Mistletoe Motel

12. Holly

Chapter 12

Holly

H olly sipped her mulled wine, savoring the warm spices as they danced across her tongue. The Mistletoe Diner buzzed with festive energy around her, but her focus remained on Mack, who sat across the table, phone in hand. The soft glow from the screen illuminated Mack’s face as she video-called her sister. She was wearing jeans and a black cashmere sweater and she looked so attractive Holly couldn’t keep her eyes off her.

Holly was still buzzing after their make-out session and all she could think of was that she wanted more. So much more. She’d called her parents earlier and could hardly concentrate on the conversation.

“Still no contractions?” Mack asked.

Holly listened intently, picking up the muffled voice on the other end confirming that labor hadn’t started yet. She couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt—part of her was selfishly glad that Mack was still here with her, even as she understood how important it was for Mack to be there for her sister’s big moment.

“How are you holding up, Mack?” the voice from the phone asked, louder this time. “It must be incredibly frustrating being stranded like this.”

Mack’s eyes flicked up, meeting Holly’s gaze. A small smile played at the corners of her mouth. “You know what? Being stranded isn’t so bad after all,” she replied, her tone light. “As long as the baby waits until I can get there, I’m doing just fine.”

Holly grinned sheepishly. The way Mack looked at her, with that mixture of mischief and affection, made her weak in every limb. It was hard to believe that just yesterday, they’d been strangers arguing at an airport. Now, here they were, sharing secret smiles in a kitschy diner, their legs tangled together underneath the table.

“Oh, really?” Mack’s sister’s voice held a note of curiosity. “Please explain because we were all feeling sorry for you.”

Mack’s grin widened. “Well, I’ve made a new friend. Want to meet her?” Without waiting for a response, Mack turned the phone around. “Mom, Dad, Sis—this is Holly. She’s stranded too and we’re about to have dinner together.”

Caught off guard, Holly quickly swallowed her mouthful of wine and waved at the screen. “Hi there,” she said, hoping her voice didn’t betray her nervousness. “It’s nice to meet you all.”

Three smiling faces peered back at her from the phone screen. Mack’s sister—heavily pregnant and glowing—sat in the center of a big white couch, flanked by an older couple Holly assumed were Mack’s parents. The family resemblance was striking; they all shared Mack’s warm, expressive eyes, but none of them had brightly colored hair or looked eccentric in any way.

“Holly!” Mack’s sister exclaimed. “So you’re the reason my sister isn’t chomping at the bit to get home. I’m Sarah, by the way. That’s Mom and Dad.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Holly,” Mack’s mother chimed in, her smile warm and welcoming. “I hope you’re both staying safe in that storm.”

Holly nodded, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sudden introduction. “We’re doing our best,” she assured them. “The people here in Watertown have been incredibly kind. I’m sure Mack will tell you all about it when she finally makes it home. The storm has died down a bit, so we’re hoping we might be able to get a car or a flight tomorrow.”

The family on the other end of the call mumbled their hopeful agreement, and Mack got up to sit next to Holly.

As Holly watched Mack interact with her family, she felt a pang of longing. She thought of her own parents, waiting for her in Minneapolis. Would they ever accept her the way Mack’s family seemed to embrace Mack? She pushed the thought aside, not wanting to dwell on it in this moment of joy.

“So, Holly,” Sarah’s voice brought her attention back to the conversation. “What do you do when you’re not getting stranded in charming small towns with strange women?”

Holly laughed. “I’m a corporate lawyer, actually. Mergers and acquisitions, mostly.”

“Ooh, sounds fancy,” Sarah teased. “Mack, you better watch out. Sounds like you’ve found yourself a real catch.”

“Oh, we’re not…” Mack chuckled nervously. “It’s not what you think, it’s… I mean…”

Holly felt her cheeks warm, and she noticed a faint blush creeping up Mack’s neck as well as she tried to scramble her way out of the situation. “We’re just friends,” she lied, backing up Mack. Whatever was happening between them, it was way too soon to discuss with outsiders.

“Sure. Of course.” Mack’s sister shot them a teasing smile. Well, enjoy your dinner, ladies. I’ve got a sudden craving for pizza, so I might order us a few. Mack, keep us posted if anything changes with your travel situation, okay?”

“Will do,” Mack promised. “And you let me know the second anything starts happening with that baby, got it?”

After a round of goodbyes, Mack ended the call and returned to her seat across the table. She leaned back in her chair as she looked at Holly.

“So, that’s my family. I’m sorry they drew conclusions. I didn’t know what to say.”

“That’s okay. They seem wonderful,” Holly said honestly. “Very warm and sweet. You’re lucky to have them.”

“I am,” Mack agreed. “I know not everyone has it so easy when it comes to family.”

The unspoken reference to Holly’s own family situation hung in the air between them. Holly appreciated that Mack didn’t push the subject but simply reached across the table to give her hand a gentle squeeze.

“What about the father of the baby? I noticed there was no man there.”

“The father’s not in the picture.” Mack shrugged. “Sarah went to Cabo with friends for a vacation and a few weeks later she found out she was pregnant. It was a drunken encounter. He wasn’t exactly the love of her life. She didn’t even remember his last name, but after coming down from the initial shock, she decided to raise the baby by herself.” Her thumb traced lazy circles on the back of Holly’s hand, sending shivers up her arm.

“That’s so brave of her.”

“You know what? I think it will be good for her. I think the baby will give her the sense of purpose in life she’s been looking for. Sarah’s always been the wild child in the family,” Mack said. “She dropped out of school, and she had several jobs before she finally found one she liked, working at an animal shelter. Her relationships have been tumultuous—she tends to go for the bad boys, and it never ends well. But this pregnancy… It’s like it’s given her a new focus. I’ve never seen her so determined and excited about anything before.”

Holly smiled. “Sometimes the unexpected things in life end up being exactly what we need,” she mused, her eyes meeting Mack’s. The double meaning wasn’t lost on either of them.

“Speaking of unexpected…” Mack lowered her voice as she leaned in closer. “I can’t stop thinking about earlier. In our room.”

“Me neither,” Holly admitted. “I know we should probably talk about…whatever this is between us. But right now, all I can think about is kissing you again and …” She looked down at the placemat in front of her, studying the slogan. Mistletoe Diner: Where Strangers Become Friends and Friends Become Family. She wasn’t sure what she was trying to say; the past twenty-four hours had been a whirlwind. “Well,” she finally continued, “I guess I’m thinking about the fact that we’ll be sharing a bed again tonight.”

Mack’s eyes darkened, and Holly watched as she swallowed hard. But before she could respond, Marty appeared at their table, his Santa hat slightly askew and his cheeks rosy with holiday cheer. “Ho-ho-ho!” he boomed, setting down two plates. “Here’s your starter, ladies! Corn fritters and cheese curds—battered and deep-fried, served with ranch dressing.”

The moment broken, Holly and Mack leaned back, both a little flustered.

“This looks…amazing, Marty,” Holly managed, trying to regain her composure. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure!” Marty beamed. “And don’t forget, leave some room for the famous Mistletoe turkey and dessert!”

Mack chuckled, picking up her fork. “Well, let’s try this. It would be a shame to let Marty’s famous food go to waste.” She speared a piece of cheese curd and held it out for Holly to try.

Holly bit into it, enjoying the crispy exterior and gooey center. With Mack’s smile filling her heart and the taste of fried cheese on her tongue, she savored an even sweeter taste—a hint of new beginnings, wrapped in tinsel and served with a side of serendipity.