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“I know.” I shove him. “Why were you doing that?”

He takes a small step back. “What are you doing? I thought you were going back to your date?”

“You didn’t answer my question. Why were you texting me? Why were you saying all that stuff about me and my glasses and not changing myself?”

Gabe furrows his brow. “Because it’s the truth.”

“That’s not fair.” My voice cracks.

He takes a step toward me. “Why not? I’m allowed to think what I think.”

“But you don’t have to text it to me when I’m on a date with another man,” I argue.

Gabe’s eyes flash. “You’re the one who was texting back when you were supposedly on a date with another man. What does that say about how things were going in there?”

I scowl. “You can’t do this.”

“Do what? Care about you?” Gabe’s voice is soft but firm. “Sorry, Bethy. It’s a little too late for that. Because I already do. I’m not going to stop because you’re on a date with another guy. Especially not when I don’t think that other guy is good enough for you.”

“And you think you are?” I cross my arms, and in the process, my elbows knock into Gabe’s chest. It’s like a whole new set of nerves comes alive in my body.

Gabe leans forward. “I think I’d like to work every day trying to be.”

Our lips are only a couple inches apart. Gabe’s gaze drops to my mouth before he ratchets it back up and searches my eyes.

I could lean forward and kiss him. Gosh, I want to. But I’ve got to keep a clear head. I’ve got to think big picture and not get caught up in my attraction to Gabe.

He’s staring at me so intently, like he’s trying to make out the fine print on my corneas.

He leans in farther, and I suck in a breath. If he’s going to kiss me, I don’t have enough willpower to stop him. My pulse kicks up, and my heart feels like it’s skiing down a black diamond run. My lips part and my eyes fall shut, but instead of feeling the press of Gabe’s mouth to mine, I feel his breath on my cheek, right before he drops a featherlight kiss on my temple.

“Go back to your date, Bethy. I’ll be here when you figure it out.”

Except he won’t be. He’s flying back to Nashburg early tomorrow morning for one last rehearsal ahead of his big show on Saturday.

And is that how I want to live my life? With Gabe always leaving, always in between shows and commitments? Will it be enough to be his stopover girl? The one who he sees when he’s free? I don’t know if I’m strong enough.

When I open my eyes, he’s already turning and striding down the sidewalk.

I want to call him back. To say that he’s the one that I want—that I’ve got it figured out. But that would be a lie. Because I don’t have anything figured out.

Least of all how I’m supposed to go back to a date with Calvin when the only man I want is Gabe.

I wake up the next morning to my phone vibrating.

I moan and scrape myself out of bed and across the room to where I have it charging. I can’t sleep with my phone under my pillow these days. Too easy to snooze my alarm. But since my alarm hasn’t gone off this morning, someone is obviously trying to get ahold of me before dawn, which is a real shame because I’m going to need all the energy I can get today. It’s the day before the Christmas Dash, and I’ll be prepping all the stops, making sure the missions are a go, and generally running around like a crazed elf.

I squint and blink a few times. My eyelids feel like sandpaper. Stupid contacts always do that to me.

That, and I barely slept last night.

After Gabe walked away from the café, I went back inside and ended my date with Calvin. I don’t know if you can call it a breakup since we weren’t technically together, but I told him I just wanted to be friends.

I couldn’t bring myself to string him along when I’m not all in on a relationship with him.

He took it well, I think. I don’t know, maybe I should have been offended by how easily he shrugged, gave me a hug, and left like it didn’t matter all that much to him. Mostly, I was grateful he didn’t suggest pulling his family funding of the Christmas Dash.

I came home and tossed and turned, wondering if I made the right call. Calvin is a hardworking, driven guy. He’s generous with his wealth. We get along. He told me he plans to stay here in Dasher Valley. That’s three marks in his favor. What is wrong with me that I can’t get on board with him?