Page 79 of 12 Days of Mistletoe

Before my sister can talk, the ocean waves behind her.

I gulp, ignoring Meg’s paradise. “I sent my message meant for you guys toElliot! I sent it!”

“Chill, sweetie,” Autumn says. “I’m sure it was fine. What did you say?”

“It would have been fine had I made up my mind about how to ask him. But I couldn’t decide what to say. My head kept coming up with different things he might say back.”

“So”—Meg eyes me—“what did you say?”

“I gave you, but really him, four different options. Uh…” With shaky fingers, I tap my way back to our text thread, where Elliot waits for me to respond. But if I didn’t know what to say before, I really don’t now.

“Four, oh snap.” Autumn’s teeth clench into a not-so-real smile. “I’m sure it’s fine.”

“It’s not! It’s not okay at all!”

“Just tell us what you said,” Meg says.

“I said:Hey, want a cake in a mug? I’m trying a new recipe.But then I added:Hey! Thanks for the visit today. We should do it again. How about now? I’m glad we’re friends, Elliot. Want to get together tonight?And then, because I’m certain I’m a comedian?—”

“Oh no,” Meg mumbles beneath her breath, a hand cupping her mouth.

“Oh, yes! I also said:I have a blister. I need you to kiss it better.”

Autumn’s gritted teeth get grittier and Meg’s cupped hand gets tighter. My personal Dr. Laura’s are suddenly out of advice.

“Now what?” I yell. Another text pings from my phone, to which I promptly toss my cell across the room. “He’s texting,” I bellow.

“Bonnie!” Meg calls from my hot potato cell. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to touch it again.

Noel bumps my thigh with her nose, and I reach down to pat her on the head. Her soft curls slide through my fingers and my breathing eases, just a smidgen.

“Bonnie, pick the phone back up. It’s not going to bite you.” My sister is a comedian. Neither of us should be going into comedy, it is one dangerous game.

Still, I step over to the rug where my cell lies and pick it up. My sister and her bestie are upside down—I flip it over to see them straight on and swallow. “Yeah?”

“What did he say?” Autumn says. “This is salvageable. I promise.”

I blow out an O of air and slide back to Elliot’s text thread. I do not trust myself. My fingers have minds of their own and just might tell him totake me now, take me forever,if I’m not careful.

“He said:Wow, that’s a lot of invitations. How can I turn them all down?”

“Okay, that’s not bad,” Autumn says, nodding her head yes.

“Now he’s written my name with a question mark.”

“Makes sense,” says Autumn. “He’s wondering where you’ve gone.”

“Whoa!” I wail, almost dropping my phone again. “He’s writing again!”

“Calm down, just read the man’s message. Don’t write anything too hasty.”

“I wasn’t being hasty! I was going through every possible outcome and asking you all to help me decide which was best! I’m never hasty!”

“Bonnie, it’s okay,” my sister says. “Calm down. What else has he said?”

Elliot’s message pops up and I read it to them. “He said: Are you still teasing me from before?”

“Teasing?” Meg asks.

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