I don’t know.
But I know she’d be discreet.
So I nod. “Yeah. We should ask Lorelei. Tomorrow.”
Amanda grips my forearm. “I know this is a little inconvenient, and I know it’s not fun lying to everyone, but I just want you to know, I’ve had a really great time with you these past few days.”
I swallow. “Same.”
Walk. Away. Quit staring into her eyes. Walk. Fucking. Away.
She smiles one of those brilliant smiles, and then she shifts away toward the fridge like she’s reading my mind and thinks I’m talking to her. “I’m glad we’ll stay friends after this. Want some eggnog? I’m going to have a little bit before bed.”
No.
No, I don’t want eggnog.
But what Idowant isn’t something I’ll be getting.
So I nod.
And then I live with the consequences of my actions.
Chapter 16
Amanda
Dane was going to kiss me.
He was going to kiss me, not for show, and I was going to let him.
Until I got cold feet.
I’m impulsive. I live for fun. Exciting unplanned adventures are my favorite.
But I absolutely cannot lead Dane on and make him anunplanned adventure, no matter how much I like him.
So the next morning, when he says he needs to catch up on some work at a coffee shop—outsideof Tinsel—I take advantage of the empty house and call Yazmin, my roommate back in New York.
And with four days left until Dane and I are supposed to be having a wedding, I finally fill her fully in oneverything.
Grandma wanting me to join Mom at the Gingerbread House with the intention of taking it over in a few years when Mom retires too.
Me saying I was engaged to Dane to get disinherited.
That not working, exactly, but now we’re in this together while we try to get our families to realize the other isn’t the enemy while we find an alternative solution for the bakery so Grandma can retire, or at least so Mom can get other help at the bakery that isn’t me.
Me liking him.
Thinking that maybe he likes me too.
Yazmin squeals a lot.
“This isn’t squealy,” I protest. “This relationship can’t go anywhere. I don’tdorelationships.”
“Amanda. You do relationships. You do relationships when they’re worth it. Which isn’t often because your standards are so high, which is a good thing. So if this guy is meeting your standards—”
“He lives in San Francisco.”
