Page 1 of Christmas Agreement (Majestic Falls: Christmas Spice #3)

Katie Johnson

Though it was Christmas, and holiday cheer draped Majestic Falls, my heart was heavy as I left my part-time job at Hard Candy Kisses .

Seeing my crush, Rugar James, cozied up with another girl, just an hour ago, had deflated my spirits.

I knew I had zero chance with him, but a girl could hope he’d look over and suddenly notice her.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“Waiting for you.”

“Why?” It wasn’t because he liked me the way I liked him.

More likely, he was doing my brother, his best friend, a solid by escorting me.

Which I didn’t need. Majestic Falls wasn’t exactly crime central, and my whole walk would be well-lit.

The evening wasn’t even fully dark, anyway, and the quaint storefronts we passed were still swathed in twilight.

“Why not?”

“That’s illuminating,” I scoffed. “I thought you’d still be with Rebecca.”

He blinked at me as his brows drew together in confusion.

“Why?” he asked. This time, it was his tone full of confusion.

“You two looked…um, really close a little bit ago. No judgment. You do you and all.”

“Mostly, she was annoying me. She was only there because she’s Mandy’s friend. I’m not interested in her.” Mandy was my brother Kyle’s girlfriend and annoyed me . It tracked that her friend would be similar.

“That still doesn’t explain why you’re here.”

“Your mom invited me to dinner tonight.”

“Oh.” So not only was the escort a favor to my brother, but it was also an opportunity for a homemade dinner.

Rugar, Kyle, and I had all grown up in Majestic Falls, but Rugar’s parents had moved away after he’d graduated from high school.

Since then, wherever Kyle was, Rugar was, too.

Really, if I were honest, it had been like that in high school, too.

Which was hell on a girl with an unrequited crush.

And tonight was just one more night on a long list of disappointments.

On the flip side, I could bask in Rugar’s aura while we head to my parents’ house.

Wrapping my arms around my middle, I walked beside him. With each step the light snow seemed to crunch beneath my feet, and I had to watch for slippery spots. That was the last thing I needed, to fall on my ass in front of Rugar.

My gaze wandered as I took in the town’s festive decorations and avoided looking at him. I knew he’d see my thoughts in my eyes, and God knew what he’d surmise from me ogling him. Couldn’t have that. My feelings and my attraction were my secrets.

“Are you going to the caroling later?” he asked, breaking the silence as we neared the city square. The event was called caroling by the community, but really it was a Christmas Market with holiday foods, drinks, and craft vendors.

“I haven’t decided. Probably not. After dinner, I need to head back to my apartment. I almost begged off dinner because I have to finish a paper that’s due in my professor’s inbox by midnight tonight.”

“Yeah, that’s important. I should probably…read one of the books for next semester.”

Right… Rugar got good grades, but he wasn’t exactly one to get a head start on next year’s classes. More likely, he’d find some friends to hang with.

We descended back into silence, and I flitted my my gaze toward the shop windows as we passed, again studying his reflection in the glass and ignoring the displays inside.

Rugar was so handsome, with dark eyes and hair.

Models would pay for bone structure like his.

I’d just like to explore it with my fingers.

Fisting my hands, I shoved them back into my coat pockets. Toward the end of the street, we turned onto Moose Run Road and walked the half block to my parents’ house. I had my own apartment, but Friday was family dinner night.

“Hey, Mom! Rugar and I are here!” I yelled as we stepped inside.

“Hey, honey! Dinner will be ready in ten minutes. Some mail came for you.”

I glanced down at the envelopes on the console table. My brow furrowed at my name in fancy script across the top one.

Blowing out a breath, I slipped my nail beneath the flap to open it. What fresh hell was this?

“Oh, for frick’s sake!” I snapped after scanning the words on the textured, cream-colored cardstock inside.

With a huff, I threw down the invitation I’d just opened.

It was bad enough half my mail still went to my parents’ house, but it double sucked when it wasn’t even something I wanted—and I should have gotten it weeks ago.

“Language, Ms. Johnson,” Rugar chastised while he pulled off his outerwear.

“Shut up,” I told him, rolling my gaze away from him as I pulled off my scarf and coat to hang them on the hook by the door. I narrowed my eyes. “You’re really staying?”

I didn’t know why, but I’d halfway thought he’d been making up being invited to dinner. Not that my mom seemed surprised he was here. Plus she loved him like a second son.

“Your mom’s making lasagna and homemade breadsticks,” he said, lifting his broad shoulders in a shrug. “You know I’m a sucker for those.”

“Yeah, I know,” I said. “For as long as I remember, you’ve always figured out a way to eat over whenever my mom made them. I’m guessing Kyle’s not coming.”

“Nah. He and Mandy are going to the caroling. Plus he’s doing the keto to try to drop a few pounds for January, so pasta and bread are out.”

My brother so didn’t need to drop any weight or cut or whatever term he was using this week, but it wasn’t for me to say.

Still, Rugar did beat him out on muscle and speed, so maybe that was part of it.

Both seniors, Rugar and my twin brother played for Falls University’s hockey team.

They’d played together since junior high and were known all over campus as the “Dynamic Duo.”

For four years, girls had tried to become friends with me, hoping to get some one-on-one time with either, or both, of the handsome young hockey stars.

I always saw through it and tried to push away the attention.

I’d spent high school surrounded by girls who’d only wanted to use me for the same reason.

I had no interest in doing it all through college, too.

Of course, when their interest had gotten me invited to pledge the most popular sorority on campus…I may have loosened my moral code a little. What could I say? I wanted to fit in…even if it meant being used for free hockey tickets every now and then.

“Did you and Kyle have practice today?” I asked, picking up the invitation to reread. I headed into the living room.

“Yeah. So what’s in that envelope that’s got you all in a huff?” Rugar asked.

I growled a sigh.

“The sorority is having a Christmas social,” I groused. With a a heavy sigh, I pulled the fancy invitation from the envelope again. “Dates are required . I mean, honestly, in this day and age, I shouldn’t need to have a partner on my arm to drink warm beer and dance awkwardly in a corner.”

“What’s the big deal?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at me. “Guys probably line up to dance awkwardly with you. Just pick one of the many doofuses who follow you around with little heart-emoji eyes. Drag one of them along.”

I stared at Rugar. What was he even talking about?

For four years, not a single guy on campus had so much as held open a door for me, let alone asked me out.

In fact…no guy had ever asked me out. If I wasn’t so damn busy trying to graduate at the top of my class, I might have developed a complex about it.

I didn’t had time to date, so I just sort of ignored how perpetually single I was.

I side-eyed the muscular, six-foot and four-inch tall man who towered over my five and a half feet while he stood beside me—stats I knew about him due to them being posted on his part of the hockey team’s page.

No “guy” on campus compared to him, anyway.

Again, that wasn’t something I’d mention to him.

“I can just blow off the party,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s not that big of a deal. I’m not required to attend or anything.”

“Well, I get your frustration,” he offered. “Our team is having a holiday party, too. Dates encouraged. I’ll probably be the only guy there without a girl. Sucks.”

Damn. He had only to say the word and I’d be there in a flash.

But…maybe…

“Yeah,” I breathed thoughtfully, dragging out the word as an idea formed.

The inkling solidified when Rugar’s dark-chocolate brown gaze met my stare.

Hopefully, he didn’t see the way my breath caught as awareness fluttered like demented moths low in my belly.

I mean, how could I not be attracted to him?

He was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome.

Completely off limits. But, damn, he infiltrated my fantasies more than he should.

He was my twin brother’s best friend. There was no way anything could happen here. If by some miracle Rugar had ever shown any interest in me in the past, Kyle had probably warned him away from me—possibly with threats of bodily harm.

Fine. It was fine. I liked being Rugar’s friend by association. It was comfortable. Mostly. Sort of. And at least, I got to spend time with him.

But now, we were both in a holiday predicament. Maybe, we could help out each other. And maybe, if we went out together, dressed up and alone, I might get my secret wish of kissing Rugar. Of feeling him holding me—likely platonically though, because I was his friend’s sister.

“I smell smoke,” Rugar teased when I kept staring at him. “You’re thinking awfully hard there, Katie-Kat.”

“Don’t call me that,” I snapped, rolling my eyes. “I was thinking…”

“I know. I can tell. You have that I’m planning something look.”

“ Stop ,” I growled. “So…look. Let’s make a deal. I’ll agree to go to your stinky hockey party with you, if you’ll agree to come with me to my bougie sorority shindig.”

A slow smile curled his lips.

“I like the way you think, Ms. Johnson. I agree. It’s a date.”

If only it were real.