
Rachel works most days at a café in the middle of a small British town. Working alongside her is Emily, the confident American Rachel has secretly been in love with for months. Shy and often anxious, Rachel doesn’t know if she could ever act on her feelings, even as the rest of her coworkers raise their eyebrows in disbelief.
As the holiday season approaches, Rachel’s best friend Ryan suggests a secret Santa among the workers and, while she’s certain the game is rigged, Rachel can’t help but be happy when she picks Emily’s name out of the bag. Even after the anxiety about what to get her kicks in.
Rachel has to figure out a present while not making it obvious she got Emily, and what follows is a series of awkward conversations, totally subtle flirting, and more than one Christmas-themed outing. Will she choose the right gift and come to terms with her feelings? Or will she remain in the friend-zone forever?

Chapter 1Warm yellow light spilled out onto the snow from the shop window. The street itself was quiet, with only a few late season shoppers wandering along the uneven cobblestones, and Rachel couldn’t help but be entranced by the flakes of snow falling gently against the glass. Something stirred in the distance. A figure—a woman—waded across the street, bag in hand. Rachel squinted, trying to figure out who it was. When she realized that it was Emily, her coworker and friend, she smiled. Emily was tall and muscular, a natural athlete, with thick brown hair and glasses. Her nose was long and wide, with freckles clustered over the bridge, and her eyes were only a shade or two darker than her hair. Dressed in an all-black version of the coffee shop’s uniform, she cut a striking figure agai
