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

by Robyn Neeley

  Rachel smiled slyly and twisted her hair into a neat bun, pinning loose strands with a bobby pin. “Want to go in my place again?” she asked, and this time it was her turn to raise her eyebrow.

  “I only did that because you were sick. Apparently, you were struck down with the same illness that caused Will to stand up Zoe. Glad to see you both are feeling better and able to do mundane tasks like lift heavy garbage bags and break down boxes.”

  Rachel threw her hands up in the air. “Okay, fine. I’m having sex with Will Jenkins and it’s been freakin’ amazing. There. Are you happy?”

  Bethany was taken aback by Rachel’s bluntness. In all their years as best friends, Rachel had never been so revealing of her sex life with Adam, and of course, not wanting to know those details, Bethany never asked. However, she did want to know about Will. “When did this start up?”

  “Only this week. The night you got hurt on the ice rink and Adam left me to take you home. So, it’s kind of your fault.”

  Bethany gave a sarcastic chuckle. Her friend wasn’t going to pin this on her. “What about Adam?”

  “I don’t know. I mean . . . maybe I got a tiny bit carried away thinking we should get back together.”

  “A little? Rachel, you wanted him to do the Batter Up spell on you and for his name to show up in your batter. Did you forget that?”

  “I know. I know.” She sighed. “I just didn’t feel any of our old sparks. We went out for a beer before the ice skating date and it was so . . .” She paused. “It was so boring. I was really going to try that night, but then when you got hurt and he took you home, I—”

  “Turned to Will,” Bethany finished her sentence.

  “Yeah. He walked me back to the shop to get my car, and we decided to stroll through the park and check out the lights on the gazebo.”

  “And that led to sex?”

  “No.” She shook her head, but then nodded. “We went for a drink—that led to sex.” She waved her hand. “But it’s not serious. There’s no way that this thing with Will Jenkins is anything more than a casual fling.” She wiggled her nose. “He’s a grease monkey.”

  Bethany cocked her head to the side. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

  “Yes.” She went behind the counter and grabbed her coat. “And please don’t think I’m awful for not going through with my Holiday Hook Ups with Adam. It’s not like I’m going to break his heart. Rumor has it that he made out with some woman before I purchased him anyway, and now he can’t stop talking about her.”

  Yeah, he can’t stop talking about making out with his pal that he has zero romantic feelings for.

  “So you are going to stand him up?” Bethany asked, looking at the card in Rachel’s hand.

  Rachel smiled and handed it back to her. “You guys are friends, and you said it was your favorite movie. I’m sure he’ll have a great time with you.” She glanced over her shoulder out the store window and then rifled in her purse, pulling out a twenty-dollar bill. “You could take him a sausage and mushroom pizza from Ralph’s on me. They’re still open.”

  Bethany took the invitation and the twenty. Darn right Rachel would be paying for one large pizza half sausage and half mushroom with a few sides of Ralph’s special sauce. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

  Rachel grabbed her purse and walked over to the door, opening it. “I’ll be fine.”

  “And you really are over Adam?” Bethany walked out but didn’t want to leave Rachel until she’d heard the admission once and for all from her friend’s mouth.

  “I think so.” She slipped on her gloves. “I know so. We are definitely over, and making him my Holiday Hook Up was a mistake. I realize that now.”

  “And do you promise me you’ll be honest with him?” Bethany folded her arms in an attempt to block the cold. “Soon.”

  “Yes. I promise I will talk to him. You’ll take my place?” Rachel asked with a noticeable hint of hope in the question.

  “Go. Try not to get grease all over your pretty coat.”

  “Bethany!” Rachel giggled, said good-bye, and dashed down Main Street in the direction of the auto body shop.

  Bethany blew out a cold breath. Wow, she hadn’t seen that coming. Did this prove that Adam hadn’t gotten the spell correctly for Zoe and he was still outing last kisses? Or was Rachel a mere detour on Will’s route to his endgame partner?

  No doubt there’d be a showdown in the new year between Rachel and Zoe if it was the latter.

  There was no need to worry about that right now, not when there was a handsome construction worker waiting to watch a movie. She flicked the card over, still holding the folded up twenty in her other hand. “I guess I should go order the pizza for my date.”

  * * *

  “Man, I did a fine job if I do say so myself,” Adam said out loud, sliding his hand along the gold railing. He and his father had renovated the Majestic Theater’s balcony last month, stabilizing the old architecture. It’d been a project he’d enjoyed, thrilled to help Caitlin reopen the place with a safer balcony while keeping the original décor intact.

  Being in the theater also gave him warm and fuzzy feelings that probably had something to do with his meeting his long-lost ghost of a distant cousin Mary Reed in the seats below. That was a day he’d never forget as long as he lived.

  Although, if it never happened, he wouldn’t be in the mess he was currently in with one shimmering blue mixing spoon. Speaking of which . . . on the ride here, he thought about his next step. He’d had a brilliant idea: After the holidays, he’d speak to Emma about practicing on women already married, such as Abby and Caitlin.

  Then again, by no uncertain terms was he getting his ass kicked by Brandon or Josh if different names appeared. Abby was a sure thing since Emma had already conjured Brandon’s name up in her spell with the pink spoon. He’d stick with Abby.

  He took a seat and stared up at the atmospheric theater’s twinkling lights, appreciating Caitlin’s decision to keep the simulated star-filled night that decades of theatergoers enjoyed dating back to 1937.

  Tonight’s plan wasn’t to go to the movies, but earlier this afternoon, he’d received a call from Betty to stop into the Star Lite. When he did, the spunky waitress handed him an envelope with the location of his wild card date. It was to spend the evening watching It’s a Wonderful Life from the theater’s balcony.

  A low-key date watching a movie with Rachel sounded good to him. He also liked that this would be their final one-on-one, not counting the First Kiss Ball. He just didn’t have any romantic feelings for Rachel. Maybe one day they’d be friends, but right now they needed to get this Holiday Hook Up over with and continue to go about their separate lives.

  He glanced around. Although, was Rachel already doing that? When he’d tried calling her earlier to suggest they meet at the theater, it had gone to voicemail. Was she going to stand him up?

  He settled into his chair, scooping up a giant handful of popcorn out of a bucket one of Caitlin’s employees had brought in for him.

  Apparently for this date, they were to receive the royal treatment because a candle lit table was set up off to the side with an ice bucket full of beer and wine. That, or Caitlin was buttering him up to take the triplets off her and Josh’s hands sometime soon.

  He didn’t need to be bribed to do that. He’d help his friends whenever they asked. He’d meant what he’d said to Bethany last night. Kids didn’t scare him anymore. Maybe he could practice with Caitlin and Josh’s for when he became a father one day.

  He rolled his head, cracking his neck. A Christmas flick and an iced cold beer sounded great.

  Though he’d worked on the balcony, he hadn’t seen a movie in here since his time with Mary. He smiled at that memory. Caitlin had dragged him down the aisle, insisting that he watch the classic reel that the ghost seemed to have taken a liking to.

  Sure. Watching a black-and-white movie with a woman crying hysterically—that he couldn’t actually see
—sounded like a great plan.

  He’d pushed aside his fear that day, sat down next to the empty seat she was supposedly in, and did precisely that.

  And that act changed his life.

  When the ghost calmed down, she was quite a chatter box—definitely a Reed woman. Once she realized they were distant cousins, she went on . . . and on . . . and on.

  During that one encounter, he’d cracked the mystery that had plagued Josh and Caitlin. Unbeknownst to any of them, the reason she was so adamant about watching that movie is it was the only way to reunite with the love of her life—one of the actors who’d had an untimely death. He’d crossed over, but she’d been stuck in the theater for decades.

  And now, he had a sudden urge to talk to her—or try to.

  He stood and walked over to the railing. “Mary Berry, Merry Christmas, doll. If you are here, can you tell me if my date is going to stand me up?”

  He put his hand in the air. “Wait. I pretty much know the answer to that. Let’s start with your telling me something that I haven’t been able to figure out. Where can I find the pretty blonde I made out with last week?”

  And that question got nothing but silence.

  “Okay, I know what you’re probably thinking. I should be on the naughty list since I didn’t get her name.”

  He paused, listening to the moviegoers down below in idle chitchat before the show started. A familiar aroma suddenly filled the air. “Or you could tell me why I’m smelling Ralph’s pizza?” He looked over his shoulder to see Bethany coming toward him. “Bethany?”

  “Special delivery.” She smiled and propped the large pizza box up with her hand. “I have it on good authority that it goes well with this movie.”

  Adam eyed the box. “Let me guess. Rachel sent you to fill in.”

  “She wanted to be here,” she said, and came up to him.

  “Still . . .” He put his fingers up in air quotes. “. . . ‘under the weather’?”

  “Yeah. Definitely not herself at the moment.”

  She loosened her scarf, and he had a sudden urge to help her remove it. Instead, he shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. “I’m kind of feeling that way, too.”

  “Are you okay with her not being here?” Bethany asked.

  Was he okay with it? He was now up in the balcony he’d remodeled about to enjoy a pizza and beer with a good friend that, sure, he was starting to have the hots for.

  Hell, yeah, he was okay with it.

  He went over to the ice bucket. “Can I get you some wine, a beer?”

  “Wine would be great.” Bethany smiled, and he took in her happy expression. Gone was the frown he’d been on the receiving end last night, never mind the awkward tension that had filled his truck when he drove her back to her car. Had all been forgiven? He wasn’t going to blow it this time and would keep his lips to himself. Pouring her a glass, he brought it over.

  “I didn’t know Caitlin got her liquor license.”

  He nodded. “She applied as soon as the town asked her to host the First Kiss Ball.” Sitting down, he pointed to the pizza box. “May I?”

  “By all means.” She handed it over. “It’s from Rachel.”

  “How nice of her.” He opened it and laughed. “You know, this is what we had on our first date . . . um . . . I mean, not us . . . er . . .” he stammered. “Me and Rachel.”

  “I know.”

  He glanced over. “You do? Best friend talk?”

  “Something like that. I remember she asked you out after a football game our senior year and suggested Ralph’s.”

  “It wasn’t only that. She said she had a craving for sausage and mushroom.” He pointed to the pizza. “Which is my favorite. Weird, right?”

  Bethany placed some napkins between them. “Is that what sold you on her—her taste in pizza toppings?”

  Adam laughed because perhaps it had. He took a swig of his beer. “I don’t know . . . Maybe, and probably the fact she was Rachel freakin’ Foster. No girl like her had ever looked my way.” He paused, adding, “I’d like to think that we grew into a more mature relationship post high school.”

  Bethany nodded and touched his arm. “I know you both did. I’m sure this week has brought up a lot of old feelings.”

  He shook his head. That’s where Bethany was wrong, and for reasons he still couldn’t explain, he wanted her to know it. “What we had, it’s over. Rach feels the same way. Yeah, I was in really bad shape after she broke up with me and hoped we might get back together, but I think I’ve known for a while that we really don’t make sense anymore.”

  He took a deep breath. “If I’m totally honest, I’ve always known that she wasn’t the one. And she seems pretty happy lately. I mean, before this whole Holiday Hook Up fiasco, I watched her around town with Carter. I was surprised as hell that she made me her Holiday Hook Up, but kind of relieved she didn’t go through with it.” He paused and looked at Bethany. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to go on like that.”

  “I just want you both to be happy.”

  “Thanks. You don’t have to worry about Rachel breaking my heart again. I am happy.” He reached over and tapped her knee. “What about you?”

  “About me?”

  “What makes you happy these days? The Christmas Corner has to be doing well. There’s always a full parking lot.”

  “It is.”

  He stood and grabbed the wine bottle, refilling Bethany’s glass. “I remember hearing about it for the first time at Ralph’s when I was fourteen, thinking it was probably the best place on earth.”

  That got a laugh. “It was. I mean, it is. I don’t know. It’s just different. It’s always been my parents’ store. I love being a part of their business, it’s . . .” She paused and took a sip of her wine. “It’s not my business.”

  “I can totally relate.” He sipped his beer, rather enjoying this heart to heart. “Working for my dad is great, but I’ve been getting restless. Like maybe I should ask for more stake in the company.”

  “Like a partner?”

  “Yeah. I mean, I know he plans to leave it to Tom and me when he retires, but that’s years away. I’ve been thinking it’s time to bring in more carpentry business. We do it already.” He pointed to the balcony. “Case in point.”

  “I forgot you did this. It looks great.”

  “Thanks.” He smiled, wanting to turn the conversation back to her. “Would you ever think about opening your own shop?”

  “Not really. I mean, I’d love a bigger studio. What my dad set up for me in the back of the store is okay, but it’s more than a bit cramped, not to mention, I don’t have enough space to do a proper photo shoot.”

  “Why don’t you think about leasing a space?” He snapped his fingers. “I got it, the one next to the fire station. That place has been vacant for years. I could help you with any construction.”

  “And carpentry?”

  “You got it. Anything you need.”

  “I don’t know. I’m not sure there is enough business to sustain it. Buttermilk Falls High School only graduates sixty students a year for senior pictures, and there aren’t that many area weddings.”

  “You won’t know until you try.”

  “Maybe . . .” her voice trailed. “It’s just I’ve never gone out on a limb and did anything that involved risk.”

  “You’ve never thrown caution to the wind and done something completely unpredictable? C’mon. I find that hard to believe.”

  She blinked before admitting, “I did once.”

  “And how did that work out for you?”

  “Not so good.” She raked her fingers through her hair. “I tried being a blonde.”

  “You did?”

  “Yeah.” She shook her head. “It wasn’t me.”

  He studied Bethany for a second, wanting to tell her that she was beautiful just the way she was, wavy chestnut hair and all. Instead, when her eyes met his, he blurted out, “Would you like to go to the First Kiss Ball with me?”


  And that question caused her to spill a little of her wine. “Really?”

  “Yeah.” He was quick to add, as to not freak her out, “As friends.”

  She set her glass down and opened the plastic container holding Ralph’s special sauce. “Am I being promoted from fill-in to full-time Holiday Hook Up?”

  He grinned. He’d love nothing more than to delete the word ‘holiday’ and full-on hook up with her, but there was no way in hell he’d act on that impulse. “Sure. We’d have a great time. Plus, I can’t go alone. Betty would find a way to corner me in the projection booth.”

  “Well, we can’t have that.” She giggled. “I’d love, too.”

  “It’s a date.” He paused, correcting himself. “Not a date. And we don’t have to kiss at midnight. Not at all.” Man, shut the f up.

  She handed him Ralph’s special sauce, offering him the first dip. “Why don’t we have some dinner. I’m starving.”

  “Don’t mind if I do.” He took a slice and angled it in, absorbing the sauce, but then

  offered it to her. “Ladies, first. Thanks for coming out tonight.”

  She took the slice. “Anytime. Plus, I love this movie.”

  “Me, too!” Chill, dude. He slapped himself mentally for sounding so eager to share they had that in common. “Although, Christmas Vacation is a close second for best holiday film.”

  “Obviously.” She laughed.

  He relaxed in his chair, taking a bite of his own sauce-drenched slice as the movie began. All seemed good between them, and he was happy he hadn’t royally screwed things up last night. They watched the movie from above, mostly in silence, but every now and then, upping each other on what was about to happen next. Toward the end, he leaned in. “Spoiler alert. He gets his wings.”

  “Adam! You’ve ruined Christmas for me.” She reached over to swat him, but he preempted and grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze.

  And what happened next was way better than any pair of wings. She’d laced her fingers in his for a split second before pulling away, but supplying just enough contact for a bolt of electricity to shoot up his arm.