Page 25 of A Cozy Kind of Christmas

TWENTY-TWO

JOHANNA

Meg bounced from one side of Johanna’s cabin to the other like a wild rabbit while Johanna got ready.

“Tell me the truth, what did you think of Matt and Lucinda? They’re great.

Damn. I wanted her to be a nightmare. I was hoping she would be super posh and stuck-up, but no, she’s fantastic.

Like they’re so sweet together, aren’t they? ”

“Are you sure you want the truth?” Johanna silenced another text on her phone.

“What is the deal?” Meg asked, waving her hand toward Johanna’s cell. “Your phone has been lighting up like the Christmas tree since you got here.”

“Work.” Johanna stuffed it in her jacket pocket. Technically, Connor was a colleague, but his barrage of texts was far from professional.

“Is it the interview?” Meg asked, her eyes lighting up as she rubbed her hands together like she was trying to stay warm or contain her excitement. “Did you get it? Have you heard anything yet? Am I currently in the presence of the next station director?”

“No, nothing yet,” Johanna replied, shaking her head.

Why wouldn’t Connor just let her be?

“What’s taking them so long?” Meg frowned, clearly outraged on Johanna’s behalf. “You’re the only person qualified for the job. It’s yours. I just know it is. It has to be.”

She forced a tight smile. “We’ll see.”

Before Meg could ask for any more specifics, she pivoted. “Anyway, are you sure you want the truth about my first impression?”

The office was dead.

No one else was around this late.

Meg was sharp.

If Johanna didn’t keep dodging fast enough, Meg was going to see straight through her.

“The truth?” Meg scowled, twisting her lips indecisively. “Not really, but I already know what you’re going to say. She’s great, isn’t she? I wanted her to be a villain. I wanted to hate her, but she’s funny and gorgeous and definitely into Matt, and clearly, he’s super into her.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

“Maybe what?”

“Huh?” Johanna blinked, only half listening as her phone vibrated in her pocket again.

Damn.

Connor would not give up.

She hadn’t anticipated he’d be this persistent.

“You said maybe,” Meg pressed, clearly still in mid-thought. “Like maybe she’s funny and gorgeous, or maybe she’s into Matt? Come on, semantics matter here. What do you really think?”

Another buzz.

Then another.

And another.

She sighed and pulled out her phone, glancing down.

Meg tilted her head in concern. “Are you sure everything’s okay?”

She shook her head as if trying to shake off Connor. “Sorry. I’m, uh… a little distracted.”

“Can I help?” Meg offered.

“No, it’s fine. I’ve handled it,” she said quickly.

Then she plastered on fake cheer. “I’m putting my phone in Do Not Disturb mode for the rest of the night.

Anything that comes through can wait until tomorrow.

” She made a big show of clicking her phone and holding it up in victory.

“There. See. I’m all yours. You were asking what I think of Lucinda. ”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it.” Meg waved her off.

“It’s obvious everyone loves her. Hell, if I spend more time with her this weekend, I’ll probably be head over heels for her, too.

She’s great—funny, down to earth, cares about her community.

What’s not to love? Well, minus calling him Mattie.

I absolutely hate that. At least she has one flaw because otherwise, she’s a dream. ”

“I mean, I suppose that’s better than her being terrible, right?” Johanna grabbed a coat and scarf.

“Is it?” Meg asked weakly. “I sort of wanted to hate her. Should we hate her anyway?”

“We could. I’m all in on throwing shade if that’s where you want to take this.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m miserable. But I’ll be mature about it,” Meg whined, intentionally puckering up her face like a little kid teetering on the edge of a temper tantrum.

Johanna laughed. “There’s only one thing for both of us to do—pretend like we’re having the time of our lives this weekend.”