by Laura Ann
“Mistletoe Mistake”
It’s All About the Mistletoe #4
By Laura Ann
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
MISTLETOE MISTAKE
First edition. October 8, 2019.
Copyright © 2019 Laura Ann.
Written by Laura Ann.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
NEWSLETTER
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
Okay, can I just say how much
Tired of Christmas stories?
CHAPTER 1
DON’T FORGET!
DEDICATION
To Twin #1.
You are the most joyous person
I know. Thank you for your smiles
and support. Keep it up!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
No author works alone. Thank you Victorine,
You and your sister make it Christmas every time
I get a new cover. And thank you to my Beta Team.
Truly, your help with my stories is immeasurable.
NEWSLETTER
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PROLOGUE
“Okay... everyone here?” Lane’s eyes darted around, counting all the little squares on her computer screen.
“Lane and I make six!” Wren shouted from just behind Lane’s head.
Lane quickly put a hand over her offended ear and scowled at her best friend and roommate. “Geez, Wren, we can hear you just fine.”
Wren did her best to hold back a smile and shrugged unapologetically. “Sorry. I’m a little overexcited.”
“Ya think?” Lane mumbled.
“It’s just that we haven’t seen each other in FOR-EV-VER!” Wren made a silly face at the screen, causing everyone to erupt in more laughter. See? They think I’m funny!
“It may have been years since we were all together, but Wren, I don’t think you’ve changed at all,” Faye said through a snicker. Her purple-tinted corkscrew curls brought a burst of color to the screen full of faces.
“Wren might not have changed, but some of us have,” Britta frowned and looked down at her lap.
“Yeah, well, you needed to put on a few pounds, Girlie.” Wren sniffed and held back an eye roll. “Now you actually look like an adult instead of a little girl.”
“Wren!” Lane scolded, elbowing Wren in the side. “Be nice.”
“I am!” Wren frowned. “She looks great. I was just telling her that.”
“Then just say she looks nice,” Lane huffed. “You don’t have to-” She shook her head. “Never mind.” She turned back to the computer and smiled. “How about we get to the point of this video call, huh?”
A round of ‘here, here’s’ rang through the room and speakers.
Lane cleared her throat and Wren gave her an encouraging shoulder squeeze. “As you all know, Evanwood’s Christmas Ball is coming up,” she started.
“Can you believe it?” Grace said with a laugh. “I swear, time goes faster each year. We all graduated ten years ago, people!”
“No kidding,” Faye added. “That stupid ball is just a constant reminder of how fast it all goes.”
“I don’t know,” Esther whined. “It sure feels like ten years to me.”
“That’s because you stayed in that podunk town,” Faye said with a shrug.
Oooh, ouch! Wren thought with a grimace.
“Ladies!” Lane snapped when Esther winced. “We’re not here to pick on each other. I thought we were all friends.”
“Sorry, sorry.” Faye put her hands up. “You’re right.” She looked pointedly at Esther. “Sorry, Esther. Just because you made different choices than me doesn’t mean they were wrong.”
Esther kept her gaze on her lap, but nodded.
Although, the rest of us think Faye’s right. It’s time to move on, Chica. Wren kept her thoughts to herself. Lane was having enough trouble keeping the group in line.
Lane rubbed her temples, an easy-to-read sign of stress.
“Come on, Girlies,” Wren jumped in. “Let’s get on with it. We called this meeting because of the upcoming ball... and the fact that every stinkin’, single one of us... is still single.” She pursed her lips.
“What exactly are you expecting us to do about it?” Britta narrowed her eyes. “So we’re single. Most of us aren’t coming home for the ball, anyway.”
Lane sat up straight, jumping back into the conversation. “That’s exactly what I was hoping to change.” She bit her lip before continuing. “I think we should all meet up at the ball. Like we said, it’s been years since we’ve been together and ten years since we graduated. Don’t you think we should all take advantage of the opportunity?”
“Why?” Grace asked as she scrunched her nose. “It’s not like we have anyone to show off to the town, and we keep up with each other on social media. Why bother going to the ball?”
Lane’s squished her lips to the side. “I just...” she glanced at Wren, who nodded in encouragement, “I just thought it might be nice to see each other and to show the town what we’re up to.”
Faye frowned. “What exactly are you getting at?”
Okay... time to intervene. Wren pushed her face back into the screen. “Haven’t you guys received your invitation yet?”
“No,” Faye huffed. “What does it say?”
Lane sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Mostly the usual, but then it makes a remark about bringing a significant other, or not coming at all.”
Gasps came through the tinny speakers, followed by silence.
Lane leaned back in her seat, a weary look on her face.
“Who the heck came up with this idea?” Faye snorted.
“Camille,” Esther said softly. When the rest of the girls looked at her, she shrugged. “I already have my invite as well. I’m sure it reached me earlier since they know where I live. Anyway, Pastor Larsen needed help this year and Camille volunteered. She decided she wanted it to be more exclusive, so she’s only allowing you to come if you have a date.”
“I should have known,” Britta muttered under her breath.
“She probably married some hotshot lawyer and wanted a better chance to show off her diamonds,” Wren said with a smirk.
“I don’t think she’s married, but she is dating a doctor. Plastic surgeon I think,” Esther supplied.
“Then it’s not diamonds she’s showing off.” Wren snickered until Lane elbowed her again.
“How do you know all this?” Faye asked.
Esther shrugged. “The gossip mill around here hasn’t slowed down one iota since you all left.”
“Nothing was stopping Camille from bringing her date to the ball anyway, so why get all snooty about those who don’t have one?” Grace asked.
All eyes turned to Esther, who blushed bright pink. “Uh... all I know is what the old ladies at church are saying.”
“Do share,” Wren encouraged with a mischievous grin.
“Well, I guess Camille has moved the ball from the church to the Evanwood’s ballroom and is really going all out.”
“Meaning?”
“She’s trying to make it all high-society and stuff, I guess.”
Esther shrugged. “But the date thing, I guess, was to weed out... undesirables.”
“Undesirables? Are you serious?” Britta squeaked. “That’s ridiculous!”
Esther made a face. “All I know is the rumor. I haven’t spoken to Camille in person. She doesn’t actually live here anymore.”
“Then how the heck did she come to be in charge?” Wren demanded with a scowl.
“Beats me. But she does visit a lot. Her parents and grandma are still here.”
“Who the heck is she to say we have to have a man? Can’t we all go stag? Buck the rules a bit?” Grace asked.
“Oh sure, until she has her dad arrest us for going against her.” Faye rolled her eyes.
“Only Camille would be able to get away with that,” Britta grouched. “Stupid sheriff’s daughter.”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Grace leaned into the screen. “What I don’t understand is why Lane is so set on us all going.” All eyes turned to Grace and she immediately sunk back in her seat at the attention. “None of us are friends with Camille, never have been. So why are you set on us going to the ball? Can’t we just ignore it like we have for years?”
When Lane didn’t answer right away, Wren knew she’d have to spill the beans. “Because Camille sent her a personal note along with the invitation,” Wren supplied.
“Wren!” Lane screeched. She turned and glared at Wren. “You promised!” she hissed.
Wren shrugged. “Desperate times, Girlie.”
“What did the note say?” Faye interrupted and all the other girls nodded, wanting to know as well.
Lane sighed. “She wrote me a nice little letter about how sad it was that I wouldn’t be able to come and that maybe I would have better luck next time.”
“You can’t be serious!” Esther gasped.
“Serious as a caffeine addiction,” Wren said glibly.
Faye whistled and folded her arms over her chest. “We’ve been gone ten years and that girl still can’t leave you alone? What the heck is her problem?”
Lane shrugged. “I’ve never done anything to her, so I don’t know why she hates me so much.”
“It’s just because you’re prettier and nicer,” Britta piped in. “It’s a classic tale of jealousy.”
Lane smiled and shook her head. “Don’t I wish. Anyway, I guess I... I don’t know. It’s dumb and I shouldn’t be intimidated by her petty bullying.”
Ugh. There’s no way we’re letting Camille get away with this. “Alright, everyone, listen up.” Wren pushed her way in front of Lane and got her face right into the webcam. “As much as we might not want to admit it, we were total losers in high school. Every. Single. One of us. Now, we have the opportunity to shake it up a little. One of our own is being taunted by a prissy know-it-all who needs to be taken down a peg or two. Are we all really going to say that after ten years we still can’t get a date to a dance? Are we willing to carry the banner of ‘Loser’ on our foreheads for the rest of our lives?” Wren clucked her tongue and shook her head. “I, for one, am not. For once, just once, I want to show up with the hottest guy in the room and make all those wimpy, cheerleading snobs envy me.” Wren put her hands in the air. “Call it pride, call it ego, call it whatever you want, but I’m sick and tired of coming in last and this is our one chance to come out on top. And! Best of all, in doing so, we are defending Lane’s pride.”
Britta scrunched her nose. “You’re being dramatic, Wren.”
Wren pointed at the screen. “Maybe so, but you have to admit I have a point.” All the other ladies reluctantly nodded.
Faye folded her arms over her chest. “So, what are you proposing?”
Wren scooted to the side and Lane got back on the screen. “All we’re trying to do is help each other out. I thought between the six of us, we could help each other find a date and maybe save some face on the dance floor.”
“So we’re looking for fake boyfriends?” Grace asked with wide eyes. “Really? That sounds so... naughty.”
Wren put a fist to her mouth to hide her snicker.
Lane winced but nodded. “Yeah. Kinda, I guess. I mean... no one has to know but us, and the guys of course. But I think that’s better than trying to find a real boyfriend on a short timeline. Talk about awkward.”
The ladies were quiet for a moment while they all contemplated the plan.
Faye slapped her hand on the table she was sitting at. “I’m tired of Camille coming out on top too. I’m in.”
Lane smiled and Wren let out a breath of relief. “Great!” Lane stated.
“Me too.” Grace shrugged. “I mean, why not? Unless the guy’s a total weirdo, it should make for a pretty fun night.”
Britta nodded. “Yeah, it will. I’m in as well.” She smiled. “Plus, I don’t want Lane to have to take all of Camille’s nastiness.”
All eyes turned to Esther, who was chewing her lip.
Come on, Chica, you can do it. Wren willed her friend to say ‘yes’.
“I guess so,” Esther finally agreed. “It’s not like I have anything better to do.”
“Woo hoo!” Wren put her hands in the air and hollered, once again making Lane jerk back and glare.
“That’s great, guys. I think we’ll do much better with us all planning together.” Lane smiled at the computer screen. “We have one month until the ball, so that should give us plenty of time to come up with potential candidates.”
Faye chuckled and Wren snorted at Lane’s description.
“So, for our first assignment, everyone needs to make a list of men they know who might be willing to help us out. You can even pair them with a specific partner if you think a certain person would get along with them the best.”
“On it!” Grace said with a smile.
“Sounds good!” Faye added.
All the other women nodded and after a few more minutes, they logged off.
“Good grief, that was harder than I thought,” Lane grumbled, slouching in her seat and closing her eyes.
“Oh, Girlie, you have no idea...” Wren said in an overly ominous voice.
Lane cracked open an eye and frowned. “What?”
“We have to come up with a list of guys,” Wren stated baldly. “That’s going to be way harder than wrangling our best friends into submission.”
Lane groaned and threw an arm over her face. “Why do you always have to be right?”
Wren grinned. “Well, someone has to be the realist in this relationship, ya know.”
Lane peeked out from under her arm. “Of the two of us, that is definitely not you.”
Wren laughed. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” She pursed her lips and tapped them with her finger. “Who in the world am I going to get to go with me?”
Lane stood and headed toward the kitchen sink, filling a glass of water. “I don’t know, but I’m sure we can come up with someone. It shouldn’t be that hard, right?”
Wren laughed. “Oh yeah, cause it’s just raining men, Baby!”
Lane snorted and shook her head.
“Come on, Chica.” Wren grabbed a pad of paper and a pen. “Let’s make a list.”
CHAPTER 1
Wren groaned and dropped her head to her desk. “Just kill me now,” she muttered.
“I said I was sorry!” Troy’s voice called out over the tiny speaker on her phone. “What exactly do you expect me to do? Break up with my girlfriend so I can be your date, then get back together afterwards? Or, or, or... better yet, ask her if she’ll understand if I take out another woman while we’re—”
“I got it, Troy!” Wren interrupted. “I got it,” she said in a softer tone, picking up the phone and putting it to her ear. “I’m sorry I’m being such a whiner. This is my problem, not yours.”
“Do you want me to set you up with someone?”
“Thanks, but a blind date is definitely NOT what I am looking for,” Wren huffed. “Although I appreciate the offer,” she added.
“Well... good luck then,” Troy said. “Again,
sorry I can’t help.”
“No worries.” Wren smiled. “Tell Rosie hello for me.”
“Will do. See ya.” Troy ended the call.
“Now what?” Wren whispered, leaning back in her seat. “I’ve contacted every guy I know, and no one is available.” She scrunched her nose. “Maybe I should have taken him up on his blind date offer.” She shook her head. “No. That would be a disaster. I hate blind dates. And having to pretend to be cozy with a complete stranger would be nuts.”
She sighed and glanced at the clock on the wall. “Well, suck it up, Buttercup,” she urged herself. “Class will be here in ten minutes.” Wren sighed and rubbed her forehead. Her eyes slowly drifted toward the pad of paper sitting on top of her desk full of names. She had scratched out the first ten for one reason or another. Either they were dating someone else, they were busy, or just plain out said no. All that had left her with was one name.
Wren chewed her lip. “Silas Thurgood,” she murmured. Her heart skipped a beat at the same time she grimaced. Silas had been the ultimate nerd in high school and for some reason, had had a crush on Wren. He had followed her and her friends everywhere, spouting Klingon poetry, wearing shirts with chemistry jokes on them, and asking Wren out in almost every conversation they had ever had. In general, he had made a complete nuisance of himself.
However, unbeknownst to her friends, Wren had loved it. She might not have been a Trekkie, but Wren had been nerdy in her own right and had thought Silas was pretty cute. When he had first started to pay attention to her, Wren had been flattered, thrilled even, that a boy had noticed her. With her short, brown hair and diminutive stature, Wren had never been one to stand out from the crowd in the looks department, but her theatre personality attracted all sorts of attention, not all of it good.
Needless to say, when Silas began to shyly flirt with Wren and hint at a date, Wren had her heart all aflutter. She had spent three days in utter bliss, spending extra time in the morning to look cute just in case she saw the tall, skinny science lover. Her whole dream came crashing down quickly, though, when she overheard Camille and one of her cronies chatting by the water fountain.