Page 44 of Meet Me on Mistletoe Lane

Jo sucked too much of her drink and started coughing.

“What did you say?” Sam asked.

“I know it sounds crazy, and I barely know you.” James turned back to me. “But I feel like you’re already someone he trusts here, and if anyone has Christmas spirit in this town, it’s you. Who better to help me get my dad on board with Christmas and everything Mullings Creek stands for?”

He does have a point. Why does he have a point?

My knee started bouncing wildly under the table.

“Won’t it be a bit of a stretch, though?” Jo wiped her mouth with a napkin. “You’ve been here, what, like a few days, and you’re expecting everyone, including your ‘stubborn’ dad, to just go along with the idea that Gianna is your girlfriend—”

“No, no. Not a girlfriend, per se.” James stretched an arm behind him near Sam and then thought better of it, pulling it back to his side. “Look, I’m just a boy…standing—”

“Sitting…” Sam coughed into his fist.

“Sitting in front of a pretty girl, asking her out on a date. Well, a few dates. Is that really so hard to believe?” James smiled playfully.

Points on the movie reference, but…

“Gianna doesn’t date,” Sam said. “I mean, she hasn’t dated…a lot.”

Gee. Thanks for the reminder.

“Really?” James’s eyes widened.

A quick, high-pitched laugh escaped me. “Well, when your entire family lives in the same town and scrutinizes your every move, can you blame me?”

No one argued.

But fake dating James?

I barely knew the guy.

I mean, yeah, he was a semi-brooding secret musician with golden retriever energy. And sure, he was attractive—okay, let’s be honest here, hot—and okay, even I could admit it would give me the best access to persuade his dad not to turn The Market into a commercial sellout…

My phone buzzed on the table. I swiped open a text from Mom, who sent me a few pictures of her latest work: beautiful ceramic vases with spring blooms and a couple of beautiful oil paintings of meadows with spring flowers and budding trees.

Mom: Like them?

Mom: Hoping to sell these in March if The Market is still open

Me: They’ll sell out the moment you put them on display!

Me: Love you.

Mom: Love YOU

I put my phone back down.

Screw it.

There was so much more at stake than just my nerves. “I’ll do it.”

“Really?” James and Sam said in unison.

“G, are you sure?” Jo asked, placing her hand on my arm.

“I’m sure.” I reached across the table, offering my hand to James to make it official. “Let’s save The Market.”