Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 42942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 215(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 215(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
He tilted his head and watched me as I poured a cup of coffee. “You really love your job, don’t you?”
Nodding, I replied, “I do. I’ve always loved planning parties.”
“I don’t know if I’ve ever told you this before, but you’re damn good at it. I’ve been to a few city functions you helped organize, and every time, people have bragged about how good you are at your job. The city Christmas luncheon last year for the employees who were retiring was stunning.”
“You were there?” I asked before I took a sip of the hot coffee.
“I was. My former director retired last year. I saw you a few times at the beginning, walking around with a clipboard and a little headset.”
My face heated. “I don’t often stay at the events unless I’m asked to. At bigger events like that, they want to make sure someone is there in case something goes bad.”
Lucas turned and flipped another pancake, then started to take the bacon out of the frying pan. I made my way over to the scrambled eggs and tended to them.
“What are your favorite events?”
I exhaled. “Oh, man, that’s a hard one. I think engagements are right up there with holiday parties.”
“Which holiday?”
“Any!” I said with a giggle. “There is something about the holidays that I just love.”
“Favorite holiday?” he asked, setting a plate full of pancakes on the island bar, followed by the bacon. I scooped the eggs out of the pan into a bowl Lucas had handed me.
“Halloween has always been one of my favorites.”
“It’s that witch inside of you,” he said with a wink.
“Maybe! Christmas is my second favorite. Then I would have to say, St. Patrick’s Day.”
Lucas laughed. “Why?”
We both sat down and started to make our plates. “Hello! No one can throw a party like the Irish. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done a St. Patrick’s Day event and have nearly gotten trashed during it. They’re always so fun.”
He nodded. “I’ve been to some pretty fun parties. Okay, which one next? Valentine’s Day?”
Screwing up my face, I shook my head. “I can’t stand that holiday.”
Lucas’s eyes went wide. “Why not?”
I gave a half-shoulder shrug and prayed he didn’t see the lie on my face. My prayer, unfortunately, went unanswered.
“You’re lying. Tell me why you don’t like it.”
“It’s nothing, Lucas.”
He reached for my hand. “Please.”
I looked down at my plate of food and moved the eggs around with my fork. Not looking up at him, I spoke. “Our freshman year of high school, they had a sign-up to send a rose to your special valentine.”
“I remember that. It stopped after that year, though, and I never found out why.”
My eyes jerked up to look at him. “You didn’t know?”
“Know what?”
“A bunch of girls decided it would be fun to send me and Sarah black roses with some pretty cruel things written on them. Someone went so far as to put a dead mouse on one and put it in my locker.”
Lucas looked horrified. “I heard about that! I didn’t know it had happened to you and Sarah, though.”
“A couple of other girls as well. They all practiced witchcraft or have parents who did. Even though I didn’t, it was association through my sister.”
“Did they ever find out who put the dead mouse in your locker?”
My eyes met his, and I really didn’t want to tell him.
“It doesn’t matter. It was so long ago.”
“Hollie, who did it?”
I chewed nervously on my lower lip before I looked away and said, “Wendy.”
“Wendy? Wendy Hoffman?”
With a tight smile, I replied, “The one and only.”
“No wonder you can’t stand her. I never knew she did that to you.”
“She did a lot of things to me, Lucas. But by the end of our sophomore year, I learned to stand up to her. Plus, I might have told her I was going to put a hex on her. She pretty much left me alone after that. Although, I’m pretty sure Sarah did put a hex on her, even though she will deny it until she takes her last breath.”
“I’m so sorry, Hollie. I had no idea she treated you poorly.”
“It’s okay. It’s all water under the bridge.”
He reached for my hand and squeezed it. “I hate that we wasted so much time being so stupid.”
Smiling, I replied, “I think it worked out the way it was supposed to.”
Our eyes locked and I wondered if Lucas could feel the way the air sparkled between us.
I stood. “Let’s clean up. We both have a busy day ahead of us.”
“You get the dishes, and I’ll get the pans. I’m a messy cook and tend to use more things than I need to.”
Chuckling, I took our dishes and headed to the kitchen sink. I rinsed and placed items in the dishwasher as Lucas cleaned up the kitchen. When he made his way back over to me, he wrapped his arms around me.