Page 13 of Brewing Up Christmas
Eli chuckled, shaking his head. “Honestly, no one even noticed. I thought they’d be a dead giveaway, but turns out the town’s got bigger things to worry about than my elf transformation.”
She laughed softly, the sound melting into the air between them. “Maybe it’s because they were too busy looking at everything else.”
“Everything else?” Eli smirked, his voice teasing as he leaned in just a little. “Care to elaborate on that?”
Angelina’s eyes sparkled, and for a brief second, she bit her lip, looking as if she was weighing her response. “Let’s just say... you’ve managed to distract more than a few people. Yourself included.”
Eli grinned, feeling that familiar pull toward her, but this time, it wasn’t just physical. There was more to it now—something deeper, something he hadn’t realized had been building all this time. “Yeah, maybe I have been distracted.”
They stood like that for a moment, neither one moving, the weight of the night settling over them. Eli’s pulse thrummed in his ears, and his thoughts were a mess of conflicting feelings—relief, excitement, and something much harder to define.
Angelina’s gaze softened, and she took a small step back, her expression more serious now. “You’ll still be you, Eli. Even when this magic fades away.”
Eli swallowed, his voice dropping lower. “Maybe I’ve started to like the magic.”
Her smile faltered, just for a second, but then she recovered, her playful smirk returning. “Well, then. I guess you’ve got a big decision to make.”
“Yeah, I do,” Eli said, his eyes never leaving hers. “But what if I don’t want things to change?”
Angelina’s eyes flicked down to the ground, just for a moment, before she looked back up at him. “Things always change, Eli. That’s the way it works.”
He took a step closer, lowering his voice. “Not everything has to.”
They were close now, the noise of the crowd feeling distant, like they were in their own little bubble. For the first time, Eli realized how much had shifted inside him—not just about the town, not just about the magic, but abouther. It wasn’t just attraction anymore. It was something more.
Before he could say anything else, Angelina smiled—soft, genuine, and just a little sad. “Enjoy your night, Eli,” she said quietly, her hand brushing his arm as she started to turn away.
“You’ve earned it.”
A Final Holiday Challenge
Eli stood behind the bar at Harbor Craft, wiping down glasses in a steady rhythm, his mind a million miles away. The sounds of laughter and conversation from the patrons barely registered as he worked. The glow from the Christmas tree outside cast a soft light through the windows, but despite the festive atmosphere, something felt off. The joy that had filled him after the tree lighting seemed to have faded, leaving behind a sense of unease he couldn’t shake.
“You alright, man?” Nolan’s voice broke through Eli’s thoughts, pulling him back to the present.
Eli glanced up, blinking. “Yeah, why?”
Nolan shot him a look, raising an eyebrow. “You’ve been wiping the same glass for the past five minutes. And you’ve been off all night. What’s going on?”
Eli shrugged, forcing a smile. “Nothing. Just thinking, I guess.”
Nolan didn’t look convinced, his eyes narrowing as he studied Eli. “You sure it’s nothing? You’ve been different ever since the tree lighting.”
Before Eli could respond, the door to the bar swung open, and a gust of cold air blew in, followed by the sound of boots on the wooden floor. Eli’s heart skipped a beat, and his gaze immediately shot to the entrance.
There she was.
Angelina stepped inside, brushing snowflakes from her hair as she glanced around the room. The moment her eyes landed on Eli, her lips curved into a smile, and Eli felt that familiar pull—like the whole room had suddenly narrowed down to just the two of them.
Nolan followed Eli’s gaze, his brow furrowing as the pieces slowly clicked into place. He smirked, shaking his head slightly. “Ah, I see. So that’s what’s been bothering you.”
Eli shot him a look, but Nolan just chuckled, turning to serve another customer, leaving Eli standing there, his heart racing.
Angelina made her way through the bar, her movements graceful and sure, until she was standing right in front of him. “Hey,” she said softly, her eyes twinkling in the dim light of the bar.
“Hey,” Eli replied, feeling the tension in his chest ease just a little at the sight of her.
But there was something different about the way she was looking at him tonight—something more serious. He could feel it in the way her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, in the slight hesitation in her movements.
