“You’re right. Alone time with my lovebird is definitely a priority and I’d be happy to sign something for you next time.”
I lean in, kissing Josie on the cheek, and heat crawls up her neck, coloring her skin pink. I’m being a smart ass, but I can’t help myself. She’s so adorable when she’s flustered, and she can’t knee me in the nuts with Patrick watching us, thinking we’re a couple—and hey, this is on her. She initiated it. I’m just playing the part. I’m sure it will be a different story when he leaves, but right now, I’m just going to have some fun with it. Not only that. Since I’m doing her this favor, I could probably turn this around and ask her to do me one and go to Christmas Eve dinner, but you know what, I don’t want to do that. I don’t want her to feel obligated to help me. I’d rather she come if she wants to come, not because she feels indebted.
“I’ve missed my little lovebird so much.” I lift her clear off the ground, and she makes a wheezing sound as I spin her around.
Patrick laughs and Josie joins in, but the sound is strained, and the look in her eyes is anything but amused.
Dear nuts…I am so sorry about the knee you are about to receive.
“What a lovely couple you two make. It’s easy to see how much you two love each other.” He nods to me. “Well, I’ll be on my way.”
“See you later, Patrick.” I grin at him. “Don’t come by too early tomorrow. My little chocolatier might be late for work. We have some catching up to do. If you know what I mean?”
Patrick chuckles as he exits the store and Josie turns to me, her eyes shooting daggers, as one hand goes to her face, her fingers lingering on the spot I kissed. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
I grin at her. “That was my first question. My second is what kind of perks come with this fake relationship?”
4
Josie
“No, it’s not like that. Wait…I mean…”
“Hey, it’s okay,” he says. “I’m just kidding. I do that sometimes.” I stare at him and he cocks his head. “You know what joking is, right?”
He’s grinning at me but it’s not lightening my mood. “And…what do you mean fate brought us together? In what universe does fate spray someone with slush?”
“This one, and it’s called a meet cute.”
Okay, I do love a good meet cute, but this was anything but. “My life isn’t a romantic comedy and there was nothing cute about nearly freezing to death.” My God, I sound like a crazy woman. I already established that it wasn’t his fault. He didn’t do it on purpose. The reason I’m lashing out is I like the idea of perks, and I really shouldn’t be making a mental list.
He holds his hands up, palms out. “Sorry, I just happened to believe everything happens for a reason.”
“It’s going to take a whole lot of eggnog and maybe a Christmas miracle to convince me of that, Brody.”
“Think about it, you just happened to be on the street. I just happened to be driving by when Declan yelled at me to pull over.”
“I didn’t just happen to be on the street. I lost my phone and was looking for it.”
Something comes over his face, something that looks like guilt, and I take a breath. “Sorry, I realize it wasn’t your fault. I was just upset about losing my phone.”
“Can you replace it?”
“Yeah,” I say, not bothering to tell him there are things on my phone that aren’t replaceable. He doesn’t need to know my problems.
“And again now.” He waves around the shop. “I happened to be here at the right time to help you out with a little problem. That, my friend, is fate.”
“Fate, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“You believe what’s going to happen is going to happen.” He nods. “Let me ask you a question, then. Do you look both ways before you cross the street?”
His eyes narrow, and he stares at me long and hard. Something flickers in his eyes, a light bulb going off and a laugh rumbles in his chest, and I can’t help but grin. “All right. You’ve got me there.”
“I mean, why not just walk right out? If you were meant to get hit by a car, you would have gotten hit, right?”
He holds his hands up. “Okay, I get it.” He gestures with a nod toward the door. “What was that all about anyway?”