Mistletoe & Hollywood (13 page)

The first people I wish to thank are my readers without whom this novella would never have been possible. You fell in love with Jack, just like I did. Your messages, your encouragement and your support continue to mean so much to me everyday; on the best days and especially the difficult days.

Thank you to my Assistant, Julie Burke, who has the thankless task of trying to keep me organized (so if you ordered or won a book, requested a turtle tattoo, or just needed an answer for something – and got it? Chances are Julie reminded me). The list goes on though: teasers? She made them. Facebook banners? Yep. Inside scoop on Clare and Jamie/ #SamCat? Yep. Staying up until 2 am to watch The Wedding Episode with me? She’s awesome. AND she’s an incredible person to boot.

And Lisa Wilhelm, my wonderful friend, supporter and Street Team admin (along with Julie), purveyor of color-coded candy and supplies (all in my favorite color). You’re amazing. I’m so lucky to know you. Thank you for everything you so.

Kate Roth. When you said you’d bundle a Christmas novella with me you made my year. And your cover is stunning! Thank you for being so talented and so fun to work with.

Judy Roth, my editor, who always makes my work shine. And Dave and Al, who are hard task masters and bring out my best. Tuesdays are my favorite day of the week. I miss seeing you both face to face.

Keep in touch! I’d love to hear from you!

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Also by Natasha Boyd

Eversea

Forever, Jack

IT HAD BEEN
two weeks since I’d seen Evan’s face in person and to say I was just about dying without him near me was an understatement. Seeing those hazel eyes on a video chat on my tablet didn’t do him justice. Seeing his face on the cover of a tabloid whenever I bought groceries made me wrinkle my nose in annoyance. What a tease. I missed the smell of his skin, the heat of his breath against my mouth.

We hadn’t been apart this long in months and it was killing me. I knew the long-distance thing would be hard, but I didn’t expect the random bouts of tears that overcame me at the most inconvenient times. Sometimes it would just hit me and I’d lose it. He’s this huge part of me and the days that I went without him made me feel empty. Georgia would just roll her eyes and hand me a glass of wine, a box of tissues, and turn on
Dirty Dancing
.

I missed Evan terribly and the fact that Christmas was right around the corner only made matters worse. I’d always thought Christmas was the most romantic time of year. It always made me all starry-eyed and hopeful, even though the extent of my holiday dating was when my ex, Kyle, took me to a hockey game. In my opinion, it was an epic failure of a holiday date—definitely not what I had in mind when I slyly mentioned something romantic at the ice rink. But nothing, no blunder or lack of love in my life, had ever changed my mind about the season. Hot cocoa, twinkling lights, and silver bells made my heart swell. And now that I had Evan Weston in my life, I couldn’t wait to see what Christmas with him would do to my heart.

My phone buzzed on the comforter near my knees and I leapt for it, splaying out on my stomach on the bed as I answered. “Hello?”

Evan chuckled softly before he spoke. He probably heard my huff of breath and knew I’d dived for the phone. “Hey, baby.”

The sound of his voice made my lips curve into a grin as I glanced at the clock. His flight was due to take off in thirty minutes. It was late and I’d been waiting at home for hours, periodically checking in on the status of his itinerary. He was nearly within reach. Just a little longer and he would be with me for ten whole days. “Are you at the airport?”

I heard him sigh on the other end and my stomach dropped before he confirmed my fear. “I’m sorry, Dani. I couldn’t get away,” he said. “The shoot ran over and…I’m sorry. I’ll get out there tomorrow. Christmas Eve at the latest, I swear.”

“No,” I whined as I sat up in bed and rubbed at my temple. “Evan, we said we weren’t going to keep letting this happen. If we make plans, we have to stick to them. We have to make each other a priority or this won’t work.”

The words passing my lips made sickening goosebumps prickle my skin. This had to work. I loved him too much.

“You are a priority. I’m so sorry. Don’t hate me,” he said softly.

A deep sigh huffed out of me and I slumped back onto my bed, absently looking out my window as snow fell against the deep navy blue of the night sky. “I don’t hate you. I’m just sad. Christmas is in three days. If I’d known you weren’t going to come, I would’ve gone to my parents’ place.”

“I’ll be there by Christmas. Promise. I can’t miss kissing you under the mistletoe,” he said and I distinctly heard that classic smirk in his voice.

I smiled despite the fact that I was aching over the news. Georgia had taken off for her grandmother’s house earlier so I’d be all alone until Evan arrived. I fell silent for a moment and heard Evan suck in a breath. I didn’t want to be mad at him—both of us had been guilty of missing flights and trains, and changing our weekend date plans at the last minute due to work—but it was Christmas. It was our first holiday together and I’d been looking forward to it for so long. Maybe I’d built it up too much in my mind, imagining him making some huge romantic gesture. No matter what he did or didn’t do, I just wanted to be with him.

“I know it doesn’t make up for anything, but did you get my package?” Evan asked, breaking the silence that had me overthinking almost to the point of tears.

“What package?”

“I had an early Christmas gift sent to your place. You didn’t get it? Maybe they left it on the front steps of the building. Will you go check?”

My brow wrinkled as I stood and peeked out the window even though I knew I didn’t have a clear enough view of the front stoop. “It’s snowing,” I protested.

Evan chuckled and the sound made my heart flutter. “So bundle up. Please? If I can’t see your face when you open it, I at least want to hear your voice when you see what it is.”

I groaned and my feet led me to my closet. “Fine. Let me cover up. But it’s your fault if I get frostbite,” I teased.

“Ooh, what are you wearing? Is it skimpy?”

I laughed as I grabbed a long, thick cardigan and slipped it over my tank top and shorts. “You should’ve shown up to see it yourself. Your loss,” I reminded him as I headed to the front door. I snatched my keys off the hook at the entryway and shoved my bare feet into the pair of fur-lined boots I essentially lived in from October to March in Philly.

My breath was immediately stolen by the cold when I stepped outside. “Fuck, it’s freezing,” I blurted through chattering teeth, pulling my sweater tighter over my chest. I wished I would’ve put some pants on, the biting air painfully blowing against my bare knees. Glancing around the snow-covered steps and street, I didn’t see anything.

“It’s not out here. Maybe the weather delayed it,” I said, turning to head back inside.

“You sure about that?”

I heard his voice as an echo from both directions, from the speaker held to my ear and from the street. I spun around and barreled down the snowy steps so fast it’s a miracle I didn’t slip and break my neck.

Evan was standing at the curb, leaning against the driver’s side door of a huge black Escalade with a smirk on his lips and a dark red scarf around his neck. He was in his leather jacket, holding the phone to his ear. God, I’d missed that face. He looked so beautiful standing there—like a dream. I crashed into him, wrapping my arms around his neck, suddenly unaffected by the icy wind whipping around my exposed skin. I breathed in his cologne and refused to let go. Evan hummed into my hair and squeezed me tight, shifting for a moment to slip his phone in his pocket.

“Merry Christmas, baby,” he said, pulling back to look down at me.

I looked up into his hazel eyes and smiled brightly before my expression crumbled and I shoved his chest, making him stumble back toward the SUV with a little chuckle.

“You little shit!”

Evan threw his head back with a laugh and stepped closer to me again, taking my face in his warm hands. “There’s that sassy little mouth I love,” he breathed.

I cracked a smile and gripped the front of his leather jacket possessively. I didn’t want him going anywhere. I couldn’t let him out of my grasp; I was too desperate for him.

He leaned in close and touched his lips to mine, warming me instantly. I moaned at the feeling and pressed my body into his as he deepened the kiss. A booming bark rang out from behind Evan and I jumped back with wide eyes. Glancing past him, I saw Fifi, Evan’s eighty pound Rottweiler, poking her head out the back window of the black SUV. When she saw me her tongue fell out of her mouth happily and she woofed again.

My eyes were stinging with tears. My family had come for Christmas. “You drove here?” I asked, my voice breaking, wrought with emotion.

“There wasn’t a chance in hell I’d miss this many days in a row with you,” Evan replied. His thumb swept tenderly over the apple of my cheek. “But…” Suddenly his grin turned impish and he licked at his bottom lip to hide the mischief he had to have been conjuring.

“What?” I asked, rearing back from him. My legs and face were starting to go numb from the cold and I had to know what he was up to.

“But we aren’t staying here,” he finished. “You need to go inside and pack.”

Another loud woof from Fifi made me jump but I still stared at Evan in disbelief. He always had a plan. He saw the confusion and worry in my face and rolled his eyes with a smirk.

“Just trust me, Dani. I know you know how.”