Grace eagerly joined him in the living room as the fireplace came to life. “Thankgod,” she breathed. “I was wondering if I’d turn into a snowman next.”
He poked at the wood a few more times before taking his respective seat across from her. In between them, set up on the round coffee table, was their ongoing game of chess. Bryant instantly eyed the board, his fingers hovering over his pawns.
“Finally ready to make a move?” Grace teased.
He huffed. “I’ve been considering it all night.”
“No cheating I hope.”
“I wouldn’t dare cheat in front of the psychic.” Bryant slid one of his pawns up a few spaces. “There.”
Grace grinned. “I’ll be ready with my move tomorrow then.”
As Bryant released a sigh and settled back into the sofa, taking a long gulp of his coffee, his gaze turned to the tall Christmas tree. It had taken three hours to get the seven foot tall tree into the Lantern House, but it would’ve taken days without Bryant’s help. Beneath the glow of Christmas lights sat a few neatly wrapped boxes.
“I can’t believe you managed to wrap me up in Secret Santa this year,” Bryant murmured. “You and all your other ladies.”
“Caroline can be very convincing when she needs to be.” Grace beamed from ear to ear. “Look closely and you might see the gift I got for you under there.”
Bryant’s brow rose. “Oh, really?” He leaned back, pretending he hadn’t been staring at the presents already. “Keep up the teasing and I’ll have to figure out what to do with the gift I got foryou.”
“Let me guess,” she said. “Is it…a witch’s wand? Because Anna has been making that jokesooften, I’m beginning to think she’s already gotten me one.”
Bryant’s hearty laugh filled the living room, bringing a warm feeling to Grace’s chest. “Well, that would ruin the surprise, wouldn’t it?” He grinned. “I bet you got me a…razor.”
“More like hedgeclippers.”
Their laughter continued as Grace rose from her seat and passed back into the kitchen, grasping at the coffee pot to top her cup off. The smile on her face lingered as she heard Bryant begin to walk toward her, his steps slow and calculating. When she finally turned to face him, he was holding the back of his neck in a sheepish way, not entirely meeting her eye.
“What,” Grace blurted, “Is there something on my face?”
He stared at her, confused, before he shook his head and laughed as though he was out of breath. “N-Not a thing,” he murmured. “I was only wondering about something.”
“What?”
“Have you…well, is there any chance you’ve…I mean, I –”
Grace laughed. “You’re starting to sound a bit like me, Bryant. Maybe we’re spending too much time together.”
Color passed over his stubble covered cheeks. “Have you gotten your ticket for the Winter Ball yet?”
Her eyes widened. “W-Well, yes actually.” The Winter Ball was the big event of the Christmas season in Holiday Hollow. Not only was it a great fundraiser, but the ladies described it as something Grace wouldn’t want to miss. She was onlyslightlyembarrassed to admit that she got her ticket the moment they were on sale. “Why?”
Bryant paused, as if he didn’t think he would’ve gotten that far in the conversation. Eventually he cleared his throat and returned his empty cup to the kitchen sink. “I don’t suppose you’re planning on going by yourself?” Before she had the chance to reply, Bryant was quick to keep talking. “Well, with your ladies and all, I assumed you all might be going together. As you’ve done to a lot of events. Before. In the past. You know.”
Grace watched as he put his back to her and walked to the back door. Her heart hammered relentlessly. “I don’t think so,” she murmured. “You know, Anna and Olivia have partners of their own.”
“But Caroline –”
“Caroline is the first to have a stranger on her arm for the evening, you know that.”
Bryant pressed his lips together as he slowly nodded. “Would you consider…would you beinterestedin going with me, Grace?”
Out of all things Grace imagined to happen on that morning, having her neighborly crush ask her to the Winter Ball was the very last thing on her list. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she regained some sort of sanity, and she gave him a wide smile.
“I’d like that, Bryant,” she finally said. “As long as you promise not to wolf out on me.”
Bryant’s laugh eased the growing tension in his voice. “Sure, Grace. But just this once.”
