Page 7 of Big Mistletoe

He looks between us, and I don’t miss the way he gazes at Joy with appreciation. I grit my teeth. “Honey, what would you like to drink?”

She doesn’t even glance at the waiter. “A sweet tea.”

I give the man a look. “Two sweet teas, please.”

He walks away, and I give my attention back to Joy. “Tell me about you.”

The change of subject surprises her, but she nods. “I graduated with an accounting degree, worked one month in an office, and decided it wasn’t for me. I started a side hustle of decorating for Christmas, and I’ve expanded my business so that I do it full-time now.”

I nod. “Go on.”

She lifts her chin. “You told me something, and I told you something. It’s your turn.”

I nod. “I barely graduated high school and started working at construction sites. It took me a while, but I started Winters Construction about ten years ago with one truck and have expanded it to a little over two hundred employees.”

She shakes her head. “Wow, that’s impressive.”

The waiter comes back with our drinks and takes our order. I take this time to look at Joy, and I know she’s my complete opposite. She’s everything I’m not, and a part of me knows I should leave her be, but just being around her for this small amount of time has me hooked, and I don’t think I can just walk away.

4

JOY

I don’t remember the last time I’ve smiled this much. Which is saying something, because I tend to smile a lot. Nick and I have eaten, talked, and laughed, and somehow what started out feeling a little awkward has turned into something easy. The fact that he opened up to me about his upbringing has shown me a whole different side of him. I can say I’ve thoroughly enjoyed lunch, but now it feels like neither one of us is ready for it to end.

His phone rings again from where it sits on the table. He glances at the screen and pushes a button to silence it.

I raise my eyebrows. “Don’t you think you better get that?”

He lets out a frustrated breath and turns the phone facedown. “It can wait.”

I laugh. “You own a company with over two hundred employees. I’m pretty sure someone probably needs you.”

He leans back in his chair as if he doesn’t have a care in the world. “Probably.”

I gesture to the phone again. “You can answer it.”

He shakes his head. “I’m busy.”

I look around the room and then back at him. “Doing what?”

His eyes settle on mine. “Having lunch with you.”

Heat rushes into my cheeks, and his mouth lifts into a smile. I point at him. “You really like making me blush.”

He leans toward me. “I really like looking at you when you blush.”

I shake my head and reach for my sweet tea. “You’re trouble, Nicholas Winters.”

He’s staring at my lips. “I’m starting to think you might be too.”

I laugh and take a drink, and his phone rings again.

This time, I point at it. “Seriously, Nick.”

He picks it up, looks at the screen, and sends whoever it is to voicemail. “They’ll survive.”

I roll my eyes, but secretly I love that he seems to want to focus on me. I’m not used to having someone’s undivided attention, and with Nick, it’s like I’m the only person in the room. I look toward the folder sitting at the empty place beside us. I’ve been enjoying myself so much I almost forgot the reason we were here.