Page 34 of 10 Things I Hate About Mistletoe

“What are you ladies working on?” Pike asked, coming up behind Delilah’s chair and holding on to the back, his fingers grazing her shoulders through her sweater.

“The bachelor auction,” Holly said.

“What about it?” Anthony took the seat across from Delilah, and she could have screamed in frustration. He wore a dirty Broncos hat over his dark hair with the brim pushed up, his green eyes on her.

“We’re deciding what the bachelors should wear.”

Anthony smirked. “Clothes, preferably.”

“I don’t know; I think I look good in the buff,” Pike said.

“No nudity!” Merry said loudly.

“I agree,” Holly said, pointing at the board. “Do you guys think we should exclude men because we don’t like them?”

“Yes,” the men chorused, and Holly threw up her hands.

“Seriously, I thought you would be the voices of reason.”

“If you dislike them, something must be wrong,” Nick said.

“They wouldn’t be dangerous,” Holly grumbled, before elaborating, “Just assholes.”

Declan walked around the table and rubbed Holly’s shoulders. “Do you want to send them off with some unsuspecting woman if you think they’re douchebags?”

Pike nodded. “Some women are into jerks.”

“I’ve never understood that,” Delilah said, her gaze flicking to Anthony. When he arched an eyebrow, she looked away, her cheeks burning.

“What? Women liking jerks?” Pike asked, taking the seat next to her. “Everyone has a soul mate, even assholes.”

Delilah laughed. “You believe in soul mates?”

Pike’s expression was incredulous as he reared back in his chair. “Sure, don’t you?”

“No,” Delilah said flatly.

“What do you believe in?” Anthony asked.

Delilah finally looked at Anthony, who was watching her with a neutral expression, which contrasted with the loaded question he’d lobbed at her. Only his eyes gave away his interest in her answer, the green orbs bright and focused.

“I believe in being in love because you want to be,” Delilah said, unable to look away from the intensity in his eyes. “Not because you think the universe planned it out.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, and I’ll give you an example,” Pike said, clapping his hands and holding them out like a presenter. “My good buddy, Nick—”

“Why am I a part of this conversation?” Nick asked.

“Shush, the grown-ups are talking,” Pike said, earning a laugh from the others, while Nick rolled his eyes. “Anyway, Nick went to serve his country, came back, and got dumped. All these things had to align for him to fall in love with his soul mate, Noel.”

“Or they happened to be single simultaneously, which allowed them to explore their feelings,” Delilah said.

“I’m against being used as the case study for either of your arguments,” Nick griped.

“Help me out here, man,” Pike said, addressing Anthony and ignoring Nick’s protests.

Anthony shrugged. “I don’t think I have anything to add to this.”

“Why not?” Holly asked, joining the conversation from the comfort of Declan’s lap.