“I think you should lean in. Have a sexy, little holiday vacation fling. You can tell Felix after we leave. And I have the perfect way for you to dish out a little teasing of your own.” She lifts a brochure from the bar and holds it up. “The resort is having their annual party. A very fancy party, where we can get all dolled up and dance under the twinkle lights. Teddy will eat his heart out seeing you all done up and not being able to touch you.”
Stella holds her arms out and looks up at the ceiling. “How fun would that be? I’ve always wanted to go, but we’ve never been here during the party.”
My phone buzzes in my purse. I pull it out and get a little zap of excitement when I see Teddy’s name.
“Theodore?” Stella asks.
“Yeah.”
I show her the screen,You can’t hide from me forever, sweetheart.
Laughing, Stella says, “He is a tease. I so love this for you. Playful and sexy.”
A wistful look crosses her face.
“You should invite Beau.”
“He’s busy with his family.”
“Bummer.”
“Yeah.” She nods her agreement.
I take the brochure. Images of Teddy and I dancing and kissing float through my mind. “What would we even wear to this?”
Her face lights up. “Does that mean we’re going?”
I meet Teddy’s stare across the room. His eyes darken and his mouth twists into a smirk.
“Absolutely.”
Get ready to eat your heart out, Teddy.
“You’re not coming?” Teddy asks the next morning when everyone else is getting ready to head to the resort. Today they’re snowboarding and Stella is next-level excited.
I shake my head. “Nope. I am going to go shopping for a few last-minute gifts and then get more groceries. Someone ate all the food. Even the cookies.”
“Can you pick up some more mixers?” Felix asks, shrugging on his coat. “Garrison and James are coming up tonight.”
“Wait, you guys are partying here tonight? Stella and I were going to finally do our holiday movie marathon and make gingerbread houses.”
“Tonight? Why can’t you do that when we get back home?”
“You know Mom will be in a tailspin, trying to get everything ready. The only thing the three of us are going to be doing Christmas Eve is helping her.”
He shrugs. “I can try to get everyone outside or in the living room, so you can have the kitchen.”
Except everyone will be trekking in and out for booze. I sigh. “I guess we’ll do it tomorrow before the dance. Are you guys going to that?”
“You know it.” He slaps Teddy in the arm with the back of his hand. “I even convinced this one.”
My brows rise and my gaze slides to Teddy. “Did you?”
“Everyone else is going. I figured I might as well.” His lips twitch with amusement. I convinced him, thank you very much.
“All right.” Felix claps his gloved hands. “Let’s roll out.”
“Bye!” Stella calls with a smile, quickly following after Felix.