Chapter 12
CHAPTER 12
MILLIE
W hen I hear the alarm go off the following morning, I groan in protest. God, I swear I just closed my eyes.
Once again, I’d spent the night tossing and turning, replaying the kiss with Brian. Last night was by far the hottest experience I’ve had in my life, which really tells me how pathetic my sex life with Allen was for the entirety of our marriage. The way Brian controlled the kiss made me desperate for him, but the enjoyment in the moment had been overshadowed by embarrassment.
God, not only did my clumsy ass fall on top of him, but I basically attacked him. I know I haven’t had a job in a couple years, but I’m pretty sure most people don’t make it a habit of dry humping their boss.
Groaning in embarrassment, I throw the covers off and start to get ready for the day. Having already decided to skip my run this morning knowing that it would be a long day, I grab my favorite pair of jeans and one of my new sweaters from Saddle Ridge and throw them on before spending some extra time on my makeup.
I tell myself the extra time I spend getting ready is because of the event tonight, but a large part of me knows that’s only a small part of the truth. There’s no way Brian doesn’t regret kissing me.
My mind flashes to all the times I tried to initiate something physical with Allen throughout the last few years of our marriage. Every sneer, every eye roll, and every “maybe later, babe” is permanently ingrained in my thoughts, and I think about his comments he made about me during the divorce. That maybe if I was sexier or if I’d tried harder to keep him happy over the years, he wouldn’t have had to screw his way through his staff.
I try to shake myself out of my mental pity party. Over the last week in Springside, it occurs to me that I’ve barely given Allen a single thought. There’s no doubt this fresh start was exactly what I needed, but I’m not ready for Brian to give me the same look of rejection my ex-husband had perfected. He’s been a perfect gentleman over the last few days, so I’m sure he’d be nicer about it than Allen always was, but the result will be the same.
Feeling frustrated, I hear my phone ping and grab it to see Lizzie just sent me a text.
Lizzie: Hey sis, just checking on you? Are you ready to put that sexy boss of yours on the top of your Christmas list?
Me: Hey, Lizzie. I’m okay…
Lizzie: *eye roll emoji*
Lizzie: I’m gonna need more than that.
Lizzie: Have you and Mr. Mayor had any other run-ins?
I blow out a breath, trying to decide how to respond. I’d told her about the almost kiss last week over the phone two days ago, and she’d freaked out. I’m pretty sure my ears were still ringing from the way she squealed into the phone. She was convinced I’d be having kinky rebound sex by now and had become relentless about encouraging me to pursue him.
Gosh she’s gonna lose her shit when I tell her what happened last night. Sighing, I decide to get it over with.
Me: Funny you should ask…
Me: There might have been a bit of an incident last night…
Lizzie: Mills, I swear to God if you don’t spit it out I’m getting on a plane to kick your ass.
Me: Basically, I attacked him with my mouth. Afterward, he was a perfect gentleman and acted like it didn’t happen. Soooo now I’m debating if I actually have to leave my room and face him today.
Lizzie: WHAT?!
Lizzie: You should really give a girl some warning… I just screamed so loud, the whole office heard.
Lizzie: But that’s not important.
Lizzie: TELL ME EVERYTHING!!
Me: Ugh it’s so embarrassing… All my volunteers had to cancel, so we were putting up the lights for the Mistletoe Maze tonight. I fell off the ladder and he tried to catch me. But we were both on the ground and he touched my hair, and I swear my brain left my body.
Me: Literally the best kiss of my life. God, it was so hot.
Me: But one of the locals interrupted us, and neither of us mentioned it after we got home.
Me: Oh my God, what if he fires me.
Me: Pretty sure Deer Valley doesn’t have a head of HR, but I probably violated about a hundred boss/employee rules last night.
Lizzie: I KNEW IT!
Lizzie: Just calm down, it’s gonna be fine.
Lizzie: He’s not going to fire you.
Lizzie: So, are we talking about a kiss or a KISS?
Me: Ummmmmm…
Me: Sis, I literally dry humped my boss. On the ground. In a field.
Me: He also wrapped his hands around my throat, and I thought I was going to orgasm just from that.
Me: I thought that only happened in those romance novels we love, but nope. Can confirm it was incredibly hot.
Me: I’ll let you do with that information what you will.
Lizzie: Hellllll yes.
Lizzie: Guess you’re going on the naughty list this year ;)
Me: Lizzie!
Me: This is serious. What should I do?!
Lizzie: You mean other than bang his brains out?
Lizzie: Pretty sure that’s the only right answer here…
Lizzie: Shit, something just came up I have to handle at work, but go get your man! I’ll check in with you tomorrow. Love you big.
Me: Yeah, yeah. Okay, love you bigger sis.
Throwing my phone back down, I fluff my hair in the reflection of my mirror and apply some lipstick. Lizzie might have been trying to make me feel better, but I can’t help preparing myself for an uncomfortable encounter this morning.
After killing as much time as I can without making us late, I finally throw on a pair of boots and grab everything I need for the day before stepping out into the living room. Brian’s on the phone, but he looks up at my entrance and gives me a smile, gesturing to a to-go cup full of coffee.
“Ready?” he mouths to me, still listening to whoever’s on the other end of the line.
Nodding, we make our way out of the house and head to the inn. I wait for Brian to get off the phone and fire me or tell me what we did last night was wrong, but instead he spends the entire ride stuck on the phone. Oh well, I guess that means I’m still employed for the time being.
As soon as we arrive at the inn, I distract myself with preparing for the event, and the rest of the day is a blur of decorating and other last-minute tasks. Before I know it, it’s close to seven and the lobby of Deer Valley is bustling with people. I catch Brian’s eye just as I’m approached by a group of women led by Miss Ethel, and he gives me an encouraging smile.
“Millie, you were holding out on me,” she teases, gesturing to the eight-foot Christmas tree I spent the last two days decorating. “Everything looks beautiful. I’ve never seen Deer Valley so festive. Now I need you to come decorate my house.”
Several of the other ladies nod and murmur their agreement, and I smile before responding, “Oh, y’all are too kind. Thank you, ladies.”
“How are you enjoying your time in Springside dear?” one of them I haven’t met yet asks.
“Oh, it’s been wonderful. This town is really special,” I answer truthfully.
“Yeah, you’re right about that. So, Miss Millie, what do you think about our mayor?” another asks, and the whole group leans in, waiting to hear what I’ll say.
“Umm, oh, uhh Mayor Jones has been very nice. I’m very grateful he gave me a chance when I broke down here. He’s been very hospitable,” I say, hoping that will assuage her curiosity.
“Hmmmm, I’ll say. Aren’t y’all living together?” someone else asks, and I feel my cheeks flame.
“I guess you could say so. My room at the inn had some damage, so he’s letting me stay in his guest room.”
“Well, isn't that kind of him? You know, he’s one of Springside’s most eligible bachelors… And you’re recently divorced, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Oh, I see a royal wedding sometime in our future,” one of the ladies says, while another offers, “Honey, you’ve gotta meet my grandson.”
The group of ladies all start talking at once, and I’m pretty sure my face is frozen in a state of shock.
“All right, ladies, that’s enough,” Ethel says, shaking her head at her friends after realizing my surprise. “Damn old biddies, has no one ever told you to mind your own business?”
I fight the urge to laugh before Brian catches my attention and gestures to me.
“Well, it was lovely to chat with y’all, but I’ve gotta get back to work. Y’all enjoy the event,” I tell the group of women in front of me, before slipping back over to where Brian is standing against the wall.
“Millie, everything looks incredible. This is the best turn out we’ve ever had, and it looks like everyone’s really having a blast,” he says, and I try not to pay too much attention to the way the compliment makes me feel giddy.
“Thanks, but I couldn’t have done it without you,” I tell him truthfully.
“Yeah, I guess we make a pretty good team. So, you ready for us to go ahead with the tree lighting? If so, I’ll make the announcement for people to head outside,” he asks.
“Sure, everything’s ready to go. I’ll make sure the speaker we set up is playing,” I reply, zipping my jacket and preparing to step outside into the chilly evening.
“Oh, and Millie, you owe me a sleigh ride. Come find me when it’s time to head over to the tree farm,” he says.
“Yes, sir,” I reply on instinct, and I don’t miss the way his eyes flash at my statement as I rush outside. God, what the hell is wrong with me, and why can’t I stop picturing using that phrase in a situation that’s definitely not appropriate for work.
It takes what feels like forever to get everyone outside to light the tree. Eventually, Brian welcomes them and gives the countdown to light the community Christmas tree. The town cheers as the dark night fills with the glow of the multi-colored lights on the thirty-foot tree we brought in and settled into the ground this morning. I have to admit, the sight is beautiful, and while I’ve only been in Springside a few weeks, I can’t help but feel like I’m home.
After a few minutes, the crowd starts to disperse. Some head inside for their dinner reservations, and others grab for the wine and cookies we’re serving from a repurposed lemonade booth I found in the storage closet. The sleighs and trolleys pull up to take the first group of guests over to the maze, and I take a moment to appreciate how well everything seems to be going.
“There she is.” I hear from behind me and turn to see Huey making his way over to where I’m standing with Brian at his side. “Millie, this is incredible. I felt like this job would be a good fit for ya, but I’ve never seen anything like this,” he says before pulling me in for a hug.
“Oh, thank you, Huey, but I couldn’t have done it without Brian’s help,” I say, gesturing to my boss.
“Yeah, yeah, well, listen, I’ve been slammed thanks to some trees that fell on my fence, but the two of you need to come over for supper next week,” he insists.
“That sounds great. I need to see those cows again too,” I say, and Huey laughs.
“I’m sure those heifers would love to see you again too. Just text me what night works best, okay? Anyway, there's some hot chocolate that’s calling my name. I’ll see y’all later,” he calls out before disappearing into the slew of people in front of us.
Both of us shake our heads before Brian says, “You ready to go? Bridget is staying back to make sure everything runs smoothly here, but I figured you’d want to be there when the first group arrives.”
“Yeah, that sounds good,” I reply, letting him lead me to one of the smallest horse-drawn sleighs that's parked off to the side. There are two seats left, so we settle in and make small talk with the people beside us until one of the volunteers’ waves from the driver's seat, signaling that we are about to start moving.
“Ugh, I’m seriously gonna need to upgrade my wardrobe,” I joke as I shiver in the cold night air. “Alabama really should not be allowed to be this cold.”
Brian laughs before reaching around and shrugging off his thick Carhartt jacket. “Here, my jacket’s warmer. Why don’t you throw it on?”
“But then you’ll be the one shivering,” I say hesitantly, even though I’m already reaching for the thick garment.
“Nah, I’m good,” he states, holding it open for me to put my arms in. I pull it on and try not to react to being surrounded by his masculine scent. He always smells like cedar, and I fight the urge to bury my nose into the fabric.
We ride for a moment before I catch a glimpse at the lights ahead. Apparently, it’s a Springside tradition for everyone to wait to show off their Christmas decor until the night of the Mistletoe Maze, so I’m completely taken aback when I see what seems to be an endless sea of lights. It’s about two miles between the inn and the tree farm, and it looks like every inch of the route is covered with different colors and shapes of lights.
“God, it’s beautiful,” I breathe out, leaning against Brian to see around him.
“Yeah, it’s a pretty special sight,” he responds while I stare in awe at the shimmering display of colors.
“So, Millie, you’ve been in Springside for a few weeks now. What do you think about our little town?” he asks.
“I have to admit, it’s really growing on me. Everyone, except maybe Miss Sally, has been really nice and I love planning these events. I know it sounds kind of cliché, but I really feel like I’m learning a lot about myself. I’ve been so scared for years to do anything just for me, but I’m seeing that I can support myself and go after the things I want. Basically, it’s just what I didn’t know I needed. I can’t thank you enough for being so supportive and giving me a chance.”
“Millie, you and I both know you’re so overqualified for this job. You’ve been incredible,” he says, and I don’t miss the way my stomach flips at his words.
“Well…thanks,” I say, feeling my cheeks redden with both the cold and the compliment. “Anyway, enough about me… Okay I’ve gotta know. You’re a former football star, inn owner, and small-town mayor, right? Am I missing anything?” I tease.
“Nope, I think that about covers it,” he responds, laughing at my outburst.
“Okay, I’ve just gotta ask, with all of that, how in the world are you still single?” I ask, only half joking.
He chuckles and I’m sure it’s a question he gets often. He looks around to make sure the other locals aren’t paying us any attention before explaining. “Well, to be really honest, my dad got sick right when I graduated from college, so I moved back home to help my mom take care of the inn. He spent three years going through treatments, and I can’t say that dating was super high on my to-do list. Then a few years later, she got diagnosed with stage four brain cancer. It’s weird how fast my priorities changed after that. Add in the responsibilities that come with running this town and trying to keep everything going, and I guess I just forgot to do something for myself.”
God, do I understand that, I think, feeling a pang in my chest and immediately flashing back to how I felt losing my mom. She was the only family Lizzie and I had, and after we lost her, it seemed like everything that had been such major parts of our lives were insignificant. Decorating our tiny apartment for Christmas was always her favorite time of year, and I imagine for a moment about how much she would love this town. It’s been over ten years, but it never gets easier, I think feeling a pang of sadness that she’s not here to see it.
“Plus, in a town this small, options can be pretty limited. Everyone here’s great, but there definitely haven’t been any sparks with anyone here. At least, not until…” he starts, interrupting my pity party, just as we come to a stop at the tree farm.
But he doesn’t finish because the driver of the sleigh turns to us with a big smile and says, “All right, everyone, enjoy the Midnight Mistletoe Maze.”
Brian stands and helps me off the trolley. Immediately, we’re back to work, running back and forth and chatting with the guests. But between snapping some pictures for the Instagram page I’m planning to ask to start for the inn and counting the profits from the mistletoe ornaments, I can’t help but wonder how exactly he planned to finish that previous sentence.