Witching You Weren’t Snowed In (Witching You #2)

Chapter 8

Sage

“This is somehow the most perfect and the most appalling thing I’ve ever seen.” I unhooked the elf costume from the rack and laid it flat on the dressing room table.

Leo’s assistant, Valerie, peered over my shoulder and let out a snort that was anything but delicate. “It’s the green velvet tunic that does it for me.”

“Really? I love the faux fur around the cuffs and the red and white striped knee socks. They’re so whimsical. You’re sure this will fit?” I asked, jingling the bell sewn into the tip of the felt hat.

“I'm positive. I sneaked into Leo's closet and took detailed measurements.”

Valerie was nothing, if not precise. I liked her immediately when we met for drinks to discuss my plan and arrange Leo’s schedule. She’d been sworn to secrecy about the first step in my strategy to save the resort, and seeing as how Leo hadn’t strapped on a pair of skis and raced out of town, I knew I’d found a trustworthy ally .

“It’s almost time. Where’s our soon-to-be reluctant elf?” I peeked outside the dressing room, already hearing the commotion from the families standing in line outside our Santa’s pop-up village.

The visit with Santa was an annual event in town with a line that usually snaked around the street. This year was no different. We’d had to bribe one of the volunteers to take the day off, but Valerie had worked her magic and offered him a free lift ticket. Hit the slopes or spend the day trying to entertain children tired of waiting in line? To him, it was a no-brainer. To us, it was the spot we needed to put the plan in motion.

“Leo’s on his way. I may have hinted this was going to be part of an advertising campaign and there would be cameras.”

“There will be cameras all right. But I don’t think he’s going to want to be in front of one.”

Valerie pressed a fist against her mouth to keep from laughing, then grabbed a mini candy cane from the basket of favors. “I’ll go wait in the parking lot and make sure he comes in through the back so it won’t ruin the surprise.”

“Try to grab his keys so he won’t have access to a getaway car.”

“Ooh, good call.”

The mischievous gleam in her eyes was catchy, but I couldn’t help the nerves whipping around like snow flurries inside my stomach. I took a long, deep breath as Valerie slipped out of the dressing room and shut the door. I’d never been this unsettled handling a case before. Then again, a case had never felt so personal, or so emotionally precarious.

Running into Leo again hadn’t gone the way I’d expected. I thought if it ever happened, I’d do one of those epic power moves where I strut past, hair blowing in the wind, while he watched in agony, realizing his great loss.

Instead, after the tea shop incident and a grocery store run-in, I ended up feeding him my homemade cranberry sauce. Then I forked over the last piece of pie, all while dressed in my Thanksgiving sweatpants.

I’d put a moratorium on memory lane, then threw the gates open myself, the moment I spotted an old pair of skis. I might as well have shouted from the mountaintop that I remember everything about our time together. Every story. Every joke. All the way to the bitter end.

The only agony in our reunion was mine, and I should be hiding under a blanket with a punchbowl of spiked eggnog, but weirdly, I wouldn’t have changed anything.

I think my heart broke a little seeing him eating that awful frozen meal alone. Especially on a day reserved for spending time with family and friends. It reminded me of eating alone in the school cafeteria, watching everyone around me laugh and trade their snacks. I always wished I could be anyone else. Even if it was just until the bell rang.

Maybe it was the maturity—I glanced again at the elf costume—okay, definitely not the maturity. But there was something to be said about examining your past and giving someone a second chance. If I had done my glorious power move, I wouldn’t have recognized myself in Leo, or witnessed his hard work in restoring the lodge.

I certainly wouldn’t have cozied up to him on the sofa and waited anxiously to hear his thoughts on my plan, or felt a flutter of warmth when he put his trust in me. I blame the rustic charm and heat from the fireplace, and that’s the mantle I’m dying on.

Leo had once helped me feel less alone, and while it hadn’t mattered as much to him as it did to me, now our roles were reversed. We might only be working together because of our bargain, but helping people around Christmastime was my calling, and award or no award, I was absurdly good at it.

There was a knock at the door, and Leo entered wearing a dark pair of sunglasses. His hair had an effortless windswept look, and he wore one of those cable-knit sweaters with the zipper pulled down a few inches. The glasses came off with one smooth motion, and he slanted me an irresistible smile.

“I’m ready for my close-up.” Leo cocked his head, allowing a lock of hair to fall flawlessly in front of his eye. “You probably don’t know this about me, but I have done some modeling in the past.”

My lips trembled. Delia was right. Revenge was the sweetest thing on earth. Never skimp on the revenge.

I bit my cheek hard before I gave myself away. “I thought you had. Your previous experience is going to help you shine today. ”

“So what am I wearing? Is it a laid-back leather jacket in front of a roaring fireplace? Will there be an adoring golden retriever and a green screen?”

Valerie was my hero. She couldn’t have prepped him better.

“No dog, I’m afraid, but there will be plenty of green.” I picked up the elf costume in one hand, then grabbed the black ankle boots with curled toes in the other.

Leo’s features froze in horror. “I’m not wearing that.”

“You are, and you better hurry. The kids are getting anxious.” I shook the costume and gestured with the boots toward the changing screen.

The glee fell from my lips as Leo’s eyes darkened; the brown molasses of his iris’ turning to coal.

He stepped closer, his shoulders bunching beneath the cable-knit sweater. Each thud of his boots echoed in my ears, warning me to toss the costume and make a run for it.

Thud … This was a mistake!

Thud … He was joking about the candy cane shivs, right?

Thud… Honestly? Leo in villain mode was kind of hot.

I held my ground. Forget burnout. I needed a top ten list of ways to stop lusting after the man who wanted to wring my neck.

Cue mindful breathing…or any breathing at all.

My heart tripped over itself as his mouth dropped to my ear. A sizzling moment passed where neither of us moved. His fingers closed over mine, taking the hanger from my hand at the same time his warm breath brushed my cheek.

“Well played, Bennett. I hope you’re keeping score. ”

I exhaled a shuddery breath when he moved past me and disappeared behind the dressing screen. Sweet snowballs that was intense. Revenge might be exquisite, but it had a mean sucker-punch. It also strangely smelled like pine. Had Leo changed his aftershave?

“You forgot the shoes,” I mumbled, still dazed enough to step behind the screen.

Leo had removed his sweater, and I got an eyeful of toned shoulders, corded arms, and abs that had no right hiding beneath wool—or any type of fiber for that matter. Fool that I was, I stared. For way longer than I should.

Worth it. Do what brings you joy.

Of course, he caught me. You tend to notice when you’re half-naked and someone is standing next to you holding a ridiculous pair of elf shoes.

He took the shoes—completely shameless—a knowing gleam radiating in his eyes. “Thanks. I think there’s a hat, too.”

“Right, the hat.” I stumbled away from the screen, pressing my fingers into the bridge of my nose. What was wrong with me? I acted like I’d never seen a man’s chest before or hadn’t been the driving force in creating last year’s Flame and Frost calendar. Twelve months of seasonal wonders, all in the name of raising money for a local fire station. Talk about a fundraiser. I still had mine hanging by the closet.

“You’re supposed to be a professional,” I grumbled under my breath. “Stop imagining Leo as Mr. December and act like one.”

Valerie knocked and poked her head through the door. “How is everything going in here?”

I grabbed the hat and glanced over at the dressing screen. “We’re both still alive, though barely. He’ll be ready in a minute.”

Valerie crooked her finger and coaxed me closer. “We have a problem.”

“What’s the matter? Are people leaving?”

“No, nothing like that. The other elf never showed, and well, Santa needs two.” She slipped another hanger holding a costume through the gap in the door.

Alarm slithered up my spine. “No, he doesn’t. You’re making that up.”

“Sorry. It’s in his contract. I would fill in. I really would. But I have to prepare for the thing we talked about.” Her eyebrows wriggled with conspiratorial delight. “So you’re up. Both of you are on in five,” she said, shutting the door in my face.

“No, wait!” I whisper-shouted, now holding the smaller, female version of Leo’s elf costume.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. I was meant to look cute and polished while Leo was set to look like he’d just stepped off the red eye from the North Pole.

I looked daggers at the green dress with red trim and cinched leather belt. The gold buckle twinkled in the overhead light, mocking me.

“Was that Valerie? That woman took my car keys and now I know why.” Leo had finished changing and stood behind me, rifling through the basket of mini candy canes. “Are these for us too?” he asked, popping one out of the plastic wrapper and sticking it under his tongue. His gaze bounced between my panic-stricken expression and the elf costume in my hand.

It wasn’t difficult to infer what had happened.

He sucked on the candy cane. “I know you tried to embarrass me, Bennett. But you can’t. Because I look good. Even in this getup. Seems like your plan failed, and now you have to wear one, too.”

“My plans do not fail.” I swept past him toward the changing screen. “No peeking!” I shouted over the top of the wall.

Leo chuckled. “I would never. That’s your job.”

I clenched my jaw and shimmied out of my skinny jeans. Maybe the costume wouldn’t fit. What were the odds that the girl who didn’t show was my exact size? Then again, what were the odds Leo could pull off an elf costume? He looked goofy, of course, but in a sexy way, like he was in on the joke and confident enough to pull it off.

“Revenge only works in the movies,” I muttered as I buttoned the front of the velvet A-line dress. The skirt fell above my knees and the belt fit snugly around my waist. I slipped my striped stockinged feet into the pointed shoes and sighed.

This was happening. Might as well make the best of it. I’d save a reindeer. It was only a matter of time before I played Santa’s helper, too.

I stepped from behind the screen and planted my hands on my hips. “Don’t say a word. ”

The candy cane crunched between Leo’s teeth. He went still; his gaze dipping to my boots, sliding slowly up my stockings, then settled somewhere around my fur neckline.

“Stop it!” I hissed. “This is a family event. That is not a PG-rated look.”

I should know, I gave the same look a trial run not ten minutes ago.

“You started it.” He leaned in, settling the elf hat on my head with a soft jingle. “So what’s the plan, boss?”

The plan? Right—the plan that did not include dragging Leo behind the dressing screen so I could manifest a little more of my missing joy.

I squared my shoulders. “The plan is to hand out candy canes. Smile at folks, and when I announce your proposal to rebuild the skating rink and gazebo at the resort, do exactly as I say.”

“Great. You’re going to start a riot at a kid’s event. Have you thought through scarring children’s memories of the time they met Santa? Instead of an elf, I should dress up as Freddy Kreuger.”

I placed both hands on Leo’s shoulders and forcefully turned him toward the door. He grabbed the basket of candy canes before I pushed him through.

“It’s showtime,” I said as we walked side-by-side into Santa’s village like two elves going into a tinsel-strewn battle.