Page 4 of 10 Things I Hate About Mistletoe

Delilah noticed Pike had turned around now, and when she caught his gaze, he smiled and waved, those adorable dimples making her stomach flip. She gave him a little salute and wanted to kick herself. Why did Pike’s notice always discombobulate her? Any time he paid the least bit of attention to her, Delilah would end up scrambling her words or making some boneheaded gesture like a freaking salute.

Dork.

To Delilah’s relief, Anthony continued facing forward. At least he didn’t see her idiotic response, although Pike might relay it, and they could have a good laugh at her expense later.

“Hi, sorry to catch you like this,” Merry said, rubbing her pregnant belly. “I’ve been meaning to call you, but the pregnancy brain is strong with this one.”

Merry was her best friend’s older sister, and in their adult years they had become closer. Merry was sweet, funny, and juggled many hats in Mistletoe, putting a lot of energy into the holiday activities.

Better her than me, Delilah thought, spotting a sprig of mistletoe someone had already pinned above the exit. She’d have to be careful not to get caught under there.

“Oh, you didn’t have to get up,” Delilah said, greeting Merry with a warm hug. “I would have come over after I ordered.”

“I know,” Merry said, hugging her back, before releasing her. “But I’ll be in a meeting by then with Pike and Anthony, so this works out better.”

“Okay then. What did you want to talk to me about?” Delilah asked.

“Would you be interested in helping Holly and I put together the holiday bachelor auction?” Merry asked quickly, as if afraid Delilah would scream “no” and race out the door in panic.

“Uh, when is it?”

Merry smiled, probably happy she hadn’t gotten rejected right off the bat. “We’re holding it after the Parade of Lights at the community center. We’ll be combining bachelors with a service from local businesses, and we need a tiebreaker because you know my sister and I. We can’t always agree gracefully. You in?”

Merry’s pleading look was Delilah’s undoing and she gave in without a fight. She loved the Winters and had a hard time telling any of them no, especially when she’d been a witness to disagreements between Holly and Merry and they definitely needed a buffer.

“Sure, Merry,” Delilah said. “I’m always happy to help out.”

“Great!” Merry clapped her hands together. “You can be the notetaker since you have better handwriting than either of us.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Merry reached out and took Delilah’s hands in both of hers. “As my wordsmith, would you be willing to draft some flyers, letters, press releases, and invitations for the event?”

Delilah thought about her lack of publishing prospects combined with her week off from subbing due to the Thanksgiving holiday and forced a smile. “I’ve got all the time in the world this week.”

“You are the absolute best, Delilah! We’re going to get together on Wednesday. Does that work?”

“Sure. I don’t head to my parents’ until Thanksgiving morning.”

“You’re awesome. This is going to be so much fun and, hopefully, we can turn it into a new Mistletoe tradition.” Delilah opened her mouth to respond, but Merry barely stopped to take a breath before she continued, “Okay, I’m going back to my table, but I’ll put you and Holly in a group text so we can finalize the meetup time and place.” Merry hugged her swiftly, her hard round belly pressing into Delilah like a volleyball, and pulled back with a pat to Delilah’s arm. “We’ll talk soon.”

“Bye,” Delilah got out before Merry headed back to her table with a waddle in her gait. Holly’s sister had always been a blond bundle of energy, but had pregnancy given her more energy? Or maybe it was the excitement of gathering up Mistletoe’s finest men and parading them around for charity that had her buzzing around like a pollen-crazed bee?

Delilah fought a grin, her mind already racing with titles for the event. Merry Man Candy? Mistletoe Men on a Mission?

She’d keep workshopping, but suddenly, her crap day was taking a turn. Maybe making a list of the eligible men in Mistletoe would remind her of someone she’d been overlooking. After her vibrator died last month, Delilah realized she hadn’t had sex for over a year and it had been lackluster at best. At the very least, it would be nice to find a friend-with-benefits situation. Something to alleviate her stress.

Otherwise, she was going to have to hop online and find a new handheld buddy, because her fingers were not getting the job done.

“I can help the next in line,” Teagan Hulse, the girl behind the register, called out.

Delilah stepped up. “Hey, Teagan, could I get a large vanilla latte with an extra shot?”

“Sure thing, Delilah.” The tall, willowy teen’s fingers flew over the computer keys and she pressed a final button with a smile. “You’re all set.”

“How much do I owe you?” she asked.

“Oh, there’s a pay-it-forward going, so your coffee is covered.”