Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
AVERY
Idon’t know what I was expecting when it came to Gingerbread Grove’s town square, but this wasn’t it.
The snow from last night blankets the streets and rooftops, reflecting the twinkling lights off the fresh powder.
The light posts are all shaped like candy canes, painted in bold red and greens that spiral up the poles, decorated with red glittery ribbons at the top.
All the trees are evergreen, adorned with multicoloured lights and ornaments, all topped in mismatched stars.
Then there’s the tree in the middle of the square. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
The height could rival any town’s central tree. The lights and decorations are a mix of whimsical and nostalgic that should clash, but somehow don’t.
The square itself is bustling with the holiday market.
Booths set up into aisles along the shovelled out pathways, carving frozen roads, allowing people to stop table-to-table to buy trinkets and baked goods.
Each booth has fairy lights that zig zag from one another, adding to the magical ambiance as the sun sets behind the gazebo in the middle of the square.
It looks like most other small town outdoor markets that I have been to.
Well, except for the decor. The one time I visited Candy Cane Creek, I thought they had gone overboard.
Gingerbread Grove makes me feel like I stepped into the North Pole itself, or at least a baked goods version of it.
While not a bad thing—especially given my occasional elf attire—it’s not what I was expecting.
But now that I think of it, I wonder if I could use something like this to bring joy to the families at work. It would take some planning, but I would love to coordinate something for them to experience this.
Glancing down at my watch, it strikes five exactly, and I feel my nerves start to grow. Even though meeting here at this time was his idea, what if he doesn’t show? What if he changed his mind, deciding that fake dating a stranger he met at an airport was as ridiculous as it sounds?
The smell of apple and cinnamon wafts from a nearby table, making my stomach rumble, reminding me that I haven’t eaten today.
My nerves wouldn’t allow it. I barely drank any of my gingerbread oat latte, which I made sure to grab before starting the drive over here.
Would the caffeine this late in the day make me a jittery mess?
Probably, but I needed the comfort of my drink, and the decaf version just doesn’t hit the same way.
Not that it mattered in the end. Every time I took my hand off the wheel to take a sip, a wave of nauseous nerves rose in my stomach, making me put my cup right back down into the holder.
In other words, I’m a Christmas mess.
Now that I’m standing here at five-o-two, what do I do if he does show?
Can we pull off being a couple? I’m sure that anything we don’t know about each other that couples would, could be explained by not being together long.
Matthew and I had agreed that we would say it’s new and that can explain away a lot.
But what about making people truly believe we have chemistry?
Do we hold hands? Do I link my arm with his?
I still. What if we have to kiss?
“You made it,” a familiar deep voice says from behind me, making me turn.
I’m met with a pair of glasses-framed hazel eyes and a smile that reaches them. A smile on the lips I was just thinking about kissing.
“Avery? Are you okay?”
Realizing I was staring at the lips I should not be thinking about kissing, I dart my gaze back to his eyes. Eyes are neutral territory. You don’t kiss eyes. But as I find myself getting lost in his, I think that maybe I won’t have to fake chemistry. Not on my end, anyway.
“Uh, yeah. I’m fine.” Plastering on a fake smile, I act like I wasn’t just daydreaming about him. And his lips.
My eyes dart down before I drag them back up.
Nope. Not falling for that again.
Standing here awkwardly looking at each other, I’m sure we look like anything but a fresh couple.
I find myself not knowing what to do or say next.
Do I give him a hug? Slide up next to him?
I’m suddenly forgetting what we had discussed about the specifics of who we needed to fake this for.
Instead, I can only recite what his favourite food is (sushi), his favourite colour (green), and dream vacation spot (Scottish Highlands). Anything else is a blur.
“I, uh, brought you coffee.” Matthew hands me a red, white, and green striped paper cup with ‘GingerBrew Cafe’ stamped on the side. The smell of apple and cinnamon is quickly replaced by warm ginger and strong coffee.
“There’s a theme in the town, huh?” I say, taking a sip. I won’t say anything against the coffee shop back in Kamloops, but this has to be the best gingerbread latte I’ve ever had in my life. If there was a way to take the cookie, make it liquid and add coffee, that’s what I’m holding right now.
“They go a little overboard,” he mumbles, taking a sip from his own mug. His cup is brown with cartoon gingerbread men in various dance poses. “I didn’t know how you felt about having it this late in the day, so I had Rachel make it half-caf. I hope that’s okay.”
“More than okay. Thank you. It’s sweet that you brought me coffee.” Half-caf; why didn’t I think of that?
“It’s the least I can do, considering I made you drive out here to do this.”
“You didn’t make me do anything, Matthew. I want to help you.”
We stand at the edge of the town square, smiling at each other as people pass by.
Maybe we are close to looking like the love-sick fools we are supposed to be.
In my mind, I know it’s just for show. There’s no way the coy smile on his face right now is really for me.
He must be a better actor than I thought.
“I’m sorry that it couldn’t be your gingerbread latte with eggnog sprinkles. Rebecca didn’t have any but was so inspired she was going to look at ordering some for her cafe.”
“You remembered my favourite drink?” Those butterflies are back. They’re shooting around my stomach like snowflakes in a snowstorm and if I’m not careful, I’ll be thinking this is anything but fake.
“You might start a trend here if you’re not careful,” he jokes, taking a sip of his drink.
“Oh, and I brought you these.” With his free hand, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a pack of chocolate-covered peanut butter cups and another of gummy bears.
“I hope you still consider this as part of your road trip, as you’ll be travelling back to Kamloops. ”
The smile on his face cracks every iron-enforced part of my heart that I put up in the hopes of surviving this fake relationship. The slight dimple on his cheek and the light in his eyes have me falling even more and more for him.
Meg’s right…I’m in so much trouble.
“You brought me road trip snacks?” I can barely get the words out as I hold out my hand and accept the treats.
“Of course.” His smile drops. “Did I get the wrong ones? I remembered the cups, but do you not like gummy bears? I can go back to the store and get you something else.”
“No, they’re perfect. Thank you. I have to say, I’m a little surprised they sell something here that isn’t cookie themed,” I joke, looking down at them longingly before slipping them into my purse.
As corny as it sounds, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to have peanut butter cups or gummy bears without thinking of Matthew ever again.
“Shocking, I know, but there are a few odd items that sneak through,” he smirks.
Relief washes over his face and we are once more standing looking at each other with smiles on our faces as people mill about around us.
Once again, I’m not sure what to do. We’re in this limbo of not knowing how to act like a couple.
We didn’t talk about PDA. My heart rate races and I can feel a cold sweat breaking across my shoulder as my mind races with a mix of what I want to do—hold his hand?
Hug him? Kiss him on the cheek?—and what he expects me to do.
“Thank you again for helping me out, Avery. I know it’s a long way to come…”
“Gingerbread Grove isn’t that far. Plus, I’ve been meaning to come and see what you guys do for the holidays here, remember? Think of it as helping me with a research assignment. Maybe I’ll get some ideas on how to improve things at C.O.C.O.A.”
“Cocoa?” I want to laugh at the puzzled look he gives me, because it’s the same one I get every time I describe my work.
“Yes, the company I work for. Christmas Offerings for Children and Outstanding Adults. C.O.C.O.A.”
“And you are the head elf at this C.O.C.O.A.?”
“Yup! I’ve worked there for eight years, and I can honestly say I love my job.
From October to December, we are living our best life while blessing children and families that would normally go without during the holidays.
I love the look on their faces when we bring them toys and traditional Christmas dinners with a roasted turkey and all the fixings.
I would do it for free if I didn’t need to pay bills and you know, adult. ”
A smirk returns to his face. “Yeah, I know the feeling. Most days I feel the same way about my work, too.”
“I would love to hear more about that; can you tell me about your company as we walk? There’s a tent over there with bath bombs that caught my eye when I got here.”
“Of course.” He holds his arm out to me, and I naturally slip my hand in, holding on to his elbow as we begin to stroll.
Like a real couple.
But we aren’t. I have to remind myself of that.
“Mitch and I grew up together, always messing around with computers. When we were old enough, we learned to code, and eventually went to school and got our degrees as software engineers. After we graduated, we started writing software for 3D printers.”
“Wow, that’s fascinating.”
“It’s okay, I know it’s pretty nerdy…”
“No,” I say, stopping him from walking any further. I wait until he turns to look at me. Really look at me. “You literally create software so people can express themselves by creating something out of nothing. I think that’s incredible.”
A light blush hits his cheeks and it warms my heart, knowing I put it there.
“Thank you, Avery. I don’t think anyone’s ever put it that way.” He reaches up and rubs the corner of my mouth with his thumb before gently grazing his hand up my cheek and tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear. “You, uh, had some whipped cream.”
“Uh, huh.” I don’t have words. My brain is a melted puddle of snow as his hand stays at the nape of my neck and he’s looking at me with those hazel eyes.
“Matty? Is that you?” A high-pitched sound comes from behind me, ripping us out of our little cozy bubble.
I don’t want to know who that voice belongs to.
I no longer even want to be standing in the town square at sunset, drinking my half-caf gingerbread latte, and on my way to look at bath bombs.
No, I want to be back in the bubble where just Matthew and I exist and he’s looking at me like maybe this isn’t all just a dream—or a joke—that my heartbroken mind has made up.
“Matty, that is you! I didn’t know you were back in town. Why didn’t your mom tell me?”
There’s that voice again.
And Matty? I thought he hated nicknames.
I turn to find a tall, blonde woman with curled hair and heavy makeup walking towards us.
“Here we go,” Matthew mutters beside me as he takes a massive swig from his cup and grabs my hand.
If we didn’t just share a moment, I would think he’s trying to crush me with how he’s gripping me right now.
But I also know the panicked look on his face as he watches the woman approach us has more to do with her.
“McKenzie?” I whisper, not taking my eyes off the approaching woman with the fake smile, tight fitting ski jacket and boots with fake fur trims. She looks like she belongs on the slopes, not a small town Christmas market.
“McKenzie,” Matthew whispers back, not bothering to put on a fake smile of his own.
The closer she gets, the harder he grips my hand.
When she’s ten feet away, he ditches my hand and throws his arm around my shoulders, pinning me tight to his side.
I keep the smile on my face, even though it pains me to do so.
Not because I don’t welcome his touch. The exact opposite, actually.
It’s because I want nothing more than to close my eyes and take in his outdoorsy scent of sandalwood and smoke, but it’s not the time.
I need to pretend like I’m used to being tucked into his side and surrounded by his scent of woods and campfires.
I need to pretend like his touch is familiar and isn’t sending my heart racing like it’s on a reindeer dash.
Most of all, I need to pretend like Matthew is my everything.
It’s then I know there’s no way I’m going to be able to fake anything with him. Because with Matthew? I want it all.