Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 96312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Alex’s expression softened. “Not everyone leaves, Maddox.”
The words hit closer to home than I wanted to admit. Mom and Dad hadn’t meant to leave either, but that hadn’t stopped the black ice that had taken them both in one horrible moment. Or the man I’d been dating at the time who’d quickly taken a job back in his hometown of Seattle to escape the weight of my grief. Since then, I’d focused on what I could control—the store, Maya’s future, my photography. Getting involved with someone like Adrian Hayes, whose entire life was built around moving on to the next perfect location, was asking for heartbreak. Not to mention frustration.
“What was the real reason you canceled on me?” I said, running a hand through my hair. “Because I’d love to stop talking about Adrian Hayes for a solid five minutes if at all possible.”
Alex hesitated, then shrugged and grinned a little self-consciously. “My life is complicated enough right now without throwing this high-profile fake-dating thing into the mix.”
I opened my mouth to ask what was so complicated when my phone buzzed again. This time, it was a text from Marco about tomorrow’s scheduled date. Shoot.
Marco
Hey man, really sorry but I got called for a last-minute training thing at the station. Rain check on the Christmas tree thing?
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I growled. “Fucking fire chief is ruining my plans for tomorrow’s shoot.”
Alex’s eyes widened in horror. “You were sending Adrian on a date with Chief Kincaid?”
I frowned at him. “No. I don’t have a death wish. Although, now that I think of it… I should see if he’s available. Kincaid wouldn’t put up with any fancy-pants flirtation bullshit. He’d put Adrian Hayes in his place.”
“Don’t do that to Adrian,” Alex said, nostrils flaring. “No one deserves to be set up with Chief Bullshit-Fire-Code-Infractions.”
At the reminder of Alex’s ongoing feud with the fastidious fire chief and his no-nonsense fire inspections at Timber, I let the subject go.
“You’re on the hook, I’m afraid. A little tree chopping never hurt anyone.”
“Not it,” Alex said cheerfully. “Seriously, I can’t. I have a large group coming in for a holiday lunch. Why not just admit you’re attracted to the guy and save us all a lot of trouble?”
“I’m not—” But the lie died in my throat as I glanced at my monitor, where I’d minimized the video. Even the thumbnail showed Adrian mid-laugh, his head thrown back, completely unguarded. Beautiful.
I gritted my teeth. Fuck.
“The guy flaunts his pretty feathers for a living,” I said instead. “He’s empty as a pocket. And he’s leaving in three weeks. I have milk in the fridge that will last longer than this guy.”
“Wasn’t suggesting a marriage, Maddox.” Alex stood, clapping me on the shoulder. “Fuck him and get out from under this funk.”
Before I could squawk in indignation, Maya burst through the door, practically vibrating with excitement.
“Maddox!” Her cheeks were pink, and her eyes sparkled. “Have you seen the numbers? Your hot chocolate date is going viral!”
Maya thrust her phone in my face before I could respond. The screen showed Adrian’s Instagram story—clips from our “date” set to some trendy song, with the caption “When your videographer becomes your emergency date… #LegacyMontana #TwelveDatesOfChristmas”
The view count was astronomical.
“Twenty thousand views in the first hour,” she announced triumphantly. “And the comments are gold. Everyone’s shipping you two.”
“Shipping isn’t a real thing,” I muttered, though my stomach did an annoying flip at seeing one of Adrian’s responses to a comment asking if he had a new boyfriend…
“Just friends. He’s definitely talented right?” he’d written with a winky emoji, followed by a fire emoji.
The fire emoji made my face heat, and I forced myself not to think about what it implied.
“Tell that to the Operation Maddrian group chat,” Alex chimed in helpfully.
“Operation Maddrian? No. You’re making that up.” I quickly searched the comments.
Maya commandeered my computer mouse. “Stop scrolling and actually read some of these! ‘The tension!’ ‘The way the grumpy one softens when the pretty one laughs!’ ‘This is better than Hallmark!’”
My face flooded with even more heat until the fire emoji began to look downright frigid compared to my face. “He gets to be the pretty one, and I’m the grumpy one? Says who? I’m not fucking grumpy.”
“Are, too,” the two of them said at the same time before breaking into laughter.
I dropped my head into my hands. “Don’t you both have literally anywhere else to be?”
“Not when this is happening.” Maya scrolled through more comments. “Oh my god, someone made a compilation of every time you almost smile at him. It’s set to ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling.’”
I groaned. “That’s it. I’m moving to Alaska.”
“Alaska has influencers, too,” Alex pointed out helpfully. “And probably worse internet for uploading your obvious sexual tension with them.”
I threw a lens cap at his head. He caught it, laughing.