Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
MATTHEW
Standing behind the counter of Nutmeg I don’t want to talk about the town, and I especially don’t want to talk about Avery. Not to Mitch. There are a lot of people I can lie to and hide things from, but he’s not one of them.
“Same old. Everything is under control.” Mitch continues, filling me in on our clients and upcoming projects.
I pace the small room as I listen, dodging piles of boxes and tacky Christmas decorations as I go.
I’ve tried to work remotely the last couple of days when I haven’t been at the store or with Avery, but I’m quickly starting to realize there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be able to finish those files this weekend and get it back to you with plenty of time left.” I grab a pen off the desk and start twirling it with my fingers.
The anxious feeling I’ve become so accustomed to begins spreading in my chest. I knew I was going to be spreading myself thin, working alone at the shop all day and then doing my actual job at night and weekends, but it’s what I’m going to have to do while I’m here in Gingerbread Grove.
What I hadn’t expected was Avery and being entered into the Yuletide Games.
“So, what happened with your trip up? I heard most of the flights out of Vancouver have been cancelled since the day you left.”
“Uh, yeah” I slam the pen down on the desk harder than I mean to. Bringing my hand up to my chest, I start to rub the fiery burn that erupts over my sternum. “It was no big deal. I just rented a car and drove.”
“That must have been fun,” Mitch says sarcastically. “Driving alone at night on the Coquihalla? I’m surprised you didn’t turn around and wait it out until the next flight.”
“I was going to, but my mom called as soon as she saw my flight was cancelled and, well, you know her.” I never realized you could track flights that aren’t yours in real time, but my mom figured that one out.
I wait a moment before admitting the next bit of information.
The one that I was going to keep to myself, but the burning feeling in my chest increases the longer I hold it in. “And I wasn’t alone.”
“What do you mean you weren’t alone? Who did you drive with?”
“I sorta met this elf who was also flying to Kamloops, and she talked me into giving her a ride when I took the last rental.”
“An…elf…” he repeats.
“Well, obviously not a real elf. A woman.”
Mitch is quiet for a moment. “And?”
“And…” I close my eyes and take a deep breath.
I’m not sure how I’m going to explain this to my best friend.
Everything about the entire trip home has been out of the ordinary for me.
From driving at night to picking up a wayward elf that’s not my fake girlfriend.
“Well, we got to talking, and I told her about McKenzie and Cal, and the Yuletide Games…”
“I don’t think I like where this is going.” Mitch interrupts.
“She’s…well, we are…” My pacing picks up. “She suggested that she be my fake girlfriend.”
The silence on the other end of the phone is deafening.