Page 37 of Holiday Tides

Mom replies with a watery, “We really are.”

“The truth is”—Nick’s soft laugh feels like a caress down my spine—“I just hope Summer doesn’t figure out that she’s too good for me. Always has been, even in high school.”

“You knew each other in high school?” Spencer asks, obviously taking notes.

Another self-effacing chuckle. “I’m not surprised she didn’t tell you. I was terrible back then. Typical dumb boy who thought he knew everything but was completely clueless…”

I haveeveryintention of living in this hallway and soaking up Nick’s confessions, but Tommy, the youngest of my nephews, yells from the other room, “Snow!”

The children act like they’ve been given an IV of caffeinated glucose, running around the dining table on their way to the backyard.

My dad grumbles, staring at his phone. “There’s nothing on the doppler. It’s not even supposed to rain until Thursday.”

Chairs scrape back, and I rejoin my family as we file out the back door into the modest backyard. The skeletal branches of the trio of hydrangea bushes along the far fence catch the first fat flakes.

“Snow in December.” I marvel, staring straight up into the gray sky as clusters descend around us.

It usually doesn’t snow until January, and even then, it’s a light dusting, no more than two to three inches.Fun snow,my mom used to call it. Enough to play in but not enough to hamstring a community that isn’t prepared for more precipitation.

The kids are spinning in circles or trying to collect the smattering of flakes off the deck stairs, attempting to make snowballs.

Nick walks over, arms extended to gesture to the unusual weather. “Will you look at this?”

“I know.” I laugh, watching my chaotic yet happy family enjoy the unexpected surprise. “It’s wonderful.”

It’s not until I see the male and female cardinal nestled just beyond the fence line, in the neighbor’s Leyland cypress, that a warm sparkling sensation floods my bloodstream. Gramma would be the only one who wouldn’t think I was crazy in feelingthat those two are watching over us, just like my grandparents used to do.

Nick hugs me from behind, his breath warm over my ear. “I really like being here.”

I clear the emotion from my throat before asking, “With this crazy bunch?”

He nuzzles my temple, the movement sweet but intimate at the same time. “Yup. Except I want one thing changed.”

“You want full rein on the Christmas tree decorations? Not going to happen.”

Nick’s laugh seeps through my back, and I settle more firmly into him. “No. I feel fifty-fifty is fair on decorating. I was talking about my title.”

I turn my head to look at him. “Your title?”

“I should be upgraded to boyfriend.” It’s another one of those borderline arrogant things to say since we never formally discussed it, yet Nick makes the suggestion too tantalizing.

I focus back on my nieces, taking selfies in the falling flakes. “I suppose.”

His hum is accompanied by a quick kiss to the corner of my jaw. I’m suddenly sweltering in the thin sweatshirt I borrowed, struggling to maintain my haughty air of indifference.

“Since we’re in agreeance…” I roll my eyes before Nick’s thumb slides along my jaw, bringing my face back toward his. “You should know, when I come back next year, I plan on topping the tree. It’s only fair since you did it today.”

My heart kicks up to a staccato beat as I turn in his arms. “Presumptive to think you’ll be back next year.”

“How about, just this once”—his devilish smirk sizzles down to the bottoms of my feet—“you don’t fight me on this.”

My mouth parts slightly, but instead of arguing with Nick, I seal his lips with a snowy kiss.

Epilogue

Summer

2 years later

---