Page 106 of 12 Days of Mistletoe

I wouldn’t mind staying in her hallway all Christmas day—or at least until Mrs. Bell decides to put a stop to our PDA, but after only a minute, Bonnie pulls back. Her eyes meet mine and she pecks my mouth once more.

“Ready to go?” she says.

I pull in a breath. “Are you ready for Christmas with the Eatons?” I ask—because I’d be happy to stay here all day if she’d rather.

“Are you ready to tell your family the truth?” she says.

“It’s settled, let’s spend Christmas at your place.”

She giggles, then tugs on my collar, pulling me back in for one more kiss.

FORTY-EIGHT

bonnie

“Didyou hear Wayne Lloyd say he wanted to ask out our Bonnie?OurBonnie,” Marlene says as she pours homemade eggnog into nine wine goblets. “That boy thought he was so much better than Elliot.”

“All because he could catch a football,” May says.

“Elliot did struggle with that,” Evelyn says, all while winking at her brother.

“Who needs to know how to catch a ball anyway?” May gripes.

“Wide receivers,” David says, taking a sip of his drink.

I smother a giggle.

“Well, Elliot caught the girl. So, there.” May nods towards Elliot, who doesn’t exactly look thrilled with his family’s Christmas morning discussion.

“She was kind of smoking in that red dress,” Jocelyn says, grinning my way.

“Besides, I’m pretty sure Elliot dashed all his hopes on the dance floor,” Evelyn says, gawking at her brother.

Heat floods into my cheeks. Yes, indeed he did. Elliot kissed me silly last night along with throwing our tabling rule out the window.

I’m not complaining.

I peer around the table at my newfound friends. I am the only one here with shoes on. Elliot told me I wasn’t allowed to wear anything but pajamas to Christmas morning at his mother’s house. So, I showered, straightened my hair, brushed my teeth—twice—and put on clean Grinch PJs.

I’m seeing now that everyone else climbed out of bed and drove to Marlene’s. No showering permitted. No brushing your teeth allowed. It’s tradition. At least, that’s what Elliot said.

Although, after getting my favorite holiday card ever and then a kiss from Elliot, I can tell his breath is as minty-fresh as mine—no matter the Eaton family rules.

“Here you are, dear,” Marlene says, sounding so much like her mother. She sets a goblet in front of me, and David comes up behind her with the biggest cinnamon roll my eyes have ever beheld. There is no way I’ll be able to consume the entire thing.

“Thank you.” My hands fidget beneath the table—it’s time. Bad news and breakfast go together better than bad news and presents, right? If we ruin their breakfast, hopefully, Christmas gifts will cheer them up again.

I watch, my heart rate increasing as Marlene and David pass out food to the entire family. Sweat trickles down my back and over my neck, and while it terrifies me, while this is a BIG unknown to stress Bonnie out, I can’t start our relationship with this lie. Beneath the table, Noel nudges the pocket of my PJs with her nose, and for once, I don’t wait forthat second nudge. Discretely, I pull the little round pill clip from my pocket, open her up, and take one Bonnie-prescribed anxiety pill. I drink half my eggnog, downing that one pill. But Elliot seems to be the only person to notice.

His warm hand settles on my thigh, giving me a squeeze before finding my hand and entwining our fingers.

We need to get this over with and quick.

David places the last dish in front of his own space. I lick my lips and sit up straight. “So, we need to tell you something,” I say before anyone has had a chance to take even one bite.

“News?” Marlene says. She grins and whispers to David, “Already.”

I don’t know what she thinks is coming, but it’s notthis.

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