12 Days of Mistletoe

46. Elliot

FORTY-SIX

elliot

Did I jump the gun on ending tabling? Sure.

Do I care? No way.

Whose dumb idea was that anyway? Oh yeah, mine.

As my lips explore Bonnie’s, her warmth, her breath, her sweetness—I regret nothing.

Tabling things with Bonnie may have been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Realizing Jess and I weren’t compatible, losing her, and watching her move on with someone else wasn’t this difficult.

Bonnie’s arms are around my neck, her body flush against me, and her mouth is just as eager as mine. So, I don’t care that there are a hundred other people in this house watching us. I am engrossed and happy with my task at hand—kissing Bonnie Miller silly. So engrossed that I hardly notice when there’s a tap on my left shoulder.

When the tapper decides to clear their throat, Bonnie freezes up. She bobs from her toes to her heels, creating space between us. Depleting that space, she hides her face in my chest, and I feel the rumble of her small laughter.

I turn to glare at the intruder—but it’s Gran. My gran. I can’t glare at her—not to mention, I am the one causing a scene at her very formal party.

“Sorry, Gran,” Bonnie says, turning her head to face my grandmother. “I want to keep him.”

My heart pounds with her admission and I hold her tighter.

My gran’s smile brightens. “I think that’s a very good idea, dear.” Gran’s eyes slide from Bonnie to me. “I have a gift for you, Elliot.”

I clear my throat—I’d kind of like to get back to the whole Bonnie-wants-to-keep-me thing. “Now?”

“Yes. Now .”

Couples dance around us, a few gawking—at either my passionate kiss with Bonnie or Gran interrupting, I’m not sure.

“You want my building. You want to take care of my tenants and make Cherry Plum a home, just like your grandfather and I did.”

I nod and run my fingers over Bonnie’s back. I hold her so close that I can feel the beating of her heart.

“Well, that’s fine, grandson. But you need to know that the greatest work your grandfather and I ever carried out together was loving one another, raising two children together, and spending time with our grandchildren. You have memories of working with Gramps and me in that building you love so much. But that was us simply being with you. Loving you. Teaching you. Caring for you. My children, grandchildren, and husband are the greatest works of my life.” She breathes in, her eyes lifting to mine. “Your gift.” She holds out an envelope.

I release Bonnie, my eyes glued to that blue envelope, and open it up. I pull out official-looking paperwork and read. My gaze flicks up to Gran. “The deed to Cherry Plum?”

“Yes,” Gran says, a sweet smile on her lips.

“I have a loan approved and I’ll?—”

“We’ll figure it all out. In time. And you will run that place with dignity and kindness. And I think you’ll do it while teaching your own family, just like your grandfather and I did. My only stipulation is this: you must allow dogs in the building.” She smiles a satisfied grin. “Now, carry on. Kiss your girl, Elliot James.”

Bonnie presses her forehead to my chest once more, smothering a laugh.

“Did that just happen? Do I own Cherry Plum now?”

Tilting her head, Bonnie peers up at me. “You do. And she’s right, you’ll do a wonderful job.”

I lean in to press another kiss to her lips, but she stops me with two fingers. “This is all real—no more pretending?”

“No more pretending.”

“Good. I do not like pretending.”

“I didn’t think it was so bad. It gave me an excuse to kiss you. To see you,” I say, offering her half a grin.

She flutters her eyes in a roll and smothers down a laugh. “True. But I think we should stick to real from now on.”

“Absolutely.”

With her arms around my neck, she sways in my arms on this makeshift dance floor. “If we’re starting new and fresh, we have to come clean to your family.”

I lift my brows. That had never crossed my mind. And confessing to Mom sounds scary. “Do we?”

“Elliot, we can’t lie to them about us or where we’re at or how all this started. That’s the opposite of what your gran was just talking about. That’s still pretending.” Her fingers slide around my tie and she peers up at me with the most earnest eyes I’ve ever seen. Those are eyes I’d like to look into each and every day for the rest of my life.

“Okay, Bon Bon. You’ve made your point. We’ll tell them.”

She lifts on her toes and presses one single kiss to my lips. “Thank you,” she whispers, making all the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. “And don’t call me Bon Bon.”

“It’s either that or I’ve been considering Bonnie Belle. Which do you prefer?”

“You’re not calling me that either,” she says, her lips twitching.

I slide my hands to her waist, cupping the bodice of her dress and dragging her closer. “I’ll make you a deal: you wear this dress every day for the rest of our lives, and I’ll call you whatever you want.”

Bonnie’s fingers slide up my neck and through the back of my hair. “Deal,” she says before pulling my lips down to hers.