In the picturesque town of Winter Grove, the tenacious Alicia Whittaker faces off against her best friend's snobbish brother, Zeke Brighton, when his disapproval of his sister's boyfriend threatens to upend their Christmas.
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Tenacious college stud...
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Alicia
There was nothing like Christmas in Winter Grove.
Snuggled into a cozy corner of the Rocky Mountains and aglow with thousands of twinkling lights, the little college town was an idyllic place to spend the holiday season. The lights strung throughout the city made even the darkest night shine. As the shimmering lights caught on the flakes falling from the sky, it was as though the stars themselves had been embedded in the sparkling snow.
Alicia Whittaker didn't catch any of the town's magic. She was lost in her phone, her thick mahogany waves forming a curtain between her and the world while she sat at the bar of The Snowball's Chance. Even the steaming mug of hot chocolate sliding across the bartop, sent over by owner and friend Olly Sinclair, barely got her to raise her head.
Olly had to lean forward to catch her eye. His eyebrows raised in silent question.
You okay?
Alicia shot him a quick smile, but it didn't reach her large, dark eyes. They were usually bright, lit from within like the deepest amber, but today, the light had gone out.
Olly frowned at her, but she didn't see it—she had already gone back to her phone.
She had been drawn back by the email at the top of her inbox. It had only arrived this morning, but she already read it a bazillion times. She couldn't stop herself, as though the words might change if she read it one more time...
'We regret to inform you that you have not been accepted...'
The words blurred, sudden tears stinging at her eyes. Her long lashes fluttered, trying to chase off the tears before they slipped free and smudged her mascara.
Olly, still watching her from across the bar, saw it all. He hurried over, his fair features tense with alarm. "Alicia? What's wrong?"
"N-Nothing!" she said quickly, forcing another smile. One good blink and the tears were gone. Her eyes still stung. Hoping for a distraction, she reached for the hot chocolate and took a long, dramatic sip. Her following hum of satisfaction was just dramatic but honest. The hot chocolate was absolutely delicious—creamy and sweet, earthy and rich. It was almost too rich, but the added bite of peppermint liqueur balanced it out nicely.
"This is so good!" she said to Olly. A bit of light was back in her eyes. "Did you make this?"
"Obviously not," he said, his eyes piercing right through her. He'd known her too long and too well to fall for her distractions. "Cut the crap, Alicia. Something is wrong. What is it?"
"I said, it's nothing," she said, carefully dabbing the hot chocolate's whipped cream from the corners of her mouth to not disturb her lipstick. She needed to look her best tonight. "Absolutely nothing."
