“That’s despicable. I mean, not Will or Abbie, but for Lindsay to use them like that. No wonder she was coming on to me earlier.”
Sammie’s cheeks turn as red as a tomato, and she hisses, “She came on to you? When?”
I might as well come clean, not that I owe Sammie an explanation. She isn’t a girlfriend or anything, but still, I got her into this mess.
I pace in circles around the room and heave my shoulders and arms. “I stepped outside to get fresh air. You guys were driving me nuts with all the phony Christmas cheer, singing carols, trimming the tree, hanging stockings at the chimney with care, and kissing under the mistletoe.”
“I’ll argue with you later on whether it was phony or not, but what happened?”
“Lindsay came out and gave me this long story about why she’s hiding Abbie and Will here at the ranch. It doesn’t seem real, but at the same time, if it’s true, we’re all in danger.”
“Hold it. Back up. What danger?” Sammie grabs me by the shirt with both hands and stops me in my tracks.
“The children’s father. She claims he’s a mobster, but anyway, it got me all protective. I must have felt sorry for her, because the next thing, she’s asking me to take her to bed.”
“Did you?” Sammie’s eyes narrow so much, I expect laser beams to shoot out of them.
“You’re not jealous, are you?” It occurs to me she cares—unlike the act she put on when Abbie told her about Will’s many girlfriends.
“Not at all.” She crosses her arms. “But hey, if she clicks your Bic, go for it, if you can stand the nausea.”
“I didn’t go for it.” I uncross her arms and hold on to her hands. “But don’t you see? She’s trying to get me to ask you to drop out of the competition.”
“Why should I?” Sammie surprises me, although knowing her background as Sammie the Snake, maybe I shouldn’t be surprised.
“You’re not his great-granddaughter.”
“Neither are Will and Abbie. We’re all Elfprentices, and we’re supposed to give him a Merry Christmas. What’s wrong with that? If he’s so rich he wants to give away a house, who am I to stop him?”
The gears click in my mind, and I have to admit Sammie has a point. A part of me is still uncomfortable. I mean, there are limits even with a con.
“You sure we’re not using him?” I let go of her hands which are cold. “I mean, with the fake holiday cheer?”
She rolls her eyes so hard I’m afraid they’ll get permanently stuck in the back of her head. “Braden Powers. You’re a doofus. I don’t know about you, but this holiday cheer isn’t fake. I’m having the best time in my life. Your family is great. Jolene is the best cook and hostess, and she’s exactly how I imagine a mother would be. Your brothers are the strong, silent, Western types, and your stepsisters are bubbly and gracious. I love the way they talk, all country sweet with a bite underneath. And this ranch, the wood-burning stove, the logs in the fireplace, the rustic log cabin style furniture, and the huge panoramic view of the snow-capped mountains—it’s like a movie set. The sleigh ride was like a dream, and the church was the cutest. I wish you would have come with us.”
The wonder in her eyes is infectious. But still, this is her first country Christmas, and everything’s new to her. Wait until she’s endured Christmas after Christmas with bickering relatives, family politics, vicious backbiting, backstabbing betrayal, and all the undercurrents of resentment and hidden agendas.
I lay in a tease to see how she’ll respond. “In other words, you’re so happy with this experience you’ll pay me for bringing you here?”
“Actually… No, oh no, Braden Powers.” She pokes my chest hard. “A deal is a deal. I’m still here in a supporting role for you to make you look better in front of them. I’ve done a great job, too. No one suspects I’m not your daughter. I even had to put up with a horny teenage boy sticking his sloppy tongue down my throat.”
“Too much information.” I hold up a hand to get her to stop. “I heard you and Will are on the outs. Is that true?”
“Like a teen romance, it’s ins and outs, ups and downs.” She sticks out her tongue and blows a raspberry. “Okay, then seriously, what are we going to do about Poppy, because I’m starting to care about him. I would hate for him to get hurt in all of this.”
“I agree. I didn’t think he would get so close to you. He’s so thrilled about you he wants you to help with his screenplay.”
“Should I let him know I’m not your daughter?” She puts her hands on my shoulders and draws her body too close for comfort. “That way, if I win the Christmas Cottage, it’ll be fair and square.”
My pulse gets clammy, and my stomach flips and turns. It’s not that I don’t want to tell the truth, but one question will lead to another, and my entire house of cards will collapse—starting with how I met Sammie.
“Is that what you want to do? Give up your place in our family?”
She swallows, and her eyes get big like a sad puppy at the pound. “I know I’ve only just met everyone, but I feel like I belong. They all just accepted me—no questions asked. Susanna’s a little suspicious about my math awards, but they know you’re smart, so they figure I got it from you.”
I pull her in for a tight hug, not wanting to let go. “I bet Poppy would love you whether you’re related or not.”
“We should tell him, but if it’s okay with you—can we still pretend to the rest of them, at least until tomorrow? They’ll find out anyway when Brittney and Ben show up.”
