Page 40 of Falling for the Grinchy Bad Boy

“That’s what I’m calling it because that’s all it can be.” I set my clipboard aside and finally allowed myself to stop moving for more than thirty seconds. “He was just being helpful. His boss made him work with me. It’s all part of community service. A service you pay taxes for.”

“I think we both know that was above and beyond.”

When she put it like that, it did sound like more than just neighborly assistance. But I couldn’t let myself read too much into it. “He’s a good guy under that gruff exterior. At least he used to be. He saw a problem and fixed it. That’s just who Cooper is.”

“Maybe,” she said, taking a sip of her coffee. “Or maybe Cooper is more interested in you than either of you wants to admit.”

My heart did that stupid flippy thing again, but I forced myself to shake my head. “It’s not that simple.”

“Why not? You’re both single adults. You’re clearly attracted to each other. I’m just saying, there’s no reason two young folks like you can’t keep each other warm over the holidays.”

“Aunt Victoria!” I felt my face flame. “You can’t just say things like that!”

“Why not? I’m old enough to speak my mind, and you’re old enough to handle a little romantic advice from your favorite aunt.”

“You’re my only aunt.”

“Which makes me your favorite by default.” She leaned forward with that conspiratorial look that usually meant she was about to give me advice I didn’t want to hear. “Seriously, honey, what’s stopping you? You like him, he obviously likes you⁠—”

“He doesn’t like me,” I interrupted. “Not like that.”

“But I think there’s a spark. Where there’s a spark, there’s a chance.”

“Aunt Victoria, Katrina told me the guy went through a nasty breakup. I don’t want to be a rebound.”

She waved her hand like it wasn’t a big deal. “Lynn Ziegler is old news.”

The name hung in the air between us like a dark cloud. Everyone in town knew about Lynn and what she had done to Cooper. How she left him at the altar last Christmas Eve and that he had been different ever since. Quieter. More closed off. And completely allergic to anything Christmas-related until yesterday.

I knew Lynn. She had been part of our friend group before I left for college. It pissed me off that she had done what she did. It was pretty bad when I had heard about it all the way in New York. I had been invited to the wedding but didn’t go. I was glad I didn’t.

“That woman really did a number on him,” Aunt Victoria said softly. “But maybe what he needs is someone who can help him make new Christmas memories. Better ones.”

“Or maybe he’s too damaged to trust anyone again,” I said. “You see how he is around anything holiday related. He can barely stand to be in the same room as a Christmas tree, and I’m literally the person in charge of the biggest Christmas celebration in town.”

“And yet he climbed that tree for you.”

“He climbed it because he’s a decent person who doesn’t like to see people disappointed. Yes, he’s the Grinch in real life, but he’s still got a hint of the old Cooper in there. That doesn’t mean he’s interested and I’m certainly not trying to take on a project. Cooper is a project.”

“Joy Elizabeth Murphy, you are many things, but naive is not one of them. Don’t pretend you don’t see the way that man looks at you.”

I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it again. Because the truth was, I had noticed the way Cooper looked at me sometimes. Our eyes had met across the crowd yesterday and there had been something in his expression that made my stomach flip and my heart race.

But there were so many complications.

“Even if you’re right,” I said carefully, “there’s still the Katrina situation.”

Aunt Victoria raised an eyebrow. “What about Katrina?”

“She’s his sister. And my friend. And back in high school, she made it very clear that Cooper was completely off limits. She said it would be too weird if we dated, and if things went bad, it would mess up the whole friend group dynamic. I mean, he got with Lynn and they had blown up spectacularly.”

“That was high school, honey. You’re both adults now.”

“But what if her feelings haven’t changed? What if I make a move on her brother and it ruins our friendship? Katrina’s been one of my best friends since we were twelve. I can’t risk losing that.”

I could see Aunt Victoria processing this, and I knew she was probably right about the high school thing. But the fear was still there, lodged somewhere between my heart and my stomach. The fear of messing up something good, of taking a risk and having it blow up in my face.

“So you’d rather spend your time wondering ‘what if’ than find out if something wonderful might be possible?”