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

by Robyn Neeley

  “That might be a tall order.” Bethany said her good-bye and clicked off her phone.

  Should she go through with tonight? Adam would definitely be there to support Caitlin. Maybe she could suggest they have a word on the balcony where she could finally admit to him how she felt—how she’d always felt about him.

  She ran her finger along the railing. If she did go, she’d need a dress.

  She grinned and took the remainder of the stairs two at a time, her heart racing as she dashed into the empty guest room and closed the door.

  The antique hope chest was still there. She walked over, bent down, and brushed her fingers across the top, bringing her hand down to the handle.

  “Mary, am I meant to wear your wedding dress to tell Adam I love him?” she asked in a whisper, praying that the gown was inside.

  * * *

  Adam stared out the window onto the empty street, his gaze resting on the Christmas Corner. Bethany must have decided to close the shop early or taken the day off because the lights were off. He adjusted his black silk tie and broke off another slice from his pizza. His grumbling stomach was put at ease by his favorite meal before he made his way to the Majestic Theater.

  He should be going to the First Kiss Ball with Bethany and not alone, but he’d blown any chance of that.

  It’d been four days since his and Bethany’s argument on the street. Four long days.

  He’d wanted to stop by her cottage and apologize, but he hadn’t known what to say.

  The fact was. The kiss between him and Rachel did happen.

  He took a sip of his soda. But it didn’t mean anything, and he needed to come up with a way to make Bethany understand.

  He stared down at his half-eaten pie, thinking back to that horrible night and their heated exchange outside the bakery. That he was outing last kisses with the spell had been a shock, but what Bethany had said made total sense. He couldn’t lie. On his walk back to the Sugar Spoon, he’d experienced an overwhelming sense of relief.

  Not about the fight he’d had with Bethany that led to her storming away, but the fact that there was another explanation to why his name showed up in Rachel’s batter, and a very good reason to why he knew in his heart that Rachel wasn’t his soul mate.

  Once he shared Bethany’s theory with Sheila, she agreed that it was entirely possible that that was what was happening. She brought up the fact that Abby also had trouble with the spell. It could be that Adam wasn’t getting it right either; although, she didn’t have an explanation to why.

  She offered to do the Batter Up spell on him to confirm one way or another, but he couldn’t bring himself to let her do it. There was only one name he wanted to see, and what if it wasn’t Bethany’s?

  He leaned back in the booth. How was it that he could have it so bad for a woman he’d never even kissed?

  Not that his feelings for her mattered, because the way Bethany stormed away, he’d blown his chance—most likely wrecked their friendship. He wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t want to speak to him ever again.

  “Hey, handsome.”

  Adam looked up to see Ella, his favorite waitress, standing over him. She’d been working for Ralph for years and had been the one to show him how to bus tables as a teen. As a customer, she always made sure his soda was topped off and would bring him a warm chocolate chip cookie. Tonight was no exception. He smiled and took the cookie she offered. “How you doing, Ella?”

  “Can’t complain. How about yourself?”

  “Groovy.” He flicked his necktie. “I needed fuel before the First Kiss Ball.”

  “Well, don’t go breaking any hearts tonight with that schoolboy smile of yours.”

  “I’ll try not to,” he said, not revealing that it was his heart that was the fragile one these days.

  “Looks like someone else is going to a party.” She nodded to the window.

  He caught a glimpse of a bundled-up Bethany, racing down the street toward the Majestic Theater.

  He couldn’t see her dress, but her hair was pulled back off her face. She was beautiful, so much so, he couldn’t peel his eyes off the window until she was out of view. “I’m glad she’s still going,” he said.

  “You know, I always rooted for you two to get together.” She laughed, adding, “That is, once you both were a little older. There’s nothing like puppy love.”

  Adam turned his head in Ella’s direction. What was she implying? “Who are you talking about?”

  “You and Bethany Wilson.”

  “Me and LB?” He placed his napkin to the side. “Why would you think we were ever in love?”

  “Well, I don’t know about you. You were pretty clueless back in the day, but Bethany, on the other hand, she was smitten a very long time ago.”

  Adam pulled out his wallet to pay. She must have Bethany mixed up with Rachel. He decided to play along because he actually liked the idea of Bethany having a crush on him all those years ago, even if it wasn’t true. “Why do you think she was smitten with me?”

  “Because that sweet girl would stop here every Saturday morning and hand Ralph a ten-dollar bill for one large sausage and mushroom pizza with extra garlic sauce on the side.” She nodded down to the remaining slices still left on his plate. “Your pizza.”

  “She liked sausage and mushroom, too.”

  “She liked you. The pizza was for you, silly. That girl would turn over her allowance every week for two years straight to put that in your belly. She never told you?”

  “No.” Ella had to be making this up. “You’re kidding?”

  “Nope. She stopped coming by around . . .” She looked up at the ceiling, scrunching her eyes. “I don’t exactly remember when she stopped, but I want to say it was after you quit to go work for your father. Maybe later on that year. You started bringing a blonde in when you’d stop by on Saturdays. That’s when Ralph started to charge you.”

  Rachel. He bet anything it was senior year when he’d started dating Rachel. And Ella was right. The free pizzas had stopped coming, but he’d had always assumed the old owner was holding a grudge for his quitting.

  Adam bolted out of the booth and opened his wallet. “I’m sorry to cut our conversation short, but I’ve got to go.”

  She waved off his attempt to pay. “On the house.” She winked. “From me this time.”

  He slid on his coat and started to leave, but turned and threw his arms around the waitress, hoisting her high in the air. “Thank you, Ella,” he said, while twirling her around.

  “For what.”

  “Clarity.” He set her down and rushed out of the pizzeria, heading in the direction of the Majestic Theater.

  He needed to kiss one woman fast.

  Chapter 17

  Adam bolted into the Majestic Theater, pushing his way through the crowded lobby. The place was jam-packed with all the Holiday Hook Ups and other guests.

  He stopped at the edge of the dance floor that had been set up in the refreshment area, a stray silver balloon brushing his shoulder. Looping the string around his finger for a second, he released it and watched it float up to join the rest of the bunch on the ceiling.

  Caitlin had done a spectacular job transforming the theater into the biggest party of the year. Good for her. She’d worked hard this fall to reopen the theater and deserved to be in the spotlight.

  “Happy New Year!”

  Speak of the devil. Caitlin came up and threw her arms around him, blowing a silver horn that happened to match her silver sequined mini-dress. “And many happy returns.”

  He covered his ear. “Back at you. Caitlin, this place looks amazing,” he shouted over the festive music.

  “Thanks. Josh, Bridget, and I’ve been working on it all week.”

  He hadn’t seen his sister-in-law since Christmas, or his brother for that matter. “Are Tom and Bridget here right now?”

  She nodded toward the auditorium. “They’re in there,” she said, and flashed a wicked grin. “Someone else is in ther
e, too, but good luck finding her. We set up another dance floor in the auditorium. It’s a madhouse.”

  He could feel his heart beating against his chest as he glanced over the crowd in the direction of the auditorium. Just how many people were here? Clearly the word had spread to other area towns that this was the place to be to ring in the New Year.

  “Go on.” Caitlin gave him a gentle nudge.

  That’s all the encouragement he needed. He zigzagged through the crowded corridor and flung the auditorium doors open, nearly scaring the couple standing in front of it.

  “Sorry. Sorry.” He stepped in expecting to see Bethany, but the entire auditorium was packed with partygoers hanging out in the aisles and dancing on the stage. Caitlin was right. He’d never find her.

  Where could she be? Frustrated, he walked back up the aisle and out into the auditorium. Did everyone in Central New York decide to come out for this bash? It sure seemed so. He’d never find her. Defeated, he walked back down the corridor but stopped short of the picture on the wall of Mary.

  “Happy New Year, Mary, doll.” He didn’t expect the picture to talk back to him, but he kept his side of the conversation going. “Listen. I could really use your hocus pocus right about now. See, there’s this girl I really need to see tonight. I need to apologize and tell her that I was an idiot for some things I said. I know. I know. You’re probably not surprised that I stuck my foot in my mouth. I need to say I’m sorry.” He took a deep breath, ready to say out loud what he was feeling. “And I want to tell her right now that I’m falling in love with her.”

  That admission caused a rush of exhilaration to shoot straight through him. He continued, “The thing is. This place is so crowded I can’t find her. Can you have her walk out of the auditorium?” he asked the black-and-white photo.

  Turning his back to the wall, he watched the merriment all around him while waiting for Bethany to come out the auditorium doors. Thirty minutes later, she still hadn’t come out.

  “I can’t believe I asked a ghost for help,” he said out loud, shaking his head. He dug around his coat for his truck keys. It was probably best to call it a night.

  All of a sudden, the auditorium doors flew open as guests scrambled down the corridor. Tom and Bridget were among the first to flee, his sister-in-law pushing back her wet bangs.

  Adam eyed his brother whose white shirt was completely soaked. “What’s going on in there? Why are you both wet?”

  “Sprinklers are going off. It’s a madhouse.” Tom turned to his wife and wiped some water from her face with his finger. “Let’s get you out of here before we get trampled.”

  “Happy New Year, Adam.” Bridget blew him a kiss as Tom escorted her out.

  Adam stood stunned for a few seconds, taking in the chaos as couples rushed out of the auditorium. He glanced behind him at Mary’s photo and walked over.

  Could she have set off the sprinklers? It wouldn’t be the first time. She’d set them off to get Josh and Caitlin’s attention a few months ago. “Thank you, Mary. I think I can take it from here.” The sprinklers stopped suddenly, and he dashed into the auditorium. It had all but cleared out, but Bethany wasn’t among the few remaining.

  “LB, where are you?” he said in a low voice. Walking down the aisle, he stopped five rows up and stared down at the seat that had been Mary’s while her spirit haunted the theater for all those years. Something strange was hanging off the back. “What the—”

  He snatched it, holding up a wet blonde wig. A vision of the mystery blonde popped into his head.

  No. It couldn’t be. Could it?

  He smiled, realizing Mary was right all along. Tonight wouldn’t be his first kiss with Bethany. He just needed to find her.

  * * *

  Bethany flung open the side door and stepped into the alley. She glanced down at the wet dress clinging to her skin—Mary’s ruined wedding dress.

  When she’d opened the hope chest, she’d nearly jumped out of her skin with excitement. The dress had been neatly folded in it. She’d decided then and there that she’d take the gown, put on the wig, and finally admit to Adam it was her. Then she’d remove the wig and put her whole heart out there and tell him she was in love with him.

  At least that had been the plan. Now she was cowering in the back alley, drenched from head to toe. She touched her slicked back hair. In all the water and commotion, she must have lost the wig because it was no longer attached to her head.

  Disappointed in herself, she hurried through the alley in the direction of the Christmas Corner where she had left her car.

  She was a fool to think she could actually go through with tonight. What was she going to say? Hi, Adam. I love you, and we’re meant to be together because Mary’s wedding dress keeps appearing for me, and I have the wedding band that you’ll one day give to me. Oh, and by the way, our first kiss has already happened.

  She stopped at the corner, waiting for the one traffic light in town to turn green. Not that it really mattered. This part of the street was pretty deserted. She could hear in the distance people counting down the clock.

  Nothing like ringing in the new year drenched and alone.

  She crossed the street, reaching the fire station and the vacant office next to it. A catcall whistle caused her to whip her head around.

  Adam. She stood frozen as he jogged across the street. “Happy Ne—” She didn’t get to finish, because at that moment, he swept her into his arms, kissing her with everything he had. She opened her mouth, tasting his desire and determination and matching it in spades.

  When they finally broke apart, he cupped her face. “Happy New Year, Bethany.”

  “Adam.” She had no idea what to say. He wrapped her arms around him, covering her with his jacket.

  “You must be freezing.”

  It didn’t matter. In his arms, she felt the warmest she’d felt in . . . well, maybe forever. “I’m fine,” she whispered, nuzzling into his chest. “Happy New Year.”

  “That second kiss was just as amazing as the first.”

  Second kiss. She released her arms from his middle and stepped out of his embrace. “You know?”

  He reached into his coat pocket and she gasped. He was holding the blonde wig.

  “Where did you get that?”

  “In the auditorium on the back of Mary’s chair.”

  “Figures she’d bust me.” She took a deep breath. The moment to tell him the truth was now. “I wore it the night of the Holiday Hook Up when I found this dress in a mysterious hope chest that apparently appeared out of nowhere. It’s Mary’s dress.”

  Even in the dark, she could see confusion all over Adam’s face. “Mary’s dress. How do you know it belonged to her?”

  “Because Josh nearly had a heart attack when he caught me in it. Abby and Caitlin recognized it, too. It’s her wedding dress.”

  “Wow.”

  She touched the satin fabric. “And it only appears for me.”

  “What do you mean, ‘only appears for’ you?”

  “Abby realized the hope chest is magical. It holds something entirely different depending on who opens it up. For me, it was this dress.” She sighed. “And now I’ve ruined it.”

  “Well, technically, Mary was the first to get water on it.”

  “Adam!”

  “Sorry, Mary.” He tossed the wig onto a nearby bench and brought her in, sheltering her from the cold with his coat. “You look even more beautiful than you did that night.” He lowered his mouth to hers, but she put her hand up, touching his lips with her fingertips.

  She needed to tell him everything. “I’m sorry that I deceived you. I’ve had a thing for you for so long, but you were with Rachel. I didn’t have the guts to tell you, but when you asked if I could send you a blonde your way, I kind of did.”

  “And that’s why you wouldn’t let me do the spell on you. Because we’d already kissed.”

  “Yes. And I saw how elated you were when you thought you’d gotten Zoe’s
batter right. I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

  He reached for her hands and pulled her in. “You have always looked after me, LB. I know that now.” He grinned. “I can’t believe you bought all those pizzas for me when we were kids.”

  Wait. He knew about that? “How long have you known?”

  “Only very recently. Why did you do it?”

  “I don’t know. I had heard that your parents were having some trouble and that was why you hung out at Ralph’s. I thought maybe it would give you something to look forward to.”

  “I love you, Bethany Wilson.”

  Oh my God. “Really?” she asked, her heart overflowing with hope.

  “Yes, really.” He lowered his head until their lips found each other again for the third in hopefully many more kisses.

  When they finally broke apart, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you, too, Adam Reed.”

  They hugged for a few minutes when she realized she had big news to share. Maybe not as big as admitting she loved him, but it was definitely a close second, and his encouragement and yes, maybe calling her out for being scared, had something to do with it.

  “Come on. I have something to show you.” She reached for his hand, threading it through hers and leading him to a spot directly in front of the vacant office. “I rented this today.”

  “You did? No way. For your photography studio?”

  “Yes. It’s mine to do as I please.” She grew even more excited with that admission.

  “That’s so great. Congratulations.” He gave her a gentle squeeze. “I’m so proud of you.”

  She was feeling pretty darn proud of herself. All her dreams were finally coming true. “You know. I’m going to need someone to help me rip up the floor and install lighting.”

  “When can I start?”

  She turned around and tugged at his coat. “And I’ll definitely need a male model who likes cats.”

  He chuckled. “Done, but only if I get to be on the cover. I’m tired of Brandon’s abs getting all the attention around town.”

  She couldn’t help but laugh with him. “So, this life is really happening?” she asked, holding her breath for his answer.