“Okay,” I mumble as I sit the boxes aside. “What do you want, Cooper? My body?” I ask, shocking him.

I watch as he babbles a bit before gaining control.

“Well, um…if you willing to give me--“

“I didn’t say I’m giving you anything. I just wanna know what you’re working up to?”

“All I am working on is beating you.”

I scoff loudly. “Well, you’ll be working overtime to get no pay because I’m taking home the win, again,” I stress. “What’s it gonna be?” I pause for effect, “Third year in the row?” I tease, rubbing salt in the wound.

“You haven’t crossed the finish line yet,” he smirks.

“I would be getting closer if you would stay out of my face so I can work,” I finish with a nice-nasty smile.

“So, that offer from before… nevermind,” he says as he takes note of my hard gaze.

Bitter rivals since high school, Cooper and Felisa have been going head to head in business, and the annual Christmas Festival for years. It never fails for things to get out of hand whenever the two are in close quarters.

Things only get worse when to save their sinking companies, a business merger is proposed. Being in each other’s face on a daily only serves to increase the opportunities for comical moments, fights that get the town talking and taking bets, and strokes the flames of a sizzling romance that’s been years in the making.

Christine Gray