They're kissing in the wings—she's on her toes, his arms are wrapped around her, and the paper snow is catching the lights like actual magic. My head is swimming in dreamy holiday book covers, and I just stepped into one!
The Billionaire's Secret Cookie Recipe, my brain supplies. No, these two deserve better. The Christmas We Fell.
I reach for my phone. The photographer in me can't resist this composition—the majestic tree set piece framing them, the golden glow making everything soft-focus perfect.
Click.
My fingers fly:
WHEN REAL LIFE LOOKS LIKE A BOOK COVER This is what happens when you attend a romance book festival and then stumble on ACTUAL ROMANCE backstage at the Nutcracker. I'm deceased. The paper snow! The lights! THE KISS! #NutcrackerRomance #HolidayMagic #BookTok #RomanceReaders #ChristmasFeels
Upload.
The likes start immediately.
Holly
Sunday morning. I've been awake for an hour, watching the numbers climb.
Fifty-seven thousand, three hundred.
Refresh—
Fifty-seven thousand, eight hundred.
Each number another stranger helping themselves to our private moment.
I'm sitting on my bathroom floor in Evan's hoodie from yesterday watching our kiss go viral in real-time. The photo spreads across every platform, tagged #NutcrackerRomance, #BillionaireKiss, and #HolidayMagic. Strangers add heart-eye emojis and comments about “relationship goals.”
My phone vibrates against the tile. Emma again. Twenty minutes of ignored calls, but she won't stop.
“Holly, thank heavens. Are you okay?”
“Remember when we were kids and thought being famous would be amazing?”
“Oh honey. Have you talked to him?”
“No.” Market Dispatch loads on my laptop: “Bellamy CEO's Romance Signals Strategic Image Shift.”
“I can't.”
“Why not?”
“Did you see what Business Insider posted? They're calling it his 'charm offensive.' Asking if the timing is connected to year-end board meetings and spring fundraising goals.”
“You don't think he?—”
“If you'd asked me yesterday, I would have said it's not possible.” Another headline loads. “Now, I don't know. Maybe he wasn't the ringleader—but he let it happen? Approved it? It's just too perfect, Emma. Everything is falling into place just as he needed, just as his PR team wanted.”
“Holly—”
“Maybe I still don't understand how this world works. Maybe this is normal for them, this lack of boundaries, this willingness to take advantage if you see an opportunity to benefit yourself.” My voice cracks. “Emma, I really thought it was real. Maybe it was a little bit real, but I guess getting the PR boost was more important.”
I hear her take a deep breath. “Oh honey. I'm so sorry. Maybe there's more to the story? But whatever you need, I'm here for you. Say the word.”
“I don't know what I need.”
“That's okay too.”
