Faking It with My Bossy Ex (Sweet Christmas Kisses)

10. Dylan

Chapter 10

Dylan

There was nothing left to come back for.

Her words keep replaying, like a broken record.

I wanted her to chase her dreams, not get anchored down by me. I'd seen what happened to my mom, trapped in a life without passion. She gave up her passions for my dad. She thought their love would overcome any resentment, but that wasn’t true.

I wanted to avoid the resentment in the first place, but I’d lost a whole lot more than I thought.

What I did was supposed to make things better, not drive her away from her hometown.

Seeing the sadness in her eyes hit me hard. I messed up, and I’m going to fix this. No matter what it takes.

She comes out of the front of the Cozy Haven lobby, a to-go cup of coffee in her hand. The tip of her nose is bright red, as are her lips, making her look like a porcelain doll against the white snowy backdrop.

If someone were to describe an angel to me, I would imagine Amy.

“Over here!” I wave.

She turns and comes toward me, eyeing the snowshoes I borrowed from Mrs. Parker suspiciously.

“Are we supposed to walk all the way into town with those on?”

I’d love to take the car, but the roads are a mess. Besides, we can take a shortcut if we go through the woods.

“If we walk with them off, we're not going to get very far. I'm up for it, spending all day lost in the woods with you, though. Just say the word.” I chuckle at her disgusted expression.

“Give me those snowshoes.” She brushes a bit of snow off of the bench out in front and it sits down. I watch her fumble with the latches for a couple of seconds, the adorable expression of frustration growing on her face.

“Let me help with those, or we're going to be here all day.” I kneel in front of her and position her boot over the plastic snowshoe, pulling the buckles across it.

“You don't have to help me with that. We look ridiculous.” She glances around, searching for whatever other poor soul is outside in this weather.

“Don't worry. The worst they can think is that I'm proposing. It's a quite natural thing to do on a couple’s Christmas getaway.”

My plans from years ago loom in my head. The wave of anxiety as I thought of proposing got to her. What would it have felt like to actually do it?

“Don't you even …” She shakes her head, at a loss for words.

As another couple steps outside, I lift an invisible ring box in my hands and put on my brightest smile.

“Amy Bennett, would you do me the honor of …”

She jolts up so fast she nearly topples over. My hands catch her waist on instinct, steadying her. Even through the heavy jacket, the feel of her is familiar, sparking something deep in my chest.

“Easy there,” I murmur, holding on a moment longer than I should. “Trying to fall into my arms already?”

She glares up at me, her cheeks pink from either the cold or something more. I'm not sure which option I'm hoping for.

“Everyone is going to think we’re engaged now! It’s bad enough lying about being a couple.” Amy shakes her head, then kneels and slips the other snowshoe on like an expert. She always was a fast learner. Trusting me is no exception. She’s made her mind up that it’s a bad idea.

“Ready to go? Do you want me to check the buckles?” I tease.

“No, I’ve got it. Thank you.” She sets out toward the trail that leads to town. These paths used to be ours. We'd race through here laughing, acting like we owned these woods. The memories hit hard, but I keep them locked away.

No point bringing up the past when I'm the one who burned it down.

“So, are you insisting on finding somewhere else to stay the night?”

“Yes.” She doesn’t elaborate.

“And if you can’t?”

“Then I guess we’re stuck with making the best of this little charade.” She motions between the two of us. I laugh.

“As you wish.”

“You’re impossible.”

“Impossibly brilliant?”

“No. Impossibly frustrating,” she mutters, but her cheeks betray her, warming with a blush.

Something in my chest tightens, and suddenly I'm eighteen again, watching her blush for the first time and knowing I'd spend my life trying to see it again.

And now, it’s my mission to see that blush paint Amy's cheeks.

***

My shoulders ache. One glance at Amy tells me she’s feeling it too, rubbing her neck and sighing under her breath. We’ve been at this for six hours straight. If this keeps up, we’re both going to need a back brace by the end of the week.

I’ve created a simple program on the computer to manage the basic information, and Amy is making printouts for the schedule now.

I cross the room and stop right behind her. Her shoulders tense, and I could almost bet she’s holding her breath, sensing me this close.

“How’s it going?” I ask, leaning in just enough to catch that familiar scent. She smells so good and it takes everything in me not to move even closer.

“What are you doing?” She asks, turning her face ever so slightly. She can’t turn her head too far, or she’d essentially be kissing me on the cheek.

“Just taking a look at your design. My eyesight isn't what it used to be.”

“I’m going to have to see a doctor’s note to confirm that,” her expression fills with doubt.

“It will be printed and on your desk first thing in the morning.” I reach out and tap the screen. “I think this is a typo.”

“Oh, you’re right.” I make her nervous. It’s apparent in the way her hand fidgets ever so slightly. Pulling back, I give her some space as I continue to read the schedule, but I miss the closeness. I miss us.

Just as the silence settles between us, the door flies open, and in comes Megan, full of energy and color, one of Amy's old college friends.

“Amy! Dylan! You’re back in Snowfall Springs, and together !” She rushes forward, hugging Amy and shaking my hand vigorously. “I never thought it would happen, especially after, well, you know, the breakup.”

I glance at Amy. She’s gone, so still, she might as well be a statue.

“Then after the whole Europe thing, you swore off men, but look at you now!” Megan jumps up and down, literally.

Europe? What happened in Europe that made Amy swear off men?

“It’s good to see you, Megan.” Amy finally gets in a word. “It’s good to be back.”

Does she really mean that?

“I can’t stay long, but I wanted to donate these things to the silent auction. There are a couple of coupons for my boutique, and I left two baskets of products out front. Had to do it in person so I could see the two of you and verify the rumors myself.” She pokes Amy’s shoulder, scrunching up her nose.

“It’s … true,” Amy mutters. “It all happened a little unexpectedly.” She’s struggling to play it cool, but Amy’s always been a terrible liar. I’m not sure if Megan is buying a single word she’s saying, but she grins anyway, looking between us like we’re her favorite new couple.

“Please come by the boutique when you have time. I want to hear all the juicy details, but I don't want to keep you from your work.” Megan gives Amy another hug, and the two discuss things about the fundraiser as Amy walks her out.

When Amy comes back, her eyes are frantic. “What should I do if she knows it's fake? She’ll think I lied to her and wanted to make a fool of her. What am I going to do?” She puts her hands to her head.

“Hey, it’s not a big deal. Just tell her the truth, and it can be an inside joke.” I cross the room. Amy would rather feel bad than make someone else feel as if they misunderstood something or be put in an awkward position.

“It is a big deal! She’s my friend.”

“Amy, relax. It’s just a week. You can tell Megan you broke up with me after that, broke my heart, and everything. It’s not going to matter in the long run.” I take her hands in mine. She draws in a sharp breath, her lips parting slightly.

Her hands are warm, soft, fitting perfectly in mine. It feels right, even if I know I have no right to think so.

“Right …” her gaze drops to our joined hands. “It won’t matter.”

It matters.

There has to be a reason that we ended up here, in Snowfall Springs, at the same time, working together on a project that is important to both of us. Maybe this is my shot at fixing everything I broke. And for the first time in a long time, I feel like that might actually be possible.

I wish the rumors were true, that Megan was right, that we were really together again.

And I’m going to do everything I can to make it happen.