Read Online That Mistletoe Moment by Cat Johnson - Free Book Online Page B

of her hand. After placing it on the table next to his, he held both of her hands. His were warm and slightly rough as he held her in a firm grasp. “Just take your time.”
    She nodded. “Okay. But it’s a long story.”
    One corner of his mouth tipped up in a crooked smile. “That’s okay. I’ve got all night.”
    Noelle swallowed hard. “Okay. It all started on Thanksgiving. The day I first met you . . .”

CHAPTER 8
    N athan remained quiet as he sat and listened to Noelle’s odd tale. The cast of characters was vast enough that he had to pay extra attention just to keep them all straight. There were George and Aunt Anna and a sister named Nikki, her parents, her ex’s parents, and some assorted brothers thrown in.
    Then came the part about the fake boyfriend phone app and the story took a turn for the surreal.
    Even so, he held her hand and let her talk as she explained how she’d set up a contact in her phone for the app so she could pretend to get texts from this Build-A-Boyfriend in front of her ex at her parents’ party.
    â€œSo when Nikki told me I had to pick a name for my fake boyfriend and create a contact in my phone, I somehow set it up using your phone number instead of the app phone number. So when I sent that first text to Nathan in my contact list, it was supposed to go to the Build-A-Boyfriend app, but it went to you instead.”
    At that point he held up one hand to stop her. “Wait. Hang on a second.”
    Drawing in a breath, she nodded. “Yes?”
    â€œI got lost at the part about how the app contact got saved under my name.”
    She pursed her lips together. Her gaze dropped before she brought it up to meet his. “I named him Nathan.”
    His eyes widened. “You named your Build-A-Boyfriend after me?”
    Noelle cringed. “Yes. That’s weird, right? I’m sorry. Nikki was pressuring me and I couldn’t think of any other name.” Her cheeks flooded with color.
    She couldn’t think of any other man’s name except for his? That had to be a good sign. He’d made an impression. At least enough that his name had been on her mind.
    He couldn’t help his smile. “Noelle, don’t apologize. I’m flattered.”
    â€œYou are?”
    â€œHell yeah, I am.” He couldn’t be happier, but still, why did this woman have to fake a boyfriend? He shook his head. “But seriously, Noelle, why in the world would you think you needed to hire some rent-a-boyfriend service? Guys must be knocking down your door.”
    â€œUm, no. Not so much. Of course, that could be because I spent the past five years off the market in a dead-end relationship.”
    The fact remained, what the hell was wrong with the men in this town that they’d let a girl like Noelle slip by now that she was available?
    Their loss was his gain. It didn’t matter how or why she’d come to text him that night. What mattered was what had happened afterward.
    All those texts where they’d laughed together while watching the same movie meant something, even if they had been a thousand miles apart. And then the phone conversation the following day—that had been all him and her. No app involved.
    He squeezed her hands, happy to be here with her now. “I’m not going to complain. I’m glad you signed up for that app since it led you to me. And I’m glad the men around here are idiots and didn’t scoop you up the minute you dumped George because that left the path clear for me.” He narrowed his eyes. “It is clear, right? No feelings left for your ex?”
    Not that he’d let that stand in his way. He just needed to know what sort of battle was in front of him.
    â€œFor George? Oh, no. None.” She shook her head, looking adamant. “We might be able to be friends again. That would be easiest since our parents are friends. But as far as me and him? No.