In the picturesque town of Winter Grove, broken-hearted college student Celeste has to team up with lone wolf Sterling for a fake relationship in hopes of making her ex-boyfriend jealous and saving her Christmas.
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Overachieving college student Ce...
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Celeste
The apartment intercom buzzed just as Celeste was just pulling on her jeans, getting ready for her second 'date' with Sterling. Half dressed, she ran to the living room window where she could see down to the front door of the building. She clung to the wall so that she wouldn't be seen in just her bra, and peered around the corner.
Sterling was standing there, waiting by the door and pressing the button for her apartment. As if he could feel her gaze, he looked up towards her window. She swore under her breath and leapt back. She scrambled to zip up her jeans as she ran over to her still buzzing intercom.
She pressed the button to talk. "You're early!"
"Hello to you, too," Sterling said from the other side, his voice crackling over the line. "And early is better than late.'
"I'm not even ready yet!" Celeste shot back. She groaned. "You're going to have to come up."
"Fine."
She hit the other button and heard the door below give its own bzzz and unlatch. She unlocked the apartment deadbolt and ran back down the hall to her bedroom to put on the rest of her outfit. As she dug through her closet looking for her sweater—Where had it gone? she wondered. She had just had it—she heard the apartment door open, and Sterling stepped inside.
"Do you really leave your apartment unlocked for any weirdo to wander in?" he called from the living room.
"Oh, not just any weirdo," she called back. "And hello to you, too."
Sterling actually gave a laugh. "Are you going to be long?"
"Hey! You're the one who's early!" she said, sticking her head just out the door. "I was doing fine and then you threw me off. I'll be ready soon, though." She just had to find that damned sweater. She swore she had just laid it out...
She stopped as realization hit.
She had just laid it out...
On the couch.
Celeste swore under her breath. She poked her head out again. "Hey, can I get your help?"
"Depends," he said, raising an eyebrow. "What do you need?"
"Just that sweater." She pointed to where the sweater was lying across the back of the couch—it was deep green and woven through with glittering golden thread.
"Sure." He grabbed it and headed down the hall.
"Wait!" Celeste said when Sterling got too close. "Turn away, okay?"
Sterling did as she said and averted his eyes, looking back down the hall toward the living room. He reached back with the sweater, holding it out for Celeste.
He was still a bit too far, so she had to sneak out and grab the sweater from his hand. Thankfully Sterling kept his gaze fixed on the living room. She grabbed the sweater and dove back into her room, slamming the door behind her.
