Page 29 of My Begrudging Scent Matches

“They can cook, and they’re homeowners, and they’re fucking hot, Al,” Olivia insists.

Alice kicks her sister’s leg under the table, not for the first time today.

The food looks as decadent as it smells, but what is added to the indelible comfort of the homemade feast in front of them is the perfect scent of Caleb and Grant’s home. It’s warm, like them. Familiar.

Alarm bells should be blaring in her head, but she’s too tired and hungry to give it much thought. Right now, her top priority is digging into some turkey slathered in the homemade cranberry sauce that is set in front of her.

“This looks unbelievably delicious,” Olivia adds to the chorus of praise.

“Caleb has been slaving over it all day,” Grant says. “He’s a great cook.”

“You made all of this?” Alice asks, and his cheeks pink just a touch.

“I had lots of help,” he says. He’s scooping servings of food onto her plate without asking, and she doesn’t tell him to stop. “My mom made the potatoes, the rolls are Luke’s masterpiece, and Grant made two pies.”

“Well, it all looks. . . wow,” Alice sits up taller.

“Thank you for having us. It’s nice to be with good people and great food,” Olivia says, already digging in on her own plate. “Plus your heater is working.”

Alice doles out another kick, but Olivia doesn’t even flinch.

“What happened to your heater?” Grant asks, pausing his work pouring sparkling punch from a pitcher into glasses for everyone.

“It went out last night in the whole building,” Olivia says. “Guess it happens all the time.”

“Only sometimes. Rarely,” Alice hurries to add. “Twice a year, maybe.”

“You must have been freezing!” Molly exclaims.

“Well, she has a space heater,” Jonathan adds. “And many blankets.”

“Many,” Alice agrees.

Caleb scoops cranberry sauce onto her plate and she lightly touches his wrist before he can put the spoon back in the bowl. He adds another big scoop and she nods.

“When will it be fixed?” Grant asks, his voice too distressed for a peaceful family dinner.

“Some time today, I think,” Alice says. “We’ll be fine.”

“You should stay here tonight,” Grant says. “We have a guest room. And a pullout couch.”

“What a generous offer!” Olivia perks up, and Alice would kick her sister again, but everyone at the table is talking about how great of an idea that is, especially with all the snow falling this week.

“You’ve got a full house already,” Alice says. “We don’t want to impose.”

“No imposition,” Caleb says. He grabs a glass of sparkling punch from Grant and places it in front of Alice before he starts working on his own plate. “Grant’s parents live downtown and mine decided to stay in a hotel.”

“It has a spa. And a hot tub,” Molly interjects.

“Fortuitous,” Olivia says. Fucking traitor. “We would love that. Right?”

Alice puts on a stellar performance of someone who doesn’t want to commit sororicide.

“Right,” Alice says, then digs into her heaping plate of food.

“So, Alice, how do you like working with the boys?” Molly jumps in, changing the subject.

It’s a welcome distraction from the previous topic and the impending slumber party, though Alice’s neck heats thinking about all the ways they’ve . . . worked together since they started.

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