“Life usually is,” I snip.
He exhales, frustration edging into his expression. “Can you take it down a few notches? We’re talking here. Just like you wanted.”
I force myself to calm down. Mom’s voice echoes in my head, as it so often does.Listening is paramount. That’s why we have two ears and one mouth.I blow out a breath. “Okay. You were talking about Zoe.”
“Our relationship’s been tenuous for a while. Ever since I split from the band.”
I blink. “But you’re still together. And you’re throwing this huge party. That doesn’t add up.”
“I didn’t want the party, but it means a lot to Zoe, so I caved. She thinks it’ll boost her ratings by doing a segment on hosting a holiday party at my place.”
Unease trickles through me. “So … the party’s being filmed?”
“Yeah.” He bunches his brows like he’s not happy about it.
This is not good. What if someone from Mount Pleasant recognizes me? And I have to be here—thanks to Bianca and the ridiculous arrangement Harmony orchestrated.
“Anyway, things between Zoe and me have been rocky. I don’t know where we stand.”
“So what am I? The rebound?” My heart squeezes to the size of a lemon. Why do I keep giving so much power to this guy to hurt me?
His response is immediate. “No. I had no idea that a beautiful stranger would enter my life so unexpectedly, and I certainly didn’t expect to be so attracted to you.”
The weight of his words hits me square between the eyes. Good thing I’m not Goliath, or I’d be down for the count. A stranger? If only he knew. “Oh,” I breathe. There’s a lot to unpack here. Regardless of what he says, I’m definitely a rebound … sort of. I mean, he’s still with Zoe. And yet, he’s attracted to me.
Duh! That’s not news. Any moron could deduce that from our kiss. Still, to hear him say it out loud evokes conflicting emotions. It certainly pleases me too much.
Okay, I admit it. I’m glad he’s attracted to me. Elated, actually. And yet, this thing with us can’t go anywhere. I’m here to do a job, and I’m failing miserably because my stupid feelings are getting in the way.
He continues, unaware of the panic swirling in me. “Zoe and I almost broke up. She begged me to give it another chance. She’s hoping the party will fix things.”
That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. A swanky party won’t fix anything. It’ll only add more pressure to a tenuous situation. Maybe Zoe’s trying to milk everything she can from her relationship with Axel before it fizzles out. She’d get tons of press from hosting a big party and then taking her viewersthrough every painful step of the breakup. Nothing boosts ratings like sympathy.
I turn my thoughts away from Zoe. I’m giving her way too much energy. “Okay,” I say quietly. “Where does that leave… this?” I gesture between us. I almost askedWhere does that leave us?But there is no us. It was one kiss that probably meant nothing to him.
He offers a fleeting smile. “Sometimes things just happen. As John Lennon said—'life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.’”
I let out a small laugh. “Yep, I’ve heard that one.” In fact, Jovie has quoted it numerous times. Is that where he read it? Does he keep up with my column? Probably. He’s the main topic, after all.
“Point is, I don’t know what this is. But I’ve been happy these past few days. Happier than I have in a long time.” His gaze searches mine. “Can we just see where it goes?”
My heart pounds. “Maybe. But only if you tell Zoe how you feel. Sooner rather than later.”
“I will. After Christmas.”
I bark out a harsh laugh. “You’re dragging this through Christmas?”
He winces. “Is that bad?”
“Yes,” I explode. “It’s not fair to her or to me.” Ugh! Did I just insert myself into this equation? I’m talking like we could have a future together.
A pleased smile breaks over his face. “Does that mean you could get invested in us?”
“There is no us. We shared one kiss. That’s it.”
He frowns. “Are you saying we’re a no-go?”
I dig my fingers into my hair, growling. “I don’t know what I’m saying. This whole thing has me so confused, I don’t knowwhich way is up. Falling for you was not part of the plan. It’s a bad idea.”
