The Holiday Stand-In: A Festive Romantic Comedy by Kortney Keisel

Author:Kortney Keisel [Keisel, Kortney]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-11-20T00:00:00+00:00

twenty-one

SUMMER

We talked about stopping and getting clothes before we showed up for dinner, but since the Davidson’s live in the middle of nowhere between Ouray and Telluride there wasn’t really a place to stop and shop. Plus, the whole ‘No shoes. No shirt. No service,’ thing presented a problem. We have shoes, but definitely lacking in the shirt department. That’s why we pull up to the Davidson’s house in our swimsuits.

“I’d let you wear my pants, but I don’t have any.” Caleb’s smile is chock-full of humor.

I do my best to maintain a serious glare. “This isn’t funny.”

“It’s kind of funny.”

“No, it’s not. My brand-new snow clothes got stolen along with my underwear and bra. We got kicked out of a hotel by a security guard. I’m wearing a cheeky deer bikini. I’m wet and freezing, and I’m supposed to go inside your parents’ house and have dinner with your family with no clothes on. What about this is funny?”

His lips twitch, and I know he’s going to lose it. He covers his mouth with the palm of his hand, trying to hold in his laughter.

“It’s not funny!” My irritated facade falters, and I show a smile that I desperately try to hide from him. “It’s not!”

But it’s no use. We both give in and spend the next minute laughing at how ridiculous the day has turned out.

Caleb reaches for the handle. “Let’s make a run for the front door before we turn into an icicle.”

“On the count of three?” I hold my handle too.

“One, two, three!” We count in unison and then climb out of the car in a rush.

Caleb waits for me to catch up to him. His hand extends, and I’m so cold I don’t even think twice about grabbing it and running to the house with my hand in his. We’re still laughing when we reach the front door—the alternative is freezing to death.

He twists the knob, and we barrel inside but stop the moment we see his mom, dad, and Justin looking at us with blank expressions.

“Summer?” Justin’s expression is not amused.

“Caleb?” Patsy frowns at her son.

“What are you guys doing?” I follow Justin’s gaze as he assesses our deer bathing suits and then stops on our hands…currently still joined together.

I yank my fingers out of Caleb’s grasp. “Our clothes got stolen at the hot springs, and they kicked us out.”

“Without giving us towels,” Caleb adds, and I’m relieved to have someone help explain.

“So we had no clothes and had to come here for dinner like this.”

“We thought about stopping and buying clothes.” Caleb looks at me. “But there wasn’t a lot of open stores to choose from, especially on a Sunday evening.”

There’s a distinct V between Justin’s brows as he listens to us rattle off excuses. “What are you wearing?”

I nervously cover my body with my arms. “It was the only swimsuit they had at the gift shop.”

“I thought you were going ice climbing.” The accusatory look on Justin’s face hasn’t softened once since we arrived.

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