being a fake girlfriend for some Christmas contest,” she says with a final squeeze before letting go and taking a seat on the stool beside me.
“We got to talking and he’s been through something similar. Except now he has to go home to his hometown and be face-to-face with his ex and her husband, who is now mayor.”
“No,” she gasps.
“Yes, and they’re the ones that started the whole change to Gingerbread Grove and the Yuletide Games.
” Meg sits beside me, riveted by the whole ordeal, like she is watching a soap opera.
“So, I couldn’t just leave him to face all of that by himself in a place he doesn’t even want to be.
Not to mention, I looked him up and he’s successful in his own right, but he just doesn’t see it.
For whatever reason, he thinks this Cal guy is better than him, and I don’t know why. ”
“I heard they changed their name. Something about a rivalry with Candy Cane Creek?”
“Yes! I looked more into it last night, but it seems like some townspeople thought that Candy Cane Creek was ‘hogging the Christmas limelight’ and wanted to one up them. Then there’s something about rival inns…
I’m going to have to investigate it further when I get there because I find it all fascinating.
But the most interesting part is that Cal isn’t even from Gingerbread Grove. ”
“How did you find this all out?” Meg has a look on her face that’s a mix of awe and terrified, causing me to chuckle.
“The internet, silly. Social media is really resourceful. It looks like they met at university in Vancouver and moved back to Woodland Springs shortly after they graduated.”
“I’m a little shocked—and scared—at your sleuthing skills.”
“I blame you and your true crime podcasts. Don’t tell me you’ve never done some internet research after listening to one of those.” I give her a pointed look, knowing that’s exactly what she does. “Plus, they posted it on their own socials; it’s not like I’m being a total creeper.”
“Not a total creeper, no,” she jokes, playfully bumping her side into mine. “I guess I can see why you would want to help this Matthew guy out.”
“I thought you were against me helping him.”
“I still am, but I can see why you would want to. Especially now that I’m pretty sure you’re not going to end up on one of those podcasts.
Plus, I haven’t seen you this smitten with a guy in a long time.
Not even with Maxwell.” Meg shrugs her shoulders and grabs an oversized cranberry orange muffin from the box she brought with her this morning.
“I’m not smitten. It’s too early for me to be smitten. Maxwell and I just—well, I don’t know when we actually broke up now that I think about it. But I was just heartbroken, and Matthew and I just met. There’s nothing to be smitten about.”
“Whatever you say,” she replies with a smirk before taking a bite of her muffin.
I open my mouth to respond when my phone chimes, letting me know I have an incoming text. I try to keep my nerves at bay as I see Matthew’s name on my screen.
Matthew
All set for tomorrow. See you at the town square at 5?
“You’re blushing! It’s from him, isn’t it?” Meg exclaims, trying to peer over my shoulder at my phone.
Even though there’s nothing in our texts that would be considered scandalous, I hold my phone to my chest, not letting her see. Something in me wants to keep my conversations with him private. If Meg wasn’t my big sister and my best friend, I wouldn’t even be sharing this with her.
“Yes, it’s from him and no, I’m not blushing.” I bring my free hand to my cheek, immediately feeling the heat.
“Liar,” she jokes.
Ignoring her, I turn my back and look back down at my phone, typing out my reply.
Yup. See you then!
“Wow, exclamation mark and a smiley face? You’ve got it bad,” Meg jokes as she walks past me and places her mug in the sink.
“Oh, stop.” I place my phone—screen down—on the counter and narrow my eyes at my sister.
“This is nothing. It’s not even real, remember?
I’m just pretending to be his girlfriend so that he doesn’t have to face his family and the town alone.
If anything, I’m just saving him, like how he saved me from being stranded in Vancouver.
Think of it as…” My brain struggles for the right word.
Payment makes it sound like it’s something nefarious, when it’s anything but. Squaring Up? Reimbursement?
“Calling it even?” Meg states with a smile.
“Yes! We’ll be even. He helped me and I helped him. Once he’s back in the city after Christmas, we’ll just go our separate ways. No harm, no foul.”
“Right…” She sounds as unconvinced as I feel. Which is ridiculous; it’s just an arrangement. Two people helping each other get out of uncomfortable situations. That’s it.
My phone dings again and I rush to flip it over, momentarily forgetting my nosy sister is right next to me.
Matthew
Great, I can’t wait. Be sure to dress warm and, uh, maybe not like an elf
“He sent a winky face?” Meg practically yells in my ear as she laughs. “Avery, you’re in so much trouble.”
Looking down at the message in my hand with a wide, goofy smile on my face, I think she might be right.