“Oh, but you did.” Rose gestured toward the large television screen hanging on the side of the space. The screen was split intotwo. One side had lyrics highlighted as the current performer sang. The other side had a list of performers and the song they’d be singing.
Sure enough, Marcus and Wynter were listed as a duet, and the song they were singing was “You Make it Feel Like Christmas.”
Marcus could see the argument on the tip of Wynter’s tongue, but his own desperation refused to lose this opportunity. He grabbed a hold of her hand and tugged her to her feet. “Come on, Wynter.”
She gaped at him. “You can’t be serious,” she hissed.
He graced her with his most charming smile. “For old time’s sake?”
“We never did Karaoke.”
“There’s a first time for everything… and then next year it can be for old time’s sake.”
She scoffed, but before she could argue further, he tugged her toward the stage. Her fingers were intertwined in his, and this was the moment he realized a truth he’d been struggling with since the first second he’d laid eyes on Wynter at the lighting ceremony.
He didn’t want her to leave again.
And it wasn’t because he was desperate for their friendship.
It wasn’t because he missed her more than he’d missed anything.
He wanted her to stay because six years ago, he’d fallen fast and hard for her. All it had taken was the briefest touch of his lips to hers. Some part of his soul had connected with hers on a level he still couldn’t understand.
Marcus was in love with Wynter, and one day they were going to be together.
She just didn’t know it yet.
10
WYNTER
Wynter was in trouble.
That was the only definitive thing she knew to be true.
It was impossible not to spend time with Marcus and wish that things were different. She couldn’t stand up on stage with him, singing a silly song, and watching him grin at her like she was his whole world, while at the same time not wanting to succumb to the fantasy.
And it was absolutely unreasonable to demand that she stop thinking about the whole experience over and over again.Oh, Lord, what do I do now? I can’t seem to stop these feelings for Marcus.
“Wynter, dear, are you well?”
She jumped at the sound of Gram’s voice and turned to face her. “Of course, why do you ask?”
Grams arched an eyebrow, then gestured toward the stovetop.
Wynter followed the motion and gasped before yanking the pan of scrambled eggs clear of the burner. Shoot! She’d burned them. “I’m so sorry, Grams. I wasn’t paying attention.”
“I realize that, dear.”
She blushed and wafted some of the smoke clear. Thinking about Marcus did things to her that she wasn’t proud of. That’s why she needed to stop spending time with him.
But how was she supposed to do that when he was here on a daily basis, fixing things and adjusting things? He’d even set up the nativity scene, hung stockings by the fireplace, and filled the house with her family’s Christmas keepsakes. He was in her space, filling it with his scent, his laughter, and the low timbre of his voice.
Wynter groaned and moved the hot pan toward the sink. “How about I make us some oatmeal instead?”
Grams wrinkled her nose. “How about you call Marcus and ask him to pick us up something from town. A bagel sounds nice.”
“Grams,” Wynter said, trying not to chuckle at her boldness. “He’s not your assistant. We can’t make demands of him like that.”
