I worked until dark yesterday,giving Fallon the space she needed. I kept myself busy and showed up with dinner like nothing had happened between us. She did the same, so now we’re pretending that night doesn’t exist.
“Ready?” I ask Fallon as we pull up to a rustic inn on Bennett’s Orchard Farm.
“This place is like my second home,” I explain as we climb out of the truck. We’ve had a strange energy between us all day that I can’t seem to shake, but neither of us mentions it. Instead, I continue to act as if we didn’t get lost together. It’s easier than getting caught up in the emotions I’m not used to feeling.
So I tuck it away and act indifferent.
Fallon studies the inn for a moment, focusing on the white building with dark shutters.
“I spent many summers here helping,” I say as Finn’s younger cousin, Silas, walks toward us.
“This your girlfriend of the week?” he blurts out. He’s tall with dark brown hair, and at a quick glance, he could be confused for Finn. But his smart mouth always gives him away.
Fallon gives him a weird look.
I clear my throat, interrupting the daggers she’s shooting at him.
“Silas, this is Fallon Joy,” I introduce, then explain what she's doing here.
“Ahh, a journalist. You know what they say about them?”
Fallon crosses her arms. “No, what do they say?”
“Nothing,” I blurt out before Fallon can give Silas a verbal beating.
“Only that they’re gorgeous,” Silas tries saving his ass. “And from what I’m seeing, it’s true.”
Fallon’s body relaxes, but she keeps her infamous scowl. “Are you a Christmas freak too?” Her gaze lands on his Christmas sweater peeking out of his unzipped jacket.
Silas’s face breaks out into a grin, too damn happy to be getting her attention if you ask me.
“I can be any kind of freak you want, baby.”
The fact that he is desperately trying to flirt with her, even though she’s not taking the bait, has my jealousy rearing its ugly head.
“Oh perfect. I’m actually really into Daddy play,” Fallon says in such a serious tone, I have to make sure I heard her correctly.
“Daddywhat?” I scratch my head, still confused about whether she’s messing with him.
“Oh, I could totally handle that,” Silas blurts out, his eyes lowering down her body like a possession. “Call me Daddy anytime you want, princess.”
“Alright…” I drawl, setting my palm against her lower back. “It’s time to go.”
I lead her toward the door, then glance over my shoulder at Silas.
“Hot,” he mouths, and I shoot him a death glare.
“Sorry about him,” I say once we’re far enough away from him.
She snorts. “He seems harmless.”
He is, but that doesn’t mean I liked the way he looked at her.
Willa—my honorary grandma—comes from around the corner carrying a plate of apple turnovers. I snatch one, but it’s so hot I have to pass it between my hands.
Willa laughs. “That’s the risk you take when you snatch goodies from trays. These just came from the oven.”
I blow on the pastry as Willa smiles at Fallon. “Hi. You must be Ms. Joy. We’ve been expecting you.”