Page 3 of Promise Yule Be Mine (Christmas Falls: Season 2)

3

KODY

“ H ow are you getting on with the wedding planning?” Milo asked.

The new chocolatier in town was one of the people I’d become friends with in the last few months. Partly because we used to be friends as kids, living in the same neighborhood and all, and partly because he was also now a business owner in the town, which brought all of us close anyway.

“Yeah. It…it’s good. We’re taking things easy. We don’t want to make a big deal out of it.”

I might have only been engaged for a month but I was getting used to answering this question diplomatically. I had to get used to answering everything diplomatically about my life from now on. Living in a small town was no joke. The rumor mill was tremendous and the last thing I needed was everyone getting in my business. Our business. I guess I was now a we.

If we were going to go through with this—and I didn’t see why not; I had made a promise after all—then I didn’t want our children to be looked at differently, or worse to hear whispers about how Mommy and Daddy were weird and that they didn’t really love each other the way mommies and daddies were supposed to.

“Oh. Okay. There’s nothing wrong with a small wedding. You’re still getting married though, right?”

“Huh?” I focused my attention back to Milo and nodded emphatically. “Why wouldn’t we?”

“Oh. I…uhm…I don’t know,” Milo shrugged. “People change their minds all the time.”

“No!” I shook my head.

Had that come out too sharp? Too defensive?

“We haven’t changed our minds. We’re still getting married. We’re just not flashy people. That’s all.”

Milo nodded and smiled brightly.

“That’s great. I didn’t mean to offend,” he said and slid his hand across the table with a box of chocolates as if to apologize for probing.

I felt slightly guilty for snapping, so I took his offer as a way of apologizing myself. After all, Milo took his chocolates seriously and refusing them would only insult the poor kid further.

As soon as I picked up a caramel truffle, he glanced down at the box and with reddened cheeks he picked up a white chocolate one for himself.

He was a cute guy. Sweet and handsome. Not that we were short on sweet and beautiful people around here. But I knew, as with everyone I’d ever dated, that I wouldn’t be enough, even if I asked him out. Even if I asked anyone out. Which was exactly why this marriage was the best option for me. I could have my family and be content while not having to feel less-than in a pool of better, bigger fish than me.

“Have you set a date yet?” he asked after a couple more indulgences.

I had to admit, his product was delicious. Better than anything I’d ever tried before. Better than sex. But then again, everything was better than sex.

“We’re thinking Christmas Eve. Everyone is around for Christmas and the town is quieter so might as well kill two birds with one stone.”

Milo’s eyes widened and he froze for a moment but then nodded, but I knew that look. It was pity. Pity and confusion.

This was exactly why I didn’t need people knowing. Especially since they didn’t seem to understand the lie. Imagine if they knew the truth. I didn’t want to have to see that kind of look on people’s faces that said “ aw you poor pathetic soul. You couldn’t hold on to a person and you just gave up .”

Even if they knew my dating history, they wouldn’t understand. They wouldn’t understand the hurt and heartbreak I’d been through. Those feelings of inadequacy that always haunted me because of it. Those thoughts that I would never be loved because I wasn’t like other guys.

After another half hour of catching up and savoring Milo’s decadent instant hot cocoa, I left him to get on with his day and returned to The White Elephant that was just starting to pick up for the evening trade. No sooner had I stepped into the office I found Mom.

“You do know what retirement means, right?” I raised an eyebrow but hugged her anyway.

Even though it had been a couple of years since her and Dad had pulled back from the business, they’d both found it hard to let go. Which meant I didn’t just have to contend with running a very successful pub and all that entailed, I also had to contend with my staff still going to my parents for help and advice.

Not that I minded, but I was supposed to be running this place. It didn’t help if I didn’t know what was going on in it.

“I just wanted to check something,” Mom answered.

“And by something you mean double-check payroll was submitted.”

Mom sighed and rolled the chair away from the desk. “I’m sorry.”

I chuckled. “You don’t have to be sorry, Mom. But you do know I can handle this, right? I mean I practically grew up in here. I can run The Elephant in my sleep.”

“I know you can, honey. Both your father and I do. But you’re getting married! You should be getting wedding fever and picking centerpieces. Not spending twenty-four seven in here.”

“I’m not spending twenty-four seven in here, Mom. I have a life.”

She widened her eyes just like Milo had done only half an hour ago and I took a deep breath to ease my racing heart.

“What do you want from me, Mom? Do you want me to step back until I get married?”

“Of course not, honey. I just want you to be excited for this wedding.”

“I am!” I raised my voice.

That didn’t happen often.

No, correction. It never happened. But for some reason, the topic of my upcoming nuptials was bringing this grumpy side to me. I didn’t like it. I didn’t want it coming out. I wasn’t grumpy. Ever. I had to cast it away before it took over my entire being and became my new personality. Mom deserved better. Jenna deserved better. I deserved better.

“Okay, honey. Okay. I’ll leave you to it.” Mom gave me a kiss and left the office, throwing pitying glances at me.

I collapsed on the chair she had been occupying, burying my face in my hands. “Get it together Kody,” I groaned. “Get it together!”

“Get what together?” someone asked.

I jumped. “Gosh, Jenna, you scared the living daylights out of me.”

“Okay, Mr. Touchy-Feely. What’s going on with you?”

I shook my head and kissed her forehead. She gave me a quick hug and smiled.

“Now what?”

“What do you mean?” she chuckled.

“You’ve done something. I know that look.”

“What makes you think I’ve done something?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe because every time I’ve seen this smirk you’ve done something you shouldn’t have and I had to bail you out of a sticky situation?”

She snorted. “I get arrested one time and you still?—”

“Jenna!” I raised an eyebrow.

“I didn’t do anything. Promise. But…”

“There it is.”

“But!” she repeated, slapping my chest, “I do have someone I want you to meet.”

I narrowed my gaze and stared at her. “What? Who? Why?”

“Because…” She grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the office. “I grew up next door to him and his brothers and he’s, like, one of the best people on this planet. And…he happens to be a wedding planner.”

“A wedding planner?” I stopped in my tracks in the middle of the corridor leading to the restrooms and the office. “Jenna, we can’t afford that.”

She rolled her eyes with a pout and jumped on the spot.

“Come on, Kody. We only get married once. We need to do this right.”

“Do you really want to spend your savings on…this wedding?” I whispered the last part.

Jenna straightened and glared at me. “Yes, Kody. I meant what I said. Did you? Have you changed your mind? You can tell me if you have?—”

“No.” I shook my head. “I haven’t.”

And I hadn’t. But I didn’t need to make a show out of this arrangement. Doing that only drew attention to us and our charade. And I didn’t want anyone looking too closely. I just wanted us to get on with our lives and build our family our own unique way.

“Good. Then come meet Nova.” She tapped my cheek a couple of times and then spun around and dragged me into the back, into the snug and one of the occupied tables. “Here he is!” she sang as we approached.

A young Black man put the menu down, revealing his face, and stood opposite me, knocking the breath from my lungs.

He was gorgeous. He had full, pink lips that made his smile even brighter and more colorful and his eyes were big and beautiful. They made my chest feel warm and tingly.

“Hi, I’m Nova. Nova Myers. Nice to meet you.” He stretched his hand in front of me and all I could do was stare, frozen in time, in a moment that felt more like a dream than reality.

“Kody!” Jenna nudged my ribs and that seemed to wake me up and bring me back to Earth.

“H-hi,” I said and offered him my hand, which was a big mistake. As soon as we touched, the warmth in my chest grew hotter and hotter only to culminate in an explosion. A big bang.

A supernova.

“K-Kody. A pleasure.”

How I managed to utter those words I had no idea, but it seemed to please Nova and his smile deepened for a brief moment before he let go and took his seat back. Jenna copied him, leaving me alone to stand above them like an idiot.

“Kody? Are you feeling okay?” Jenna asked.

I forced myself to nod and took a deep breath, willing my body to cooperate with me, and took a seat next to my fiancée and the most beautiful man I’d ever laid eyes on.

“So…Kody. Jenna. Let’s talk about your wedding!”