“I have a, um, proposal for you,” she said, leaning forward and looking a lot more like a future lawyer than a future scientist.
“A proposal?” The lady laughed.
“Benny will get you Grumpy Santa if you…” She slid a sideways look at Benny, who was lost, confused, and pretty sure that whatever she said next would cost him the phone heso desperately wanted for Christmas. “If you insist our parents make one gingerbread house together,” she finished.
What?
Mrs. Locke drew back, blinking. “Iinsist?”
“Otherwise, they might not do it,” Olivia added, “because it’s so much work. But if they make one together, it’s half the work and you get twice the house, and it will bridge the gap between these two businesses and be so good for Park City!”
Whoa, she could lay it on thick. Benny almost believed her. If she hadn’t just been whining aboutkissingandweddings, he would believe her.
Mrs. Locke had to laugh. “You seem so determined…” She looked from one to the other again, her sharp eyes landing on Benny. “Why?”
“Because if they are so busy making gingerbread houses, then our Christmases will suffer,” he said.
“And it will affect their businesses,” Olivia added.
It actually made sense. “Why split the crowd when you could have one giant, amazing showpiece?” Benny said, catching the fever. “Less chaos, more wow factor.”
She still didn’t seem convinced.
“Plus,” Olivia added smoothly, “think of the publicity.Sugar Meets Clean: The Ultimate Gingerbread Collaboration.Reporters will crawl all over it.”
Gah, why didn’t he think of that?
Mrs. Locke put her elbows on the table and gave them a look most kids only got from the principal at school, not that Benny had ever been called into that office.
“What’s therealreason?” she asked.
Olivia sighed. “We’re matchmaking,” she admitted under her breath.
Wait. They were? And they were telling Mrs. Locke?
“We think they belong together,” Olivia added.
Mrs. Locke’s jaw dropped so hard it almost hit her chest. “You…they…match…” She gave a soft hoot. Then, she nodded. “Yes. You have a deal.”
“Really?” Olivia looked like she might crawl over the table as they shook on the deal.
The older lady lifted her shoulder. “Please. I start watching Hallmark Christmas movies in August. I have a soft spot for a good romance. Get me Grumpy Santa and let your parents know they are co-creators of what I expect will be the biggest, most beautiful, most elaborate, and most unique Park City gingerbread house. Well done, future generation. You give me hope.”
With that, she stood and walked out humming.
Somehow, they contained themselves but the second the door jingled shut behind her, Olivia got up and actually danced across the black-and-white checkered floor.
“Operation Mistletoe Madness is officially a go,” Olivia sang, slapping his hand for a high-five.
“Operation…” Oh,man. He was going to be in so much trouble.
But Olivia was his best friend. She was the only person he’d ever met who could solve a Rubik’s Cube faster than he could and knew that mitochondrion was the singular of mitochondria.
And, he had to admit, her stupid idea might be really smart.
Gracie McBride set the tasting forks on the tray with a satisfied sigh. “So, we’ve landed on the chocolate espresso with the hazelnut cream, right? That will be the bottom tier. Then lemon with raspberry in the middle, and red velvet with vanilla bean at the top.”
The bride, a petite brunette with a dazzling smile and nerves so frayed she trembled when she took a bite of cake, clutched her fiancé’s arm.
