Page 18 of The Hookup Situation (Billionaire Situation #5)
JULIE
Nick
Why am I awake? This town has broken my city-boy’s sleep schedule. Good morning! Hope you have a great day.
Julie
Morning! Welcome to small-town life. Your internal clock now runs on coffee-shop time.
Nick
Speaking of coffee … are you working today?
Julie
Until 3. Then it’s ME + YOU + FALL FESTIVAL TIME! AHH!!!
Nick
Your enthusiasm for pumpkins is borderline concerning.
Julie
Says the man who literally graphed our relationship.
Nick
We agreed never to speak of the PowerPoint again.
Julie
I don’t remember agreeing to anything.
I grin and roll out of bed. Even though I don’t have to be at work until seven, I’m too wired to go back to sleep. Last night keeps replaying in my mind. Nick was a good sport and chatted with me while I showered, and I can’t forget the way he looked at me in that green dress.
By the time I get to Cozy Coffee, Blaire is already there, surrounded by pumpkin-shaped cookies.
“You’re early,” she says, then looks at me closely. “Oh my God, you had sex.”
“I did not!”
“You’re wearing that I had good sex face.”
“I have an excited about the festival face.”
“That’s definitely not it.” She studies me. “Or maybe it’s almost sex face. What happened after Bookers?”
“Nothing. We walked home, and he was a perfect gentleman.”
“Boring.” She groans. “I’m supposed to be living vicariously through you.”
“Before we left for dinner, he sat on my toilet and talked to me while I showered.”
Blaire almost drops a tray of cookies and sets it down. “What? That’s what I do! And I’m not even trying to get in your pants!”
“Neither is he. We’re F-R-I-E-N-D-S. Do you know what that spells?”
“Yes, I do. Friends who absolutely want to bang each other.” She shows me her phone. There’s a photo of us at Bookers that someone snapped when we weren’t looking.
“I’m going to murder the Fairy Godmothers. Who took that?” I ask.
“I dunno, but they keep doing updates of your relationship on Insta.”
My eyes widen. “No. They need to stop that. Who do I need to talk to?”
Blaire laughs. “It’s a runaway train. Just ride it. Or ride Nick.”
All I can do is shake my head.
The morning rush hits before I can process this.
We work like busy bees, and I’m thankful I had Sierra, one of our teenage employees, join us this morning because there was no way Blaire and I could’ve handled it. Next week, I may add another person to the morning shift just because it seems busier than usual.
Every tourist wants special drinks, and locals keep stopping to ask about tonight. The excitement streams through the air, and I’m counting down to when I can leave work.
“You and that handsome boyfriend coming to the festival?” Mrs. P asks for the third time.
“Of course. It’s tradition,” I tell her. “I wouldn’t miss this kickoff for anything.”
She smiles wide. “Can’t wait to see you two lovebirds.”
“Tell the Fairy Godmothers to stop meddling.”
“Sorry, sweetie, no can do.” She walks away, giggling.
Around ten, my phone buzzes.
Nick
How’s the coffee battlefield?
Julie
Beautiful, pumpkin-scented chaos. Someone just ordered fifteen pumpkin spice lattes.
Nick
The horror!
Julie
Tons of people have asked about you.
Nick
Is this where I say pumpkin spice?
Julie
Why are you making me think about safe words while I’m at work?
Nick
Behave yourself.
Julie
Never.
“You’re sexting at work,” Blaire says from behind me as the orders keep coming.
“It’s completely platonic, and I’m one hundred percent multitasking. Plus, I’m the boss, and I can do whatever I please.”
“You could do Nick.”
“Blaire!”
“What? Zero lies detected,” she says.
The door chimes, and Tom Valley strolls in with his perfect mustache. “Jules! My boys are coming for the festival. Caden’s still single.”
“Sorry, Tom! I have a boyfriend now.”
“I heard. But if that city boy breaks your heart, Caden’s just a phone call away.”
I chuckle.
Blaire glances at me. “Maybe you should rub some of that off on me. You have men lined up as backup boyfriends. Meanwhile, I’m hoping the festival fortune teller will predict someone tall, dark, and handsome in my future.”
“Maybe she will.”
“She predicted I’d find love near water last year. I dated that swimmer for two weeks before he ghosted me. ”
“Public pools don’t count as near water.”
“Now you tell me!” she says with a laugh.
The afternoon crawls by. Every time the door opens, I hope it’s Nick, but he’s helping Zane and Autumn volunteer for festival setup.
According to the book club’s Insta updates, he’s been stringing lights and moving hay bales all morning.
He’s officially their new real-life book-boyfriend material. The comment section aggravates me.
“Your fake boyfriend is getting the full small-town experience.” Blaire shows me a photo of Nick helping the fire department set up the stage.
He looks good. Really good. His T-shirt stretches across his chest as he lifts equipment, and his smile is genuine as he talks to other volunteers.
“That man is not faking anything,” Blaire says. “He fits in.”
“He’s leaving on November first,” I tell her. “He’s returning to New York.”
“Why?” she asks.
“I dunno. Because he has a life away from Cozy Creek,” I say, returning to the rush, happy for my thoughts to be captured by sugary drinks.
Finally, three o’clock arrives. Tracy practically shoves me and Blaire out the door.
“Are you going to the kickoff?” I ask Blaire.
“Probably. But I think I’m going home to take a quick nap. I’m exhausted,” she says.
We exchange a quick hug, then go our separate ways.
I pull my phone from my pocket and text Nick.
Julie
FREEDOM! Heading home to shower! Still on for tonight?
Nick
Hell yeah! Can’t wait to see you.
Julie
So much same!
I read his message and smile as I practically run home.
When I reach my door, there’s a large white box with an orange ribbon waiting on my porch. No delivery label, just my name in handwriting I don’t recognize.
Julie
My heart races as I carry it inside. I set it on my kitchen counter and carefully open it, parting orange tissue paper to reveal the most beautiful burnt-orange silk dress I’ve ever seen. Underneath is a velvet jewelry box.
With shaking hands, I open it. Diamond earrings shaped like tiny pumpkins catch the light, along with a matching pendant. They’re from Calloway Diamonds, which is the most exclusive jeweler in the world. These must have cost a fortune.
I find the card and open it.
The way you light up about fall deserves proper appreciation. They sparkle just like you.
Happy autumn, Little Red. Hope this is your best one yet. Can’t wait to see you sparkle tonight.
—Nick
I stare at the gifts. This is too much.
My phone rings. It’s Nick.
“Hi,” he says .
“Hi. I can’t accept this.”
“And why not?”
“They’re too expensive. This is supposed to be fake and?—”
“Jules”—his voice softens—“I think our definitions of expensive are much different. And there is nothing about how I feel when I see you happy that’s fake. It’s a real gift, not one encouraged by fake-dating standards.”
“This probably costs more than my mortgage.”
“But you’re smiling. I can hear it,” he says.
He’s right. I am.
“In the grand scheme of things, it’s just money. It comes and goes. Let me spoil you if I want.”
“Okay, but no more expensive gifts.”
“Define expensive. A million dollars? Two? Babe, I could spend a billion on you right now and not even notice.”
“Nick!”
“See you soon, Little Red.”
He ends the call before I can say anything else.
I shower quickly, then slip into the dress. The silk hugs every curve like it was made for me. It might be. The burnt orange makes my hair look like fire, and my skin glows. When I put on the diamonds, I barely recognize myself in the mirror. I look like I’m falling in love.
“Stop it,” I tell my reflection. “It’s been less than a week.”
But my heart isn’t listening.
I walk to the town square since it’s only a few blocks away. The festival is already in full swing. Families everywhere, the smell of apple cider and kettle corn filling the air, local bands setting up on the small stages scattered around.
I spot Nick by the main stage, talking to Zane and Autumn. He’s wearing dark jeans and a black button-up with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. When he sees me, he stops mid-sentence.
“Jules!” Autumn rushes over. “You look amazing! Wow! Someone is taking my Pumpkin Queen crown this year!”
“Hush,” I say, catching Nick’s eye over her shoulder .
She and Zane were crowned the Pumpkin Queen and King of Cozy Creek last year. Their love story is one people will tell their kids.
Nick excuses himself from Zane and walks over to us.
“You’re beautiful,” he says, like it’s a fact. He takes my hand and twirls me around.
I’m giddy, and Autumn notices.
“Going to take my girlfriend to get some cider before the line gets too long,” he says, interlocking his fingers with mine.
“Oh. My. God,” Autumn says as we walk away. “This is the real deal.”
She squeals.
“Stop it!” I say to her over my shoulder as Nick drags me away.
We spend the next hour doing festival things.
We watch teenagers bob for apples after we get our faces painted.
Little kids race past us in costume toward the corn maze.
Afterward, we eat caramel apples that get stuck in our teeth.
Nick even laughs when I get whipped cream from my hot cocoa on my nose, gently wiping it off with his thumb.
He places it in his mouth, and I have to look away because it’s too damn sexy for me to handle.
“I haven’t done anything like this in years,” Nick admits, watching a guy fail at the ring toss.
“A festival?”
“Fun without an agenda. Being present instead of thinking about the next meeting, the next deal,” he admits.
“And how does it feel?”
He looks at me—really looks at me. “Like I’m waking up.”