Holiday Hook Up: (Bachelors of Buttermilk Falls Book 4)

by Robyn Neeley

  His mom didn’t have any money back then, and his small allowance from his pop really couldn’t pay for more than a pizza slice and some water. For whatever reason, Ralph had always given him a full pie, which he’d sit quietly and devour. Sometimes he’d bring a book with him, but most times, he’d just sit and stare out the window.

  During this time, Ralph had put him to work as a busboy, giving him a few bucks under the table. When Adam offered to pay for his large pizza each time with his tips, the pizza owner would smile and pat him on the back without a word.

  When Adam turned sixteen, Ralph gave him a weekend job making pizzas. He quickly learned that there was a special skill to tossing the dough. One he didn’t have. More often than not, his hand-tossed pizzas ended up on the floor and then the trash.

  So, the summer of his senior year, he traded in pizza dough for a tool belt and went to work part-time for his dad who, after the divorce, began to turn his own life around and started a construction business.

  In hindsight, that decision had been a good one. In addition to learning a trade skill, working side by side with his father helped mend their broken relationship. He didn’t like how his dad had treated his mother, but he’d learned that summer that people weren’t perfect.

  Still, his parents’ failed marriage made him question whether first love lasts. Maybe if he hadn’t been so paranoid that it wouldn’t work out with Rachel they’d still be together.

  But if the spark died out, would he have gone down the same wandering road that his dad did?

  He grabbed another slice and took a bite. It didn’t matter now. It’d taken some time to get over her, but Rachel’s breaking up with him had been for the best, and he had a sneaking suspicion that after their lackluster date she knew that, too. Probably the reason she hadn’t called him back.

  Glancing out the window at the Christmas Corner, he noticed Bethany’s Nissan was parked outside, which hopefully meant her knee was as good as new.

  He smiled, remembering the first day he’d laid eyes on his neighbor. He’d gone to Ralph’s a couple days after his fourteenth birthday. His mom had given him some extra money to buy his dad a Christmas present, and since he wasn’t speaking to his pop, he decided to stop in for a slice of pizza.

  He’d never ordered one by himself before and was torn between getting a sausage slice or one with mushrooms. He’d splurged with the money and had gotten them both and was contemplating which one to eat first when Bethany stopped in front of his table.

  She’d looked down at his pizza slices but turned away before he could say hello. Not that he would have said hi or anything. He still found girls pretty annoying and downright confusing.

  After that day, he’d catch a glimpse of Bethany a few times across the street, handing out colorful red and green flyers. He overheard Ralph talking to a customer one evening that the Wilsons were new to town and they were opening a Christmas store.

  A Christmas store! His fourteen-year-old self had been pretty psyched. Sure, some of the magic had been gone for years after Tom blurted out that there was no Santa when Adam was seven, but who didn’t like Christmas?

  One day he was bussing tables and looked up to see the new girl wearing a red jacket, dark jeans, and red snow boots, helping her dad string up the lights.

  He’d never strung up multicolor lights with his pop. He’d been both jealous and intrigued and had offered to take out the garbage so he could see more. He’d rounded the corner and watched her; her laughter was like a Christmas melody filling the snowy street. For the next two weeks, he’d voluntarily took out the trash in hopes to see her outside.

  He’d learned that the girl was named Bethany, she was the same age as him, and she liked pizza almost as much as he did. She’d come in with her dad, and each time, he’d duck into the kitchen or pretend he was busy wiping off tables, too embarrassed to make eye contact.

  And this pattern went on for quite a while. At least a year, maybe two. When he was done with his shift, he’d finish off a pizza that Ralph insisted he didn’t need to pay for while hoping to steal a glance of Bethany greeting customers across the street.

  That past memory got a big ole present time grin. He’d forgotten about his little crush on one Bethany Wilson. Why hadn’t he ever got the nerve to ask her out?

  He shook his head.

  Two words.

  Rachel Foster.

  Once the perky blonde looked his way, he was a goner. Girls like Rachel Foster and Caitlin Reynolds had never given him the time of day growing up. No, not the class clown, wise-cracking sidekick to Josh Stevens.

  But one night his senior year after a home football game, Rachel Foster had skipped up to him in her cheerleading uniform, asked him out, and hell yeah, he’d said yes.

  He glanced down at the now half-eaten pizza. She’d suggested they come here, saying Ralph’s was her favorite. And it just so happened she loved the same topping he did. She was a keeper.

  He grabbed another slice. If only pizza toppings could have saved our relationship.

  “Can I get you anything else, Adam?”

  “No. I’m good.” He cocked his head to the side, curious about something. “Say, Ralph. Why did you supply me with all those free pizzas when I was fourteen? You may have been able to retire by now if you’d made me pay.”

  That got a hearty chuckle and a slap on his back. “What can I say, Adam ole boy.” Ralph nodded to the window. “I’m a sucker for love.”

  Adam glanced out the window, his gaze landing directly on the Christmas Corner. What was the old pizza owner implying?

  Chapter 7

  “Mom, why am I surrounded by more than a dozen boxes of negligees?” Bethany stood in the middle of the latest shipment Danny had delivered this morning that now took over the back of the store. Apparently, whoever was running MR Wedding anticipated a high demand for wedding night garments because the normal shipment of eight boxes had doubled.

  And what the devil did MR stand for?

  Majorly Ridiculous, perhaps?

  “Honey,” her mom started before asking Bethany to wait a second and proceeded to tell someone how much she was enjoying her piña colada. “Sorry, dear. Your dad and I have no idea who is sending these boxes. He suggested that you put them in the back, and we’ll deal with it when we return.”

  Deal with it when they return? At the rate the daily shipments were coming in, there would be no room in the back. However, the last thing she wanted to do was worry her parents. “Okay, I’ll stack them where I can. Are you having a good time?”

  “Oh, yes. Your father should be back from his snorkeling lesson soon, and then we’ll head to dinner. We should have done this years ago.” She paused, and Bethany assumed it was to take a sip of her sweet cocktail. “There’s nothing like your toes in the sand in December.”

  Her mom didn’t mean to hurt her feelings but the message came across loud and clear that after nineteen years of running the shop year round, they’d needed a Christmas break—or more like a break from Christmas.

  When they first sprung their getaway plans on her at Thanksgiving dinner, Bethany had passed her mom’s sweet potato casserole over to her dad and demanded that they tell her more. They’d even asked if she’d like to join them, and she’d seriously considered it, because who wouldn’t want to be soaking up rays while sipping margaritas instead of shivering in the snow.

  However, closing the store for the holidays would be a huge disappointment to their regular customers not to mention the loss in revenue. Her dad’s suggestion that they hire seasonal staff to cover while they were gone seemed more of a hassle.

  The Christmas Corner was a family business, and a Wilson needed to be at the helm. Since Bethany was an only child and all her aunts and uncles lived on the west coast, she’d told her parents that she would run the store through Christmas and New Year’s.

  “I’m happy that you are having a good time, Mom. I should probably get going and close up. I’ll talk to you soon.”<
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  “Merry Christmas, honey. We’ll call you on Sunday.”

  “Merry Christmas,” she said back, and ended the call. This week sure didn’t feel like the one special holiday she’d loved since she could remember.

  When she offered to run the store alone these three weeks, she didn’t realize how much she missed how things normally were here, her and her parents buzzing around the store and suggesting gifts for last-minute shoppers.

  Her parents would always get into costume the week before Christmas, last year dressing as reindeers. Bethany looked down at the black nightie in her hand. “Maybe I’ll shake things up this year and put you on,” she mused out loud, and flattened it over her chest.

  A catcall whistle caused her to spin around.

  “By all means do,” Adam said with a wicked grin.

  She pulled the negligee away from her chest. “Oh, my gosh. I didn’t hear you come in. Hi.” Adam was standing in the doorway, looking adorable in his elf costume.

  “Sexy Elf. I like it,” he teased, pointing to the garment.

  She set the lingerie back in the box, her cheeks on fire. “Just another shipment from my mysterious supplier. Can you turn over the open sign for me?”

  “Sure thing.” He flipped it and crossed the store, his eyes scanning the first box. “I think I’d like to work for this person.”

  “Where’s Rachel?” she asked, changing the subject before the heat radiating her cheeks spread any further.

  “So here’s the scoop.” Adam played with a bulb on the tree, pushing it back on the artificial limb. “I got a text from her earlier. She’s not feeling well.”

  “Oh, no. Is it the flu?” Everyone at the Star Lite this morning seemed to be hacking up a lung. She’d rushed out of there with her donut and coffee, holding her breath.

  “No. Says it’s the twenty-four-hour bug. Yeah, right,” he scoffed.

  “You don’t believe her?”

  He shook his head and stepped back from the tree. “You know how much she hates dressing up.”

  This was true. Rachel wore the same Marilyn Monroe costume every Halloween that she’d been wearing since high school. Similar to outdoor winter sports, dressing up wasn’t her thing.

  She probably had no desire to put on an elf costume, even if only for a couple of hours. Bethany laughed. “You know . . . your Holiday Hook Up really should have given more thought to what you’d be doing together before signing up. She’s more a Summer Fling kind of gal.”

  “Tell me about it.” He grinned and snapped his gum. “So I need someone to take her place. You game?”

  Bethany blinked. “You want me to be your Holiday Hook Up?” she asked, stammering. “Um . . . I mean, stand in . . . er . . . stand in for Rachel? That’s what you want?” Oh, Bethany, shut up.

  “Yes. Adam the Elf has a reputation to uphold. Plus, I don’t trust Mrs. Claus and her roaming hands.”

  She couldn’t help but chuckle envisioning Mrs. Claus, AKA Betty, squeezing Adam’s tush, which she was sure to do. The Star Lite waitress had one big ole crush on him. He probably shouldn’t show up stag.

  Spending the evening handing out toys with Adam did sound like fun, and maybe it would help her get her Christmas spirit back. “I’d love to, but I don’t have a costume.”

  Adam spun around. “Are you kidding me? We’re in a Christmas store. Your Christmas store.” He grabbed a Santa’s hat off a nearby rack, placing it gently on her head. “I don’t think this is going to be a problem.”

  And it wasn’t. Twenty minutes later, Bethany was all decked out from head to toe looking just as much like an elf as Adam.

  “Wow,” she said, watching Adam attach small red and silver jingle bells to her green flats.

  He straightened, pleased with his work. “Impressive. I know.”

  “If you get bored with your matchmaking, this might be your calling.” She dashed into the back to grab her coat and camera. Though she’d made up the story of following Adam and Rachel on their dates, she needed to keep up the pretense. Besides, she could take pictures of the other couples and offer them to Jason.

  “Okay, Bethany the Elf is ready for duty.” She crossed the room, meeting Adam at the entrance where he suggested they ride together in his truck to the event. Afterwards, he’d bring her back here to get her car. She didn’t argue with that suggestion, rather liking they’d have some alone time and the fact that showing up and leaving together did seem like a date.

  “So, LB. When are you going to let me do you?” He held the door open for her.

  “Excuse me?” Where did that question come from? Right here, if you want.

  “You know. Predict your soul mate. We could stop by the bakery if you’d like. I’m sure Emma wouldn’t mind.”

  Right. The batter. Of course. Bethany played with the buttons on her coat, not knowing what to say.

  There was no way she’d let Adam try the spell on her, because if her theory was right, his name would definitely show up in the batter since he was the last man she kissed.

  But if he did the spell correctly, would his name show up as her soul mate or would another man’s name appear? And if his name did appear, would he totally freak out?

  “I don’t know.” She pulled her scarf tight around her neck. “I kind of like the mystery. Besides, you had your chance the day Mary gave her instructions for Josh to give the spoon to you, remember?”

  “Oh, I remember.” He reached down and touched her hair. “I also remember your cute highlights foils.”

  She laughed. That part was true. Her hair had been full of them. Abby had dragged her into the Sugar Spoon halfway through her full foil appointment at the Spring Curls salon next door to be Josh’s bachelorette for the spell. It was then and there that they all learned that Mary Reed had a different owner in mind for the shimmering blue mixing spoon.

  Adam continued as they headed for his truck, “But I couldn’t agree with you more about it being a mystery. It’s one of the reasons I passed when Emma drew my name out of the hat last year.”

  “You didn’t want it to be Rachel?”

  “Yeah, I guess I did. I don’t know. I definitely wasn’t ready back then to see another woman’s name in the batter.”

  “And now?” She paused and let him open his passenger side door for her, surprised how fast that question flew out.

  “You know. I think I am. Not that I’m going to run to Emma.” He chuckled. “Unless my soul mate is the beautiful woman I made out with the other night. Then I’d at least have her name.”

  Bethany looked away, biting her lip. But would he freak out if he knew that name?

  “Although, I’m not even sure she was real at this point.”

  Oh, she was very real and standing right here. She wanted to confess, but she wasn’t quite sure how to do it. She also wasn’t totally convinced he was one hundred percent over Rachel. Sliding into the truck, she waited to respond until Adam was in. “I’m sorry about ruining your ice skating date.”

  Adam shoved his key into the ignition and turned slightly to her. “Don’t sweat it. I’m kind of glad it happened.”

  She raised an amused eyebrow. “That Evan clobbered me?”

  “Not that.” He touched her knee, causing a jolt to go straight through her. “I’m glad you are okay.”

  Bethany smiled and decided not to press her luck and push the subject on his feelings toward Rachel. Instead, she sat, enjoying the tingling still radiating up and down her leg from his touch.

  On the short drive over, they brainstormed all the things they could do with the mysterious shipments. Adam’s suggestion of a “Bride in a Box” for brides who wanted a personal assistant to cover all the details was a clever one.

  Still, she had no intentions of actually keeping the shipments. As soon as her parents came back, they were all going to have to locate MR Wedding and return the boxes.

  Although, maybe she could keep a couple items . . .

  She stifled a smile as a vision of h
er opening her front door to Adam wearing one of the black lingeries along with the strappy heels and long beaded necklace.

  Adam finally turned his truck into the winery’s entrance and shut off the lights.

  “How beautiful,” Bethany remarked, taking in the lawn decorations as they both got out of the truck and walked to the entrance. It’d been a few months since her last visit to the popular winery and spa that had been transformed into the perfect winter wonderland with Santa’s sleigh and reindeer. “The kids are going to have so much fun.”

  “We are, too.” Adam grinned, holding the front door for her. “Let’s go report to duty.”

  Stepping in, Bethany marveled at how much effort had gone into transforming this place into the North Pole, with the tasting room being remade into Santa’s Workshop. She gave a wave to Pauline and Evan standing off to the side, who made the cutest elves since they were short to begin with.

  Pauline fisted her hands.

  “It’s okay,” Bethany mouthed, glancing over at Adam who’d already been pulled away by Mrs. Claus. She joined them, and Betty handed her a gingerbread cookie. “I’m sorry to hear about Rachel.” Betty straightened her white apron over her red dress. “A bad case of the flu is spreading like wild fire it seems.” She pointed at Zoe, who sat alone at the edge of the tasting bar. “Will Jenkins apparently was bitten by the same bug, too.”

  “So what should we do, Mrs. Claus?” Adam asked, snapping the head off his gingerbread cookie. “Pass out gifts?”

  “No. We’ve got plenty of volunteer elves for that. Why don’t you two go on into the merchandise room to the right? We’ve set up a few arts and crafts tables for the kiddos to make Christmas cards and tree ornaments.” She glanced down at her watch. “Which should start in five minutes.”

  “Sure.” Bethany set her camera down on the floor for a second and wiggled out of her coat and scarf. “Sounds like fun.”