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  “I prefer hearing that story from Sarah. She makes it sound so much more romantic. Like her crying when the ER doctor told her he had to cut off the ring and you promised to buy her a new ring because she was so upset.”

  “You haven’t wrapped one gift yet?” With five massive steps, Sarah loomed over us, her clipboard held in an intimidating head-bashing manner.

  Not that I thought she’d whack me with it, but to be safe, I babbled, “Maddie’s going to ask Gabe to marry her.”

  Maddie tossed a silver bow at me. Much more preferable than a clipboard. “Rat!”

  “I wasn’t supposed to tell Sarah? You tell her everything,” I said, more baffled than if she demanded I tell her the square root of 1,974.

  “Are you going to get on one knee? Should I add the proposal to the schedule? Before or after caroling? Or while caroling? It’s supposed to snow tonight, so it’ll be super romantic.” Sarah clicked her pen, waiting for Maddie’s input.

  Maddie showed her palms, scooting back in her chair, nearly toppling over backward. “Hold on. I haven’t decided if I’m going to or not. I was just spitballing.”

  “About getting married?” Sarah sat on the edge of the coffee table, still clutching her clipboard in a way that made me skittish. “Marriage isn’t something to toss out willy-nilly. It’s a commitment, twenty-four hours, seven days a week, every day for the rest of your life.” A darkness clouded her eyes. “Do you have to get married?”

  Maddie threw Sarah some serious shade. “Are you asking if I’m pregnant?”

  I was having a hard time getting a read on the sudden hostility between the two. Maybe I should pour the rest of the booze down the kitchen sink. Right after I took a healthy slug. And another. I never drank on the holidays when I avoided family time. Liquor stores must make a killing this time of year.

  Maddie slanted her head. “What’s really going on with this?” She circled a finger in front of Sarah’s face. “Why the bitchiness? And don’t blame it on the hangover. You’ve been acting slightly off for the past few days, and I don’t think it’s just the holiday bash.”

  Now that Maddie mentioned it again, Sarah had been barking at Maddie more than me. And asking me to go to Hobby Lobby—that was just weird. Was that why she’d purchased herself Christmas gifts? Retail therapy? I had zero intention of posing these questions to Sarah, who looked as though she regretted not strangling Maddie earlier. Aside from the commitment, another aspect about marriage was knowing when not to confront an already irritated wife. Especially when said wife had a clipboard in her hands. Not to mention all our loved ones were expected in hours. This wasn’t the hill to die on.

  “Have not.” Sarah swiped my drink and nearly finished half the glass in one gulp.

  “Why don’t I get another round?” I rose, retrieving both glasses.

  On the kitchen island, a raw turkey sat in a pan, ready to go into the oven. “I’ll trade places with you, buddy,” I said to the bird.

  “Who are you talking to?” Sarah placed the clipboard on the counter.

  “What?” I turned around and offered a smile. “Oh, no one. When does the turkey need to go in?” It was best to keep her focused on the upcoming dinner, not on whatever was going on between her and Maddie.

  She pulled her phone out of her pocket. “Four hours and forty-seven minutes.”

  I retrieved the pitcher from the fridge. “Would you like more?”

  She started to say no but then nodded her assent, casually glancing over her shoulder to see if Maddie was near.

  I filled her glass almost to the brim. “Are you okay?”

  “We’re two hours behind schedule.” She hugged her chest.

  It was difficult to determine if it was the party or something else, considering the party was for family and our closest friends who couldn’t care less if everything went according to schedule. More than likely, they’d probably appreciate if the schedule was tossed out completely. At any rate, I didn’t think it pertinent to bring this up.

  “Okay.” I set her drink on the countertop, yanked her arms apart, and held her in mine. “What can I do to kick things into a higher gear?” I released Sarah and swiped one palm along my other to give the impression of mock speed.

  Sarah parked on one of the barstools. “Troy’s going to pop the question.”

  I blinked.

  Maddie entered the kitchen. “What’s taking so long with the beverages?”

  “Troy’s going to pop the question,” I said in a robotic voice.

  Maddie pivoted to face Sarah. Shaking an accusatory finger, she started to speak with way too much joy in her tone and a slight hop. “That explains your weirdness!” Maddie claimed the barstool next to Sarah’s. “What clues are there to make you think he’s going to do that? Has he moved in officially?” Was she asking for herself? Wondering if she missed anything about Gabe?

  Should I pull Gabe aside and fish? Prod? Warn?

  “He asked for my permission,” Sarah said. “They’re talking about him moving in after the holidays. He thinks they should be engaged before the movers arrive. Ticktock.”

  How did I not know this? Sarah wasn’t one to keep secrets. That had been my thing.

  Buying her own gifts.

  Not telling me this.

  I didn’t like any of it.

  Or had I not been available with the end of the semester craziness? She always tried to shield me during my stressful times, given stress could cause a thyroid storm, which would threaten my remission from Graves’ disease.

  Again, I didn’t like Sarah feeling like she had to shoulder this and the party all on her own. We were a team, dammit.

  “And?” Maddie asked, appropriating one of the Bloody Marys on the counter.

  Troy, many years Rose’s junior, wanted to marry Sarah’s mom, who had been single since Sarah was a toddler. And Sarah hadn’t warmed up to them dating until very recently. It was one of the few times I’d witnessed Sarah acting like a Petrie: pigheaded and in the wrong. The mere idea sent my head spinning. Now he wanted to take the relationship to the next step when reaching the current step, dating, had sent Sarah into a tailspin. They’d only met this year. Granted, Rose wasn’t getting any younger—mental note, Lizzie. Don’t say this aloud, especially to your mother-in-law, who recently warmed to you after you broke Sarah’s heart in the past.

  “What?” Sarah either didn’t hear the question or was stalling. My gut said it was the latter.

  “Did you give it? Your permission?” Maddie pressed in a more supportive tone.

  Sarah stared blank-faced.

  Finally able to command my body some, I asked, “Did you?”

  “I… I guess. I said he didn’t need my permission. If he wanted to ask Mom, he should.” Sarah spoke with zero emotion, a terrible sign on a day when there already had been the sugar with her morning coffee clue something was off. This did not bode well for the rest of the day.

  “But, it does impact you and me, kinda,” Maddie said.

  I gave her a what gives look. Maddie was self-involved, but this was taking it to a new level. Was she worried it would upstage her proposal to Gabe if she opted to take that route?

  Sarah nodded, much to my surprise. “Our writing project, yes, I thought of that. But, would it really change things? He’s practically living with my mom, and soon, he’ll officially move in. I’m getting used to that.”

  Drat! I’d completely forgotten about their children’s book collaboration. I made another mental note to ask how it was coming along, but the timing stank at the moment.

  “Let’s go into the family room, wrap gifts, and discuss this new development.” Maddie motioned for both of us to get moving.

  Chapter Six

  Around two, Rose and Troy arrived with the twinks, who were both wearing reindeer outfits.

  Sarah clapped her hands together. “Oh goodness, you two are adorable!”

  Ollie’s expression was dubious at best, but Freddie’s eyes lit up with Sara
h’s praise and he tottered into her waiting arms. Ollie tugged on the front of her outfit, and I was willing to bet it would only last for five more minutes, tops.

  “I couldn’t help it when I saw them online,” Rose said. “How are things going here?”

  “Better. Thanks so much for rescuing the twins and me this morning.” Sarah gave her mom a hug, which still caught me off guard sometimes. My mom hadn’t been the hugging type. More the stab you in the eye with a salad fork if you asked her to pass the butter type.

  “You sounded rough. Am I correct in assuming Maddie was the culprit?”

  Sarah and I nodded.

  Rose laughed. “There’s always one friend like her in a group.” She shrugged off her jacket. “What can I help with?”

  I almost tossed my arms around her neck and blubbered, “Thank you.”

  “With dinner.” Sarah motioned I was on twin patrol while she and her mom charged to their kitchen battle stations.

  Troy followed them.

  Olivia had managed to wiggle one arm out of her reindeer outfit, her free arm lodged under her chin and the other still in the appropriate sleeve. Her holler was truly impressive, and I didn’t jump into action right away, shocked Sarah and I had created this creature.

  My mom instinct kicked in. “Let me help, baby girl.” I hunched down and wrestled the picky toddler free. “You shouldn’t let Grandma torture you like this.”

  The redness in her face seeped quickly, another factor of her personality that staggered me.

  The next to arrive early was Gabe, who appeared in the family room with a dozen red roses for Maddie, his face slightly gray. The aftereffects of Maddie’s mulled wine, perhaps? Sign of the flu? If he was getting ill, I’d love for him to give me his germs. I could use a few days in bed.

  Maddie joined us. “How was your day?” She stood on tippy-toe to give him a kiss on the lips.

  “I fixed the toilet.” He evacuated to the kitchen on some mission he hadn’t explained after thrusting the flowers into her chest.

  Maddie started to speak to his retreating back but shook it off.

  “Would you like a vase? We have a ton now since Sarah put in a weekly flower order from Helen’s.” I motioned to the roses.

  “I’ll get one.” She took a step away and then whirled around with a finger in the air. “You didn’t say anything to Gabe, did you?”

  “Wh-when?” I stuttered, taken aback by her ferocity.

  “Today?” She shook the roses as if that explained everything.

  “Besides hi, no.” I stroked my chin. “Why?”

  “That was weird, right? Who says ‘I fixed the toilet’ when asked how their day was?”

  “Someone with a broken toilet, I guess.” I shrugged, not fully understanding her concern. Christmastime made many rational people act a little nutty. Maddie was case in point at the moment.

  “I didn’t even know his toilet was broken. Does he mean in the shop? His apartment?” She sounded angrier by the second.

  Gabe reentered the room.

  Maddie called him over. “Hey, you okay?”

  A smile stalled on his face, turning into more of a grimace, and he said, “Sarah needs me in the garage.” He fled toward the living room, which was the longest possible route to the garage.

  Maddie eyeballed me as if everything was my fault.

  I cupped my ear. “I think I hear the door.” I bolted on the pretext of carrying out my duty of official greeter, even though the party hadn’t started, and I wouldn’t mind if the skies opened up and dumped three feet of snow within the hour, cancelling Christmas.

  Sarah was in the living room, with Ollie on her hip.

  “There are my beautiful girls.” I kissed Sarah’s cheek and Ollie’s head. Leaning in, I asked, “Did you need Gabe’s help in the garage?”

  “No.” She quirked her head in her I need more details way.

  “For now, if Maddie asks, can you say yes? Think of something convincing.”

  “What in the world would I ask Gabe to do in the garage?”

  “Garage things.” I tossed a useless hand in the air. “Oh, what toilet was broken?”

  Sarah goggled at me. Placing the back of her hand on my forehead, she asked, “Are you feeling okay? You tend to get sick at the end of every semester. Your body simply crashes.”

  “God, I’d kill for the flu right now. The type that knocks you flat on your back and you don’t remember entire days. Sadly, I feel fine.” I filled Sarah in on the Gabe and Maddie situation in short, hushed sentences.

  Sarah nodded. “It’s not just the Petries who are determined to ruin holidays.”

  I hefted a useless shoulder again. “I swear I’m not. I will do everything I can to ensure your holiday goes according to plan.”

  “My holiday?” Her voice crescendoed.

  I waved that wasn’t what I meant, but the damage had been done.

  Her eyes dug into mine.

  “Where’s Freddie? I should check to see if he needs changing.” I absconded to the kitchen.

  Sarah shouted after me, “We’ll pick this up later.”

  In the kitchen, Rose was snuggled against Troy.

  Fuck, did he just pop the question?

  I could kill him.

  I had to shake my head hard to dislodge that terrible thought. Did I really just think about murdering Troy? For being in love? On Christmas Eve?

  “Hey there. Have you seen Freddie?”

  “Are you saying you don’t know where your son is?” Rose’s face was aglow.

  “Not at the moment. No.”

  She smiled. “Last I saw him, he was with Maddie heading upstairs.”

  “Thanks!” I took the stairs two at a time.

  Maddie had Fred on the changing table. “When you grow up, Freddie, don’t be anything like your uncle Peter or uncle Gabe. In fact, don’t be like a guy.”

  Freddie cooed.

  “Yes.” She tickled his belly. “Always stay sweet for Aunt Maddie.”

  “Can I help?” I sidled up next to her.

  “I’m educating your son about how to be when he grows up.”

  “That’s a lot of pressure given he’s not even two.” I took over cleaning Freddie’s bottom. “Why do you think Gabe’s acting odd?”

  “Maybe he found out I wanted a ring or something.” She nudged my shoulder with a finger. “Are you sure you didn’t say anything? You aren’t good at these types of things.”

  “I’ve been with you all day.”

  “You can be sneaky when need be. You are a Petrie.”

  “The innocent one, besides this one.” I secured Freddie’s clean diaper, snapping his reindeer pants back in place. “There you go, little man.” I held him in my arms. “Such a handsome reindeer.”

  Maddie straightened his antlers. “Maybe I gave him all the wrong hints.”

  “I’m assuming you mean Gabe, not Freddie.” I kissed Fred’s cheek.

  Maddie leaned against the wall, her arms crossed. “The other day, I may have joked it was time to shit or get off the pot.”

  I laughed. “And I thought my proposal was the world’s worst in the romance department. Maybe getting advice from your grandfather isn’t the best course when it comes to relationships.”

  Ignoring me, she said, “It’s just I see you and Sarah every day with your children. And it’s what I want. I want to settle down. And I think Gabe is the one for me.”

  There it was again. A sign of desperation. Had her biological clock started to tick? Did that really happen to women? “Think or know?” I asked.

  Maddie looked up from her feet. “Know.” She clutched her sweater over her heart and pinched her eyes shut. “Did I ruin it? God knows I’m not getting any younger.”

  Was that her reason for wanting to get married? Simply the age factor? Was it the time to dissect it, though? With Sarah’s party about to start? I maneuvered over to her, shifting Fred to my other hip so I could wrap an arm around Maddie. “It’s going to be
okay. Gabe loves you. Any fool can see it.”

  “Guys are weird, though. They’re even more obtuse than you.”

  “If that’s true, you’re royally screwed,” I deadpanned. “Maybe you can fake an insect bite or something à la Sarah. You can be pretty conniving when you put your mind to it. Getting your finger to swell—that might be tricky. Oh, you don’t have a ring. That was key to Sarah trading in her amethyst for a diamond.”

  She laughed, some snot bubbling out. “Sometimes I hate you.”

  “I have that effect on most chicks.”

  She rested her head against my shoulder. “Don’t tell Sarah about this. Not tonight. She’s worked so hard.”

  I laughed. “If you think I can keep this from her, you are giving me way too much credit. But, for the sake of our friendship, I’ll do my best to avoid the mother of my children on Christmas Eve.”

  “That would be great,” she said without a hint of humor.

  I huffed, but she didn’t seem to hear it, so did it really count? “You ready to come downstairs?”

  She shook her head. “I need to repair the damage.” She circled a finger, indicating her makeup.

  “See ya on the flip side.” I turned to go. “Hey, it will be okay. I’m making it my personal mission to make everyone’s Christmas dreams come true. And my track record with relationship issues is stellar.”

  “You are such a dweeb.”

  “Are you calling me socially inept in front of my son?”

  “Anyone who pulls the definition of dweeb out of their asshole is most definitely socially inept.”

  “Harsh, man. Harsh. Consider your Christmas dream cancelled.” I made a slicing motion with my finger.

  One foot landed at the bottom of the stairs, with my other still on the last step when Gabe tugged on my arm, jerking his head toward the library. “Let’s go in there.”

  With Reindeer Freddie on my hip, I followed, curious why Gabe wanted to have a powwow in my office.

  Did he want to apologize for last night?