Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Finley
This is beyond ridiculous. Roland was clearly joking. I’ve known since day one he’s a smooth talker who could convince a rooster to lay an egg.
But Alex… he’s harder to figure out.
He’s quiet, but friendly. Then, several months after he started coming in, he suddenly seemed down.
I had no idea why, and I didn’t ask. I could see he was hurting, so I did what I always do—I tried to cheer him up.
I tried to brighten his day. Only with Alex, it felt different.
It took me about a month to figure out why, and when I did, I could have kicked myself.
I had a crush on Alex King—the stupidest thing in the world.
Guys like Alex King don’t date baristas.
I saw one of his girlfriends a year ago.
She wore three-inch, red-bottom heels with a pencil skirt, silky blouse, and bright red lipstick.
Her long, blond hair was perfectly styled, and she carried a handbag worth more than a semester of my community college tuition.
She’d asked Maggie to validate the parking on her Lexus, then pouted when Maggie said no.
Alex hadn’t been with her, but she claimed to be his girlfriend and asked if the “savant” who remembered everyone’s orders could make his along with hers.
Maybe I should’ve been flattered she called me a savant, but the disdain in her tone made it sound like she meant Forrest Gump.
“That’s me,” I’d said.
“Oh.” She’d looked me up and down, made a face of pure disapproval, then promptly ignored me.
I’d made their drinks, and she hadn’t even said thank you. Instead, she complained about a stain on one of the cups and demanded I remake the drink—not pour it into a fresh cup.
After that, I had a hard time talking to Alex.
But then I realized I wasn’t being fair.
The righteous me would like to think the people we date reflect who we are—but almost every guy I’ve dated turned out to be a jerk.
Does that make me a jerk? Or just someone who attracts them?
Eventually I figured out who they really were and kicked them to the curb.
Should I have been judged before I figured it out?
I’d like to think Alex didn’t know the real her, just like I hadn’t known the real them.
But meeting his girlfriend made it very clear the type of women Alex dates—and just as clear that I don’t fit that mold; I’m Finley O’Brien, barely scraping toward a community college degree after five years of night and online classes.
I drive a twelve-year-old car and buy purses at Target when I’m splurging—Goodwill when I’m not.
I live in low-income senior housing, with furniture scavenged from thrift stores and street curbs.
I work two jobs and live on coffee and protein bars.
And I’m not ashamed of any of it. Quite the opposite—I’m damned proud of myself.
But I’m also not delusional enough to believe in Cinderella stories. I’m firmly grounded in reality. When you’ve lived my life, you don’t get a lot of choices in life.
Which is why I’m confused.
I’m not exactly sure what Alex actually wants. Roland said he needs a girlfriend to go home with him for Christmas—so he doesn’t have to sleep on a sofa bed—which makes no sense.
I’ve spent the past two hours replaying every word, and I’ve decided it was a joke. Alex isn’t going to show up. And even if he does, I’d be stupid to listen.
But then again, I’d be stupider not to.
Maggie watches me, hands on her hips. “He’ll be here.”
“No,” I say, my eyes burning. “They were full of shit.” The words sting more than I want to admit. I can see Roland pulling a prank. But Alex…
“I don’t think they were,” Bethany says. “I heard that conversation, Fin. I think Roland was serious.”
“Roland was serious,” I counter. “Alex is supposedly the one who needs a girlfriend, but Roland’s the one who pushed it.” All the more reason to believe it was a setup.
“Just hear him out,” Maggie pleads. “Every Christmas you say how much you wish you could have a real one—snow, a tree and all the trimmings. That place has sleigh rides, for Christ’s sake. At least hear him out. Especially since it’s all expenses paid.”
Weirdly, I haven’t thought about the cost. Not that it matters. Every penny I earn goes to bills. Maybe someday I’ll be able to afford a trip like Hollybrook over the holidays, but not now. Hell, I can’t even afford to take the time off work.
I shake my head. “This is insane. There’s no way I can do this.”
“There he is!” Bethany squeals, clutching her hands to her chest. “He just got off the elevators, and he’s headed this way!”
My heart hammers as Alex strides across the lobby. He’s wearing the blue button-down and gray tie he had on this morning. His dress trousers cling to his hips, and I know I’m in trouble.
Alex King is too good-looking for his own good. Or mine.
Bethany’s eyes go dreamy. “Fin, you could do a hell of a lot worse than Alex King.”
Maybe so, but I’m equally sure that I am not the kind of woman he’s looking for. Besides, I have a plan for my life, and it doesn’t include a boyfriend. If I get the scholarship I applied for, my next two years will be busy with nursing school.
When I’m an RN, then I can think about a romantic life. For now, I need to stay focused.
Barb’s voice echoes in my head. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a fling.
Not helping, Barb.
Maggie squeezes my hand. “Fin, just hear him out. The fact that he’s here means it’s real.”
“Unless he’s here to say the whole thing was a joke.”
She frowns. “That boy would never do that to you. What’s the harm in hearing him out?”
I want to ask her how she knows he won’t. I’d like to think the man I’ve gotten to know over the past year and a half wouldn’t, but how can I be sure?
“I don’t know if I should trust him, Mags.” My voice trembles.
“If it was Roland, I’d tell you to run,” she says, deadly serious. “But Alex? He’ll give it to you straight.”
Right then Alex walks through the door, scanning the tables, probably trying to figure out where he should sit.
I should march over there and tell him that I have a life. That I can’t just drop everything and pretend to be his girlfriend for his family. Even if he claimed to be interested in me, I wouldn’t really be his girlfriend. It would all be a lie.
But Christmas in Hollybrook…
Around noon, when I’d had a spare thirty seconds, I made the mistake of Googling the town.
Huge mistake.
Hollybrook was everything my mother and I had ever dreamed about.
Every daydream, every fantasy I’d ever had about Christmas all rolled into one small town.
It looked like something out of the Swiss Alps, complete with Bavarian buildings and a Christmas market.
Alex hadn’t been lying about the reindeer, the sleigh rides, or the gingerbread decorating contest. Add in snow skiing, caroling, and so many shops.
And the food! They actually have roasted chestnuts.
I had no idea those things were even real.
Now I’m desperate to go to a place I hadn’t even heard of three hours ago.
Even if I know it sounds too good to be true.
“Live a little, Finley” Maggie says, resting her warm hands on my shoulders as she searches my eyes.
“If anyone deserves something good, it’s you.
” She gives me a gentle push. “Now go talk to him. If you’re still worried, make it a business deal.
Tell him what you expect and see what he’s willing to give.
” She shrugs. “He’s the one with a ticking clock. Which means you’ve got the advantage.”
She has a point.
“Here.” Bethany shoves two ceramic mugs into my hands. “A peppermint mocha for you, and his usual flat white.”
“Thanks.” I carry them toward the table, suddenly hyper-aware of my appearance. I wish I’d had time to check my hair or touch up my lip gloss. But Maggie’s right. I’m not auditioning to be his girlfriend. If I agree to this, it’s a business deal. A businessman like Alex will appreciate that.
Alex rises as I approach. “Thanks for agreeing to hear me out.” Vulnerability flickers across his face, and for some reason, it eases the knot in my chest.
I set the cups on the table and slide into the chair across from him. His phone sits face down on the table, and I appreciate that. I’ve been on more than one date where the guy was on his screen more than he was with me.
“Bethany made us drinks.” I gesture to his. “Your usual.”
He wraps his hand around the cup, lifts it, and glances toward the counter. “Thanks, Bethany.”
A giggle drifts from behind me.
So, I’m not the only one with a crush on Alex.
He takes a sip, then lowers the cup with a hesitant look.
I could take offense, but instead I’m relieved. He’s nervous too. “I’m not sure—”
“Look, I know—”
We both stop, and I give him a tight smile, folding my hands on the table.
“You go first,” he says, gesturing to me.
I nod and take a breath. “Okay. First, is this real or is this a prank?”
Color rises in his cheeks as he shakes his head hard. “I’d never do that to you, Finley.”
I nod again.
Good move, Finley. He’s going to think you’re a bobble head.
I ignore the voice in my head and meet his gaze. “I need to make sure I understand. You want to bring a girlfriend home for Christmas.” I pause. “But we’ve never been on a date, so obviously, I won’t be your actual girlfriend.”
“Right,” he says, nodding, still looking nervous. “You’ll just pretend.” He grins, but it’s slightly crooked. “And while we’re not a couple, I like you as a person, so that’s a good place to start. We’re not total strangers.”
My heart caves in on itself. Hearing the guy you have a crush on say he likes you as a person is like him saying I think of you like a sister.
Why is that a surprise, Finley? You already knew he was too good for you.