It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Chick Lit

by S. E. Babin

  “The standard kind of nerd game,” I repeat as I put another piece of the bun in my mouth. “It’s kind of cool that you made up a whole game.”

  “Kind of?” he repeats with a sarcastic scoff, “It’s really cool, thank you very much.”

  “He has a meeting with investors after Christmas,” William brags with a proud smile. “This game is going to be big.”

  “Wow.” I’m impressed and it shows, “That is amazing.”

  “Well we don’t know if they’ll even bite,” Perry shrugs, chomping into a forkful of olives. “They were interested in the storyline, but wanted to see a prototype first.”

  My grandmother suddenly hits my side with her elbow and I make a hissing sound as I glare at her. She motions at the doorway,

  “My cookies! I left them in the kitchen. You two go get them. Hurry, people will be asking where they are.”

  “I can get them myself,” I say pushing my chair back.

  “Be a gentleman,” William harks at Perry but I notice Perry is already getting to his feet.

  We leave the dining room together, Perry leading the way across the hall to the kitchen.

  When we get to the kitchen, we notice the Christmas cookies right away, on four baking pans, cooling. We walk over to the stove and Perry reaches for one of the white trays my grandmother has waiting.

  Our shoulders touch as we begin to set the cookies upon the first tray slowly and I’m trying to calm my stupid racing heart. His aftershave is light and fresh, a hint of peppermint that I think is perfect for the Christmas season.

  “Hey, do me a favor?” Perry looks down at me. “Keep this under wraps from people at work? Technically, what I’m doing could get me fired. Pitching to investors not related to Fantasy Horizons.”

  I smile as I look down at the cookies. “I’ll be quiet.”

  He pops a cookie into his mouth and sighs happily. After he swallows it he speaks. “Best cookies ever.”

  I reach down for one myself, a star one, and bite into its sweetness. I fail at containing my pleasure at its taste, letting out an “Mmmm” before I finish it.

  “Your girlfriend doesn’t seem to think so,” I say to Perry after I swallow the last bit.

  Next to me, he takes half a step back and I look up to see him frowning. “My girlfriend?”

  “Sorry.” My face goes red instantly. “I didn’t mean to say that, like that. It was mean of me.”

  “What makes you think I have a girlfriend?” he sneers with a shake of his wispy hair as he places more cookies on the tray.

  My forehead crinkles. “Oh, well I saw you and Sierra at the Christmas party so I assumed—”

  “—Yeah, no,” he cuts me off with a repulsed tone in his voice that surprises me. “That is definitely not—Okay, how could you ever think that?”

  Now he seems offended and as I gaze back at him, I find him staring at me with a confusing expression. I can’t help but smile.

  “I don’t know. You always look so chummy with her.”

  “Yeah, no,” he says again shaking his head. “That’s me being tolerant. Please, give me more credit than that. I mean I’m sure she’s a nice person but…well, let’s leave it at ‘but’.”

  I can’t help but laugh, even though his joke wasn’t particularly funny.

  I’m laughing from relief that he has no feelings towards Sierra at all.

  That it was all in her head, in my head.

  He has no feelings for her.

  “Is that why she’s been dressing so, normal lately?” I ask, thinking back on her outfit today and yesterday.

  “Oh no, that’s because Jocelyn and I secretly reported her to HR.” He smiles big.

  I laugh again, “That’s mean of you guys.”

  “Come on.” He lets out a chuckle, and he sounds so much like his grandfather I have to look up from the cookie tray at him. “Someone should have reported her months ago. What she wore was always so inappropriate!”

  I nod in agreement and when the baking sheet in front of me is empty, I pick it up. I leave him and cross the kitchen to slide the baking sheet into the sink behind us. I give it a quick rinse and then join Perry back at the stove.

  He’s finished putting the rest of the cookies on the last cookie tray and I find a small white envelope with my name on it, set on the counter. I reach over with a frown,

  “What’s this?”

  “Secret Santa gift,” Perry answers as he leans against the counter, watching me. “Go on, open it.”

  “Wait, you’re my Secret Santa?” I look into his eyes, confused. “But you said you had Vince?”

  “I switched. Don’t tell the evil twins.” He crosses his arms over his chest and his mouth twitches, as if he was trying to hide a smile.

  My heart leaps so quickly in my ribcage I’m worried I may lose my breath.

  “You switched for me?”

  “Oh my God, Kinsley.” He shakes his head at me as he laughs a little. “Just open it up.”

  I bite the inside of my mouth as I try to hide a smile, slowly pulling apart the envelope. I reach inside with two fingers and pull out something thin and plastic. I notice the green lettering instantly. As I turn over the see-through gift card, I can’t help but laugh.

  “Starbucks,” I nod. “A Starbucks gift card.”

  “I figure it could be our thing.”

  After a moment I look up from the envelope and gift card to find him standing right in front of me. Other than sitting behind his desk together, this is the nearest we have ever been. The elf on his sweater is staring me right in the face, until I look up at Perry that is.

  He has his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “So, Jocelyn told me.”

  I wish I didn’t know what he meant, but I do.

  My eyes flutter shut and it feels like my heart drops into the pit of my stomach. “I’m going to rip her into a thousand pieces.”

  “She told me after I told her.” Perry ignores me as his voice softens.

  Slowly I open my eyes again and I feel my mouth get dry as nerves overtake me.

  “You told her what?”

  He can’t help but give me a wistful smirk as he steps closer to me, his hands coming out of his pockets. I feel his hands touch my back softly and I arch against it, straight against his chest. One of his hands slips off my back and lightly brushes my cheek as he leans down to me. His lips brush against mine tenderly and his hands now grip my arms. I’m on my toes as I return the softness of his kiss and when I feel him smile through it, I can’t help but do the same.

  He breaks from me a moment later, holding his smile, and whispers, “Merry Christmas.”

  About the Author

  Vivian Brooks lives in Canada with her loving husband and their two rambunctious children. When she isn’t ordering her children to behave or begging her Border Terrier to listen to her, she sits behind her lap-top plotting out the next adventure of her new characters. She’s a fan of a good glass of Pinot Noir, and can’t live without her favorite tea blends. She also writes Cozy Mysteries under the name Nikki LeClair. All of her works are published on Amazon, available in paperback or for your e-reader. She enjoys hearing from readers so please reach out! You can find her on twitter at @NikkiL_Books, and on her Facebook Fanpage Nikki LeClair.

  @NikkiL_Books

  NikkiLeClairBooks

  nikkileclair.weebly.com/

  Also by Vivian Brooks/Nikki LeClair

  Haunting Me (Book One in Haunting Me Series) by Nikki LeClair

  Locking Up Santa (Book Two in Haunting Me Series) by Nikki LeClair

  All Because of You by Vivian Brooks

  A Holly Jolly Heartache

  S.E. Babin

  1

  She was prettier than me. That was the worst thing about it. I could have handled it if I’d caught him with someone snaggle-toothed and frizzy-haired. But no. She was tanned, trim, toned, and heart-breakingly beautiful.

  Merry Freaking Christmas, Jess.

  I watched as my de
jected, now ex-boyfriend struggled with putting his suitcases in the taxi pulled up outside of the townhome we’d once shared. Well. Shared being he’d lived here, eaten my food and barely worked, and I’d paid all of the bills. I groaned and rubbed my hands over my face.

  This should be a good thing. I let the curtain fall and turned back to my now quiet apartment. The Christmas tree I’d so lovingly decorated blinked at me in sad synchronicity. The white lights twinkled against the beautiful pewter color I’d picked out and painted the walls so long ago. Christopher hadn’t cared one iota, but I’d been so excited about it I could barely stand myself.

  And yet, here I was. Alone. Again. Fifteen days before Christmas. Piles of presents lay scattered haphazardly at the bottom of the tree, and I sighed again, knowing I was going to have to take most of them back because they were his.

  One thing was bothering me about this entire scenario. And it didn’t bother me in a self-confidence sort of way, although her being prettier would sting for quite a long time. Christopher was a broke, starving “artist”, although the only art I’d ever seen him produce was mustard pictures on his sandwich before he slapped the other piece of bread down. He was unshaven ninety-percent of the time, and he spoke like he was an aging surfer. We didn’t live anywhere near a place where waves could be caught properly, but Christopher had a blinding white smile and the vocabulary of a beach bum. How had he managed to snag someone who appeared to be successful?

  Why were women so susceptible to dating bums?

  Or, a better question since I was currently analyzing the state of the world, why was I so susceptible to dating bums? I plopped down on my couch and stared at the ceiling.

  Two years down the tube. I’d always liked him. I loved him, too. Not the heartbreakingly tragic love that so many of us like to watch on the television, but a warm, fuzzy pair of favorite socks kind of love. I would be sad when they finally wore out, but I sure did like wearing them when the temps dropped outside.

  So why did my stomach hurt so much seeing him get into the cab and ride away?

  Because you’ll be thirty in two months and you haven’t had a steady, fulfilling relationship since you were nineteen years old. I shut my eyes as I thought about him.

  Jensen Knight.

  I shivered as I allowed his name to cross my thoughts for the first time in years. Jensen was like Pandora’s Box.

  Lock it away.

  And never, ever, open the box.

  But here, alone in my self-wallowing, I was Pandora, except not so seductive and hopefully not releasing all the evils into the world. I was the Pandora who innocently opened the jar and walked down a path much better left alone.

  I hadn’t seen him in almost ten years.

  Maybe I should call him.

  I sat up abruptly, hyperventilating at that last thought.

  Shut it down, Jess. Shut it down. Easy girl. I blew out a steadying breath, shook my head at the craziness that had just occurred in my own unfortunate brain and went to the kitchen to make myself a cup of cocoa.

  Everything was better with cocoa.

  * * *

  After a sleepless night, I woke up groggy and not ready for the world. I went through the motions of a normal person, pulled on a knee-length skirt, a chiffon blouse, and a pair of knee-high boots and went to the mirror, where I immediately grimaced upon seeing what looked back at me.

  “Jiminy Cricket,” I muttered.

  Dark hair lay plastered against the left side of my face. The right side hadn’t fared much better. Hair stuck out in wild angles and mascara smeared down the side of my cheeks. I pulled off my blouse so I wouldn’t get it dirty and washed my face. My hair would just have to settle for a messy bun today. I didn’t have the energy to do much else with it. After slapping on some mascara and a berry-colored lip gloss, I put my blouse back on, nodded in satisfaction at the semi-human staring back at me, and grabbed a cup of coffee before I headed out the door.

  * * *

  The Book Wench stood like a stalwart tower in my own personal storm, beckoning me with the comforting smell of well-loved pages and the rich deep roast of the coffee beans I’d spent months sourcing before I found the perfect fit. I turned the key into the lock, close to tears over the events of the last couple of days but relieved I still had something I loved left. I stepped inside and shut and locked the doors behind me. We wouldn’t be open for another hour or so, but there was usually the eager bibliophile who tried to sneak in early. I dropped my belongings behind the counter and shrugged my jacket off before I leaned against the counter and tried to steady my rampant emotions.

  I wasn’t even that sad over Christopher. I was just sad that I kept failing in my personal relationships. I wasn’t unattractive. Minus the mirror incident this morning. Makeup and a messy bun can fix most appearance ills. I was slim, yet a little bit out of shape because I preferred books over treadmills. My teeth were mostly straight. I could cook and bake like a champ. I was well-versed in all things literature, though I hoped I could be forgiven that my tastes ran more modern instead of classics. I couldn’t tell you a thing about Jane Austen, but I could definitely tell you all the professors who taught at Hogwarts. This made me super popular at parties.

  Okay. Not really.

  I used a breathing method I learned on YouTube which I hadn’t yet debunked. It worked. Either that or it was a placebo effect. Either way, I didn’t care. My heartbeat slowed and my thoughts cleared. Once I had another cup of coffee, I would be golden to start the day.

  I reached behind the counter and grabbed my I like big books and I cannot lie mug, but on my way to the coffee pot, I stopped and stared at the huge present sitting on top of a stack of new releases I had yet to shelve. I set the mug down and wandered over, excitement pumping through my veins.

  I was a girl who loved presents. Yet another reason to be annoyed about my breakup.

  No shiny things for you this year, Jess!

  It sat, still and beautifully wrapped, and there was something about it that made me want to tear into it right away. My brows knit together. Not my usual reaction, but I had to admit whoever had wrapped this had a deft hand and a good eye for beauty.

  It had to be Katie, my right-hand gal and bookseller. I hadn’t had the chance to call her with the news but knowing Katie she’d somehow surmised my personal situation like some kind of legit street psychic. She was uncanny with things like that.

  I stared at the huge red bow on top of the present, my fingers itching to pull it. Attached to the bow was a note written in elegant script:

  Make a wish, then open me. And may all of your dreams come true.

  Super hokey, but okay. As much as I loved books, I was born cursed with a strong logic and a great aversion to things seeming too good to be true. But...it was Christmas and this was from Katie, the woman who believed in magic in all its shapes and forms. And who continually tried to get me to do that same.

  With a shrug, I closed my eyes and the haunting devilish green eyes of Jensen Knight swam into view. I tried to swat the vision away mentally, but it stayed stubborn and true.

  “I wish I knew what went wrong,” I said as I touched the note. “I wish I had the chance to make it right. I wish Jensen had loved me. I wish I had just...one more chance.”

  I bit my lip as tears swam to the surface, and I struggled to stop them. With a sigh, I pulled the bow and the lid to the gift slid sideways. I peeked in, curious. I gasped as a beautiful, jewel encrusted box swam partially into my view.

  “Oh,” I exclaimed and lifted the box out of its cotton nest. These couldn’t possibly be real, could they? I tapped what appeared to be rubies and sapphires encrusted on the side of the box. They were cool to the touch.

  Holy crap. Katie must have spent a fortune on this. I frowned. We were good friends, but we weren’t the kind of friends to buy each other such extravagant gifts. Even more curious, I set the box down. The top of the lid was engraved with a beautiful woman. Curls spilled down her bare shoulde
rs and down the blue toga she wore. Her face tilted up in an expectation of...something.

  Trepidation stole over my shoulders and sent a shiver down my spine. With trembling hands, I lifted the lid.

  A howl of wind screeched through the store and blew books off of the shelves. I stood frozen in place.

  “Damn! It’s windy out there!” A voice said as the door to the store slammed open and Katie stepped inside, shaking her boots off on the front stoop.

  I let out a shaky laugh. It hadn’t been windy when I’d come in this morning.

  I slammed the lid back onto the box and turned to Katie holding it. “I can’t believe you’d get me something so beautiful.”

  A frown marred Katie’s perfect brow as she stepped closer to examine it. With a low whistle, she took it out of my hands and tilted the box to the light. Her curious gaze lifted to mine. “These real?”

  My heart dropped to my stomach. “You didn’t get this for me?”

  A merry peal of laughter broke from my friend. “Honey, I love you, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think we’re quite at the jewels and riches stage of our relationship.”

  My shoulders sagged. “Someone left this for me.” I reached over and handed her the note. “With this.”

  Katie frowned as she read it. “Did something happen?”

  I shrugged. “I threw Chris out.”

  Sympathy flooded Katie’s expression and she reached in to give me a hug. Thin arms flew around my back and her hair tangled in my nose, but her comforting scent of gingerbread and vanilla made it okay. She patted my back. “I’m sorry, honey. Two weeks before Christmas, huh?”

  “Yeah,” I muttered.

  “Sounds to me like he wanted to get caught.”

  The thought hadn’t occurred to me yet, but that sounded just about right. Last Christmas he’d bought me a holiday tote of cheap makeup and a subscription to Seventeen. I haven’t been seventeen for almost….seventeen years. I snorted in amusement. “Maybe.”