A Very Merry Mess

<p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)><em>Sometimes the holidays are messy...</em></strong></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Christmas is the season of joy mistletoe and unfortunately for Ryanne the pressure of bringing home a date. When she vents to Elliott her best friend and co-manager at the small-town office supply store he impulsively grabs her phone and texts her mother that they're dating.</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Date. Ing.</span></p><p><br></p><p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Ryanne:</strong></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>I'm utterly speechless.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Elliott Hutson the man who knows all my secrets the one who's never been serious with anyone and the picture of Male Perfection that makes my pulse leap and frog has now dived headfirst into my family drama. And as much as I pretend to be annoyed I can't deny the flutter in my heart.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>I've never had a fake boyfriend before-getting a real one is hard enough-but Elliott makes everything look so easy. And I'm absolutely </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>positive</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)> the twinkling lights and Justin Bieber Christmas tunes are influencing the way he keeps dropping his gaze to my mouth.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Or maybe I'm not </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>absolutely</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)> positive. Maybe The Biebs really does make true love happen.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>As we navigate the slippery slope of fake dating the lines between pretend and reality blur. Our stolen glances over family meals become lingering looks. Our playful banter near sprigs of mistletoe turns into something charged with real emotion.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Suddenly the festive chaos around us isn't the only thing that's messy.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Our feelings are too.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>And as the countdown to Christmas ticks on I start to wonder if this holiday ruse might lead to the most unexpected gift of all - true love.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Will this façade end with the holiday season or can we unwrap a future together we never saw coming?</span></p><p><br></p><p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)><em>Maybe at Christmastime the most unexpected love story can unfold.</em></strong></p>