Holidate

by Monica Murphy

  I’m the head barista at Sweet Dreams. I make the best coffees you’ll ever drink in all of Carmel-by-the-Sea, if I do say so myself. I’m not bragging either.

  Go read my YELP reviews.

  Anyway, I’m minding my own business as one does, wiping down the giant espresso machine during a rare lull, when the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Goosebumps break out all over my body and I go completely still.

  Someone’s watching me.

  And I’m pretty sure I know exactly who it is.

  Glancing up, I don’t spot him at first. The café is crowded with people. Every single table is occupied, and the low murmur of many different voices talking fills my ears. I frown, my gaze darting from one side of the room to the other and then…

  Oh God.

  There he is.

  Carter in the flesh.

  Smirking at me.

  Caroline warned me her big brother was returning to the area. And I should clarify that she didn’t actually warn me. More like she mentioned that little fact during casual conversation last week. It shouldn’t feel like a big deal that he’s back, you know? Who cares?

  *Quietly raises my hand*

  I care. It’s a total big deal.

  You want to know why? No one else is privy to this information. It’s my—and well, fine plus Carter’s—little secret. I’ve never told a soul, not to any of my friends. Certainly not my family because my father and big brothers would probably kill him.

  My big Italian family is very overprotective.

  I’ve never told Caroline either. I didn’t want to get her hopes up. Or I didn’t want them to come crashing down either. Plus, it’s just awkward, you know?

  I can literally feel you all thinking, hurry up and tell us the big secret, you loser!

  Sorry, let’s break it down.

  About a year ago or so, Carter came into town. Looking mighty, mighty fine, but what else is new? A big group of us went to Tuscany for dinner, the restaurant my family owns and my brothers run.

  The wine (free) is flowing. The food (also free) is delicious. The mysterious looks Carter’s sending me across the table for the majority of the night are smoldering.

  I smoldered right back.

  No one’s paying attention to us. Specifically my brothers, who are too busy working. And specifically Caroline, again I would like to mention that she’s Carter’s sister, who is sending smoldering looks to her boyfriend/fiancé, whatever you want to call him, Alex.

  Eventually, I make my way to the bathroom. I’m stumbling a little, but relatively composed. I go alone—shocker, women rarely like to go to the bathroom alone—but I got that sense. You know the one I’m talking about. I had a feeling someone might follow me there.

  Guys.

  I.

  Was.

  Right.

  I really didn’t have to pee, thank God. Within seconds of me walking into the bathroom, Carter slipped inside the room with me and locked the door before leaning against it, sending me more of those smoldering looks without saying a word.

  Again, I smoldered right back. It was sort of hot, that we really weren’t speaking. We were communicating purely through our eyes, our body language. He wanted me.

  I knew it.

  And I wanted him too.

  He proceeded to lift me onto the edge of the sink (don’t worry, it’s clean, my brothers run a super tight ship), and kissed me until I was breathless.

  Lots of other things happened in that bathroom, which you’ll find out about later. After dinner was finished and we all went our separate ways, Carter followed me back to my apartment that I share with his freaking sister. Caroline went to Alex’s so I knew we were in the clear.

  Yes. I had sex with Carter Abbott all night long. Multiple times. This means multiple orgasms happened too, and guys.

  It was amazing.

  Then that asshole snuck out while I was sleeping and I haven’t seen him since! No text, no note on the pillow or lipstick on the mirror saying, had a great time, TTYL.

  Nothing.

  What a jerk, right?

  I’m staring that jerk square in the eye at this very moment, and rage fills me. Worse, lust also fills me, and I hate that I’m still so attracted to him.

  And by the way he’s looking at me, I’m thinking the feeling is mutual.

  Shit.

  I’m in trouble.

  Want to read more? Preorder HATE TO DATE YOU!

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  Hate to Date You

  Love Christmas romances?

  Check out this excerpt from my alter ego Karen Erickson for CHRISTMAS IN LONE PINE!

  “I want to ride in the truck!”

  Jane smiled at her six-year-old son, Logan, as she watched him in the rearview mirror. His eyes were wide as saucers and energy radiated off his body in waves. He couldn’t stop fidgeting in his seat and even his voice shook. She knew he couldn’t wait to get to the fire station. “I don’t know if they’ll take you for a ride, but they’ll definitely let you check out the truck.”

  “Yay!” Logan raised his arms and pumped his fists, looking pleased as punch.

  His older sister, Lexi, on the other hand, had a sulky expression on her face, her arms crossed in front of her. Three-year-old Sophia slept blissfully in the car seat between them, with not a care in the world.

  “I don’t wanna go,” Lexi said for what felt like the millionth time. “I don’t care about stupid trucks. I wanted to go to Kylee’s house and play.”

  Sighing, Jane turned onto the road that led to the fire station. “I know, but this was Uncle Mac’s idea. We don’t want to disappoint him, do we?”

  “No!” Logan shouted, nearly bouncing out of his seat.

  “I don’t care. He won’t be mad if we change our minds,” Lexi said. “Kylee was so sad when I told her I couldn’t come over.”

  Jane ignored Lexi’s complaint. She’d been going on about Kylee’s hurt feelings since breakfast that morning. “The firefighters are doing this specially for us. Giving us a tour, letting us check out the station and see what they do. We have to be respectful, Lexi.”

  Her daughter didn’t answer, just turned to stare out the window, her arms still crossed in front of her, lips pursed. Jane let her wallow in her misery and instead, concentrated on the winding road that followed along the southwest side of the lake in her little hometown.

  It was still hard for her to believe she’d permanently moved back to Lone Pine Lake. Of course, she never thought she’d survive a horrific house fire, either. Or that she’d be left alone to raise three children under the age of eight.

  Well, she wasn’t really alone, and that was the reason she was back —most of her family was still living in Lone Pine. Her parents could help her, along with her brothers and sister. She needed her family’s help, though she was loath to admit it. It had been almost two years since the devastating fire that had taken her husband’s life, and her body was still recovering.

  As was were her heart and mind.

  She shook her head, pushed the memories away, and looked around. Jane rarely came over to this side of the lake. A few restaurants and boat launches, along with cabins for rent, proved this part of Lone Pine was clearly for the summer folk. And Jane was once again a townie.

  Nerves ate her insides and she tugged at her hair, bringing it across her right cheek as best she could. The scars weren’t as noticeable anymore, at least to her. Most of the burns she’d suffered on the right side of her face had been second degree. She’d looked as if she’d been horrifically sunburned for months on end.

  But along the left side of her face, her temple, and down across her cheek to her jaw, she had third-degree burns, which had necessitated skin grafting. And skin grafting meant scars. They’d warped and marbled her skin. She tried her best to hide them, styling her hair a certain way, holding her head at a tilt so maybe no one would notice.

  She didn’t like to think of the scars that marked the
rest of her. Her left side had taken the worst hit. Her arm, her torso, down her thigh, stopping at just above her knee, she was covered. Her back, too.

  And then there was the all-consuming guilt that hung over her like a dark, foreboding cloud. She’d survived. Stephen hadn’t. She’d put her family through years of torture and misery…

  “Are we almost there?” Logan’s voice rang so loud in the car that Jane winced when she saw Sophia give a startled jump in her sleep.

  “Almost, Logan, yes,” Jane said, using her best quiet voice, even though she knew it wouldn’t matter. Logan had only one volume—loud.

  He gave another shout and Lexi yelled at him to be quiet. “You’re hurting my ears!”

  They were both hurting Jane’s ears, but she tried to ignore them. Chose to focus instead on the gorgeous fall Saturday, the vivid red, orange, and yellow shades of the turning leaves. A breeze rustled through the trees, even the surface of the lake rippled with the wind, and she was thankful she’d made everyone wear a sweater—much to the protest of Logan, who, it seemed, would spend every season clad in a short-sleeve T-shirt and shorts if he could.

  Her younger brother, Mac, had organized the trip to the state wild land fire station as a way to combat the strong fear her children had for fire. Fire was what took their dad and damaged their mom, and it scared them tremendously. The captain of the station was a good friend of his, Mac had said. A little tour would help ease their fears, he was sure.

  Jane wasn’t so convinced. Her children had every right to be afraid. She was afraid of fire, too: she didn’t burn candles anymore, though she used to. Her family liked to get together for giant bonfires in the fall, but she avoided them now. And the house they were living in, her brother Patrick’s home that he kept for his family’s holiday visits, had a grand, majestic river-rock fireplace that demanded to be lit during the cold winter months that were ahead.

  She couldn’t even look at a lighter without flinching, let alone try to start a fire.

  Up ahead, the station loomed, an older structure painted in faded shades of industrial pale green with forest green trim. It was a large building, standing right off the side of the road, directly across from the lake. She pulled into the gravel lot, parking her SUV in front of the building. A porch ran the entire length of the front of the station, and Jane immediately envied the view. Large lounge chairs carved out of smooth wood were scattered across the porch, and she imagined those who worked there sat on the porch on a daily basis watching the lake.

  Lexi unbuckled her seat belt but didn’t move, while Logan tugged and jerked against the restraints of his booster seat. Jane climbed out of the SUV and went to the passenger door behind her. Going for Sophia’s car seat first, she unbuckled it carefully so as not to disturb her.

  No point in being so careful, though, since Sophia’s big brother wouldn’t stop shouting or moving, and the flurry known as Logan woke his baby sister. Jane hurriedly undid Logan’s seat belt and he scrambled out into the parking lot, his little feet kicking up gravel as he sped toward the building.

  “Logan, wait!” Jane yelled as she helped Sophia out of the car and then stood up straight. Logan was already zooming up the steps and onto the porch, his little feet pounding a booming rhythm on the wood rafters.

  Shaking her head, she slammed the door but realized Lexi was still in the car. She rounded the end of the SUV and opened the back passenger door to find Lexi sitting in her seat, her arms crossed in front of her, little hands clutched into tight fists. The typical pose her child had held since she’d first heard of this idea.

  “Are you coming inside or are you sitting out here in the car?” Jane asked, trying to hide the irritation in her voice.

  Lexi’s eyes widened. “You’d let me sit in the car? All by myself?”

  Jane shrugged, adjusting her hold on Sophia. “If you really don’t want to go in, then okay, I guess.”

  “But someone could…” Lexi swallowed hard. “…snatch me.”

  “I’ll lock the doors.”

  Lexi’s eyes went wider. “And you’d leave me alone?”

  “If that’s what you want, but…” Jane paused. “You don’t want to hurt the fire captain’s feelings, do you?”

  Lexi was quiet for a moment, absorbing her mother’s words.

  “So what’s it going to be? We need to get going before Logan busts into that fire station by himself.” Wasn’t that the truth? She wouldn’t be surprised if he started pounding on the front door.

  “Fine, I’ll go. But only because I don’t want to hurt the captain’s feelings.” Lexi trudged out of the car, dropped onto the ground with a little hop, and then ran up to the front porch like her brother had.

  Jane’s lips curved into a faint smile as she hit the lock button on the keyless remote. Her feet crunching noisily on the gravel she headed toward the porch, noticing how quiet it was. The wind whistled faintly through the pine trees that towered behind the station, and the sound of an occasional car driving a few miles away shushed in the distance, but there was no traffic on the main lake road.

  Tourist season was long over. The fire station probably saw very little action. Mac had told her the seasonal staff had already been laid off, and only those who worked year-round remained—they were few. No wonder they didn’t have a problem giving a local family with big fears a quick tour.

  “Anybody home?” Just as Jane predicted, Logan knocked on the front door, his tiny fist beating a mighty tattoo against the wood-trimmed screen door. Jane practically ran up the steps, ready to stop Logan from his antics before he took it too far.

  “Logan, stop,” she hissed as she reached out to grab him and yank him away from the door…

  The very same door that suddenly swung open with a cranky groan of hinges. Jane took a step backward, jerking Logan along with her and bumping into Lexi in the process. Her gaze zeroed in on big, booted feet as they crossed the threshold, the hem of navy blue uniform pants curled around those dusty dark shoes.

  She did a slow perusal up endlessly muscular legs, her gaze landing onto lean hips and then a broad chest and shoulders. Shoulders that seemed to go on forever, clad in a navy uniform shirt. A nametag was pinned at the top of one shirt pocket, a badge onto the other, and she squinted, barely able to read his name.

  Again, she smoothed a hand along her hair. Thankful it hit just above her shoulders so she could curl it around her face and almost hide her scars.

  Why am I so afraid to look him in the face? But she could answer her own question almost before it formed—he would surely notice her scars, something that still made her nervous when she met someone new. Plus, it had been a while since she’d been in the company of a man who wasn’t a blood relative, in-law, or of the medical profession.

  A combination of fear and worry made her leery.

  Plus, there was his reputation. They lived in a small town, and gossip spread quickly. The fire captain was known as a hot catch, even a bit of a playboy. Her oldest friend Chloe had described him as one of the few good-looking, single men in town. He set all the women’s hearts a-flutter with his hero-type job.

  The last thing she wanted to see from this guy was sympathy. Or worse, pity.

  When her eyes finally lit upon his face, she couldn’t help but notice how attractive he was. Dark-as-night hair, tanned skin that showed he spent most of his time outdoors, and defined bone structure. Strong nose, jaw, and cheekbones, though his mouth appeared soft…

  “Mrs. Clark?” Those soft-looking lips curved into a welcoming smile.

  Jane nodded, but his greeting made her feel like an old woman. She had a first name—why didn’t he use it? She knew he was being respectful, but he made her feel painfully…

  Boring.

  He let the screen door slam behind him as he stepped out onto the porch, his hand extended toward her. “I’m Captain Christian Nelson. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  Shifting Sophia in her arms, she held out her hand and he took it. The touch
of his rough fingers, the press of his wide palm against hers, sent a jolt of electricity up her arm. She let go quickly, as if it had scalded her, but his smile stayed easy, his stance casual, confident.

  The captain appeared very comfortable in his skin and she envied him that. When he flicked his head in Logan’s direction as if to ask permission, she gave her consent with a slight nod. He knelt down so he was eye level with Logan.

  “Hey buddy, what’s your name?”

  “Logan!” Her son’s yelp made Jane wince, but the smile on Captain Nelson’s face grew even wider.

  “Nice to meet you, Logan. I’m Captain Nelson.” He offered his hand and Logan took it, his little arm moving in two jerky pumps.

  “Can we see the fire truck now?”

  “Absolutely. Let’s go around back and check it out.” He stood and smiled directly at Sophia. She promptly tucked her face into Jane’s neck.

  “Sorry. She just woke up,” Jane apologized, her skin prickling with awareness at this man’s closeness.

  Lexi made her presence known as she rounded from behind her mother to stand in front of Captain Nelson, her pointed chin tilted, little rosebud mouth drawn into a tight line. He knelt down once again, his expression turned serious, and he gave Lexi a slight nod.

  “Are you Logan’s big sister?”

  She gave a hesitant nod in answer.

  He didn’t even break a smile. “Captain Nelson at your service, ma’am. And you are?”

  “Alexis Elizabeth Clark.”

  Now he did smile, but it was gentle, and miracle of all miracles, it coaxed what could pass for a smile from her stubborn daughter. “That’s a beautiful name. It’s nice to meet you, Alexis.”

  “You can call me Lexi.”

  “Well, Lexi it is, then.” He stood, shooting a wink in Jane’s direction, and heat flooded her cheeks.