“Trythat?”
He lifts one shoulder in an oh-so-casual shrug. “You can’t deny there’s a pull here.” He waves a hand between our bodies. “It’s attraction, but it’s something more too. I know you feel it as much as I do.”
Liam’s eyes shift past me and he takes a small step back. A second later, Rex appears, smiling brightly at both of us.
“I was tidying up the living room,” he says, shoving his feet back into his boots and sliding his arms into his coat when Liam holds it out to him. “Are you coming to the tree lighting ceremony tomorrow? It’s in Town Square, and the Holiday Kick-Off party is at the center afterward. Maybe you’ll find your missing Christmas spirit there.”
From the corner of my eye, I see Liam press his lips together to hold back a smile.
“I, um…I’m not sure if I have plans for tomorrow,” I tell Rex, avoiding eye contact with Liam. I can see him chiming in and saying I should come, which would egg on his nephew. “And to be perfectly honest, Rex, I came here hoping to avoid large crowds of people.”
“But you told me you’d come to some of the events at the center.” Rex’s tone is perfectly reasonable. I bet it’s impossible to win an argument with this kid. I wonder if the other adults in his life even try. “It’s always a lot of fun. My mom has to work, but Uncle Liam promised to take me, and Aunt Mae will be there. We’ll be your people and you don’t have to talk to anyone else if you don’t want to.”
Damn, this kid is good. Before I can think of a response, he goes in for the kill by gripping my hand in both of his. Paired with a head-tilt-and-imploring-eyes combo, I’m a goner.
“I really want you to be there,” he says. “Please?Pretty please?”
“Okay, okay. You talked me into it.”
He releases my hand and claps his together, bouncing on his toes. “Yay, yay, yay! It’s going to be so much fun, I promise.”
I finally lift my gaze to Liam’s. Much like his nephew, he appears way too pleased with himself. So much for avoiding him. And so much for escaping Christmas.
CHAPTER TEN
“How’s your sexy truck-driving handyman?”
I give an expansive eye roll even though Natalie can’t see me. “You always make me regret telling you things.”
She cackles on the other end of the phone. “Okay, but seriously, have you seen him again?”
Despite making up my mind not to volunteer any information to Natalie—I’ve never been the type to kiss and tell, although tabloids and celebrity news shows love to do it for me—I knew she’d quiz me and I’d end up telling her about Liam. Ever since I did, it’s one of the first things she asks every time we talk.
“I saw him last night,” I tell her. She makes a little squeaking sound and draws in a breath, likely to ask completely inappropriate questions, so I forge ahead. “I watched his nephew for a while yesterday and he picked him up last night. That was it. Can we please talk about something else?”
There’s a pause, during which I can picture the wheels in Natalie’s brain turning as she contemplates pursuing this line of conversation or changing the subject. Finally, she says, “Okay, fine. Ooh, I know! Did you hear your feud with Selma Melissa Graham has made it back into the rumor mill? Apparently you two were overheard arguing about a movie role last week at that new restaurant downtown.”
I roll my eyes again and pair it with a loud groan as I flop back on the couch. “That’s a really neat trick, considering I’ve been a couple hundred kilometers away from Toronto for almost two weeks.”
Selma Melissa Graham and I have been in each other’s orbits for most of our careers. As child actors who stood the test of time, that means most of our lives. We’re not exactly friends, but we’ve always liked and respected each other. The press, however, likes to pit us against each other since we’ve often been up for the same roles and we’ve never starred in anything together, whichobviouslymeans we hate each other.
“I know, right? So ridiculous.” There’s a series of beeps on Nat’s end, telling me she’s either been on the treadmill this whole time and I was unaware or she’s getting on now. “Anyway. Anything fun happening in Honeybee Corners this weekend?”
“Ummm…” I drag out the word as I debate whether to tell Nat about the Christmas kick-off in town later today. And the fact I’m planning to go.
“Don’t tell me,” she says. “Some sort of winter carnival? Or a Santa Claus parade? Maybe a festival of some sort? Small towns like that are known for their festivals. Oh! Are they doing something in your honor? Officially crowning you the Queen of Christmas?”
“Sometimes I honestly wonder why I’m even friends with you, Natalie Huang,” I say, chuckling despite myself.
“Because I keep life interesting, darling,” she says in a lofty faux-British accent. “Oh shoot, I have to run. I’ll talk to you soon, okay? Love you!”
I barely have time to say a quick “love you too” before the call disconnects. She wasn’t wrong about keeping life interesting.
*****
As I approach Town Square for the tree lighting ceremony, I feel as if I’ve stumbled through a barrier between real life and fiction. I could easily be walking onto a set from one of my movies, except there are no cameras or crew members rigging up lights and sound equipment. And the lightly falling snow sticking to my wool jacket and eyelashes? One hundred percent authentic—no snow machine in sight.
Glittering lights are wound around every available surface, illuminating the square so much it almost feels like the middle of the afternoon instead of a few hours after sunset. Food and drink stalls are set up with large signs that announce all proceeds from sales will go to the community center. A group of carol singers dressed in Victorian garb wander around the square. And, of course, there’s thepièce de résistance: an enormous spruce tree taking pride of place in the center of the square, waiting to have its lights turned on and officially kick off the holiday season in Honeywell.
