Page 9 of Witching You Weren't Snowed In
“You can’t use some of your charisma to find someone?” Valerie teased. “I thought you were once voted most likely to be on the cover of a lifestyle magazine.”
The muffin caught in the back of my throat, and I coughed, trying to dislodge it from my windpipe. “Some charisma. I was nearly beaten with a whisk this morning inside the teashop. I’m not stepping a foot into the hardware store. Too many saws.” I sank my teeth into the muffin for another bite, chewing slowly as an idea nagged at me.
Was Sage Bennett’s homecoming the answer? She’d gone from a shy introvert who’d been picked on because she was different to a wildly successful career woman. One who happened to work in the miracle department. Because that’s what this would take: a miracle.
But no. It would never work. To win over the town, first I’d have to win over her.
With our history, I might as well save myself the trouble, put on a Santa suit, and hand over the deed to the resort as a Christmas gift. I didn’t need to go digging around in old wounds that had never healed properly.
Still…
I scrubbed a hand over my face. This resort was worth fighting for. This town was worth fighting for. They just needed to believe I was the man to do it. And there was no denying it. For that, I needed Sage.
“Actually, I might know someone. The Bennetts have a daughter who is back in town. From what they’ve told me about her job, she has experience handling this type of thing. Supposedly, she works miracles around the holidays, which we seriously need at this point. It’s unusual, and I'm sure she'll say no because she hates me, but—”
“Wait, she hates you? I like her already. When can she start?” Valerie wriggled her eyebrows over the rim of her tumbler.
“Remind me again why I hired you?”
“Because I’m smart,” she said, using a coffee stirrer to punctuate her point. “And when this place is raking in the tourist money, you’re going to give me a raise.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself. First, we need to figure out a plan. Sage Bennett won’t help save the resort just because I ask nicely. I believe her last words to me before she left town were, ‘I never want to see you again.’”
“Ouch. What did you do?”
“It’s a long story. One which should have had a different ending, but here we are.”
Valerie drummed her fingers on the counter, her manicured nails echoing through the empty lobby. She smiled slowly. The mischief in her eyes made me think I should stick to my idea with the Santa suit.
“Look, I know it’s not your fault, but it’s common knowledge you’re a villain in this town.”
“Unjustly!” I scowled, already dreading where her thoughts were headed.
“The plan is simple. We need some leverage. All you have to do is uncover a tiny secret you can use to pressure Sage to help with the resort. Everyone has them. I have them. You have them. It’ll work because it’s human nature to want to keep those secrets hidden.”
“You’re diabolical.” I tossed the muffin wrapper into the trashcan and shook my head. “I’ll find another way. I’m not that desperate.”
“You are that desperate. I’ve seen your accounting. I hate to say it but to save this place, this town—heck, to save Christmas!You’re going to have to think like a villain.” Valerie propped her hands on her hips and grinned. “And you're in luck because I’ll be your festive minion.”
Chapter 4
Sage
The sound of jinglebells pierced the morning air, alerting me to check my notifications.
I rolled onto my back, cursing the measly size of my twin bed, and stared at the boy band poster tacked to the ceiling.Life comes at you fast. One minute, you’re at the top of the career ladder, and the next, you’re in your childhood bedroom wondering how the cute, blond band leader did with his solo career.
Heaving a sigh, I reached for my phone.
One new email.
I shoved the covers away and scooted against the pillow. Fingers crossed, it was a cry for help. A pleading missive from the agency begging me to return, or maybe my award had been stuck at the engravers and was on its way here by overnight express. Anything to save me from having to devise a decoy.
My parents had asked to see the trophy at dinner, and I convinced them to wait until I’d organized the photo shoot. Which wasn’t happening under any circumstances. There wasno way I'd pose in front of a cozy fireplace decorated with pine cones and satin ribbons at Leo's lodge.
Ugh…why was he here? Can’t a girl return to her hometown with a bruised ego and a self-care mandate without running into her nemesis?
According to a lifetime of holiday rom-coms, the answer was no. But my job was to facilitate other people’s romantic pairings and personal growth, not my own—and considering the way my pairing with Leo had ended, I didn't relish a do-over.