Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 133682 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133682 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
But before it became fun, she faced a host of challenges with her very forbidden workplace romance. That’s what happens when you fall for the goalie on the hockey team while you’ve been assigned to fix his bad reputation.
“Yes, and that’s good. And I’m so glad you and Max figured everything out. But what if we tried something for real and it all went wrong?” I ask, picturing how uncomfortable it’d be seeing him at the office. It’s one thing to return to the office after the holidays with our scripted breakup—it’s entirely another to try a real romance and then have to endure a real breakup. “He’s still the boss. I’d still have to see him.”
“But why can’t it last?” Everly challenges me.
I sweep out my arms and gesture to the lovely tree in the corner of the room, decorated with red bows and silver garlands and snow globes, to the windows showing off snow-capped peaks in the distance, to the tray in front of us, loaded with sugary treats. “Because this isn’t real. Right now is the honeymoon phase. It’s Christmastime. Everything is wonderful. Wilder and I are throwing snowballs and singing, and we have a Christmas-tree-decorating competition in a few hours, and I’m eating seven-layer bars with my best friends, and last night I was tied up with red satin, and I don’t give a fuck about Brady anymore. But I’m not a fool. I know what this is—I’m playing pretend with my boss.” My throat catches, and I take a moment before I fight off a frown and add, “What happens when it’s real life?”
That’s what worries me. Even if this fake romance is starting to feel real, even if I couldn’t give a flying figgy pudding about my ex, what happens when Wilder and I take this romance out of Evergreen Falls? What happens when there is no more Christmas magic?
“Also, I don’t think he wants it to work out,” I add, thinking back to our conversation early yesterday morning. It’s not that I don’t want it. It’s that I don’t know if I can trust. I don’t want to break his private confidences, so I won’t share what he said or why he said it. But carefully, I add, “He has some trust issues.”
Everly scoffs. “So did Max.”
That’s true. Her guy had some hurdles to get over and she did too. “Yes, and I’m so glad he worked through them. But not everyone can. Or wants to,” I say, swallowing roughly, already sad over a future real breakup.
The room is quiet for a long beat. Then Josie meets my eyes and asks gently, “Fable, the only question that matters is…do you want it to work out?”
I’ve been mulling that over a lot more lately. “Part of me does. But that seems foolish. Eventually you have to throw out the Christmas tree, and it dies on the side of the road.”
The sound of the cabin door opening catches my attention, and from the other room I can just make out the sounds of laughter.
Maeve shrugs happily as she reaches for another seven-layer bar, “If you get a fake tree you don’t have to throw it out. They last.”
I chew on that point, and my seven-layer bar as Max and Wesley stride into the living room, arguing over whose sledding skills are more elite.
“Did you two have your own impromptu sledding competition?” Everly asks, with an amused grin as she looks at Max.
The big, bearded goalie shoots her a look. “Have you met me? Of course we did,” he says, sinking down next to her on the couch and tugging her onto his lap. “And of course I won.”
Wesley rolls his eyes as he drops into a chair, snuggling close with Josie. “Max, you seem to have a misunderstanding of what the finish line is. It was the thing I crossed first,” he says then reaches for a seven-layer bar and takes a bite. “Damn, these are good.”
“Do you two want to have a bake-off?” Josie suggests. “If you want to flex those competition skills in the kitchen, I think we’d all be grateful.”
Max lifts a finger. “I’m in.”
“Me too,” Wesley says, and soon the conversation shifts from my fake romance to their real lives.
As I watch the two couples, I think about the ways they’ve let each other in, the changes people make for each other, the ways we bend and grow, and the things we’re willing to do to get out of our comfort zones when we fall in love.
But is that what’s happening to me? And if it is, would Wilder be willing to meet me on the other side of Christmas?
40
THE THREE OF US
Fable
I’m not the most competitive person in general, but when it comes to my home turf—design—I don’t come to play.