Page 78 of Just Add Mistletoe

His dad seemed thoughtful, despite the one-sided conversation in the back seat. “Okay, maybe I’ll do it. I haven’t ice skated for years.”

Malcom didn’t remember any time that his father had ice skated.

“Oh my goodness,” his mother said, her voice elevated with excitement. “That’s wonderful news! How far along is she?” A pause. “Oh, that’s too bad she’s feeling sick. Do you need us to cut our trip short in Everly Falls and come help you out?”

What in the world was she talking about?

He found out soon enough.

“Kari’s pregnant,” his mom announced as soon as she hung up with Bronson. “Two months along. She’s been really sick this week.”

She squeezed Dad’s shoulder. “We’re going to be grandparents.”

Dad reached up and clasped their hand.

Malcom was happy for Bronson and Kari—maybe starting a family would keep them making better choices for their future. But he was a bit puzzled about his mom’s reaction. Bronson wasn’t her son, but apparently, she was one hundred percent into Dad’s life. Which was how it should have been, in the beginning, without all the detours.

As they turned off the highway and took the exit to Everly Falls, his mom screeched, “Oh my goodness!”

Malcom almost slammed on the brakes. “What? What is it?”

“I need to call Penny right now,” she said.

Malcom couldn’t think of a worse sentence coming from her mouth. “What’s going on, Mom? What’s happening with Penny?”

“Shh.”

Did his mom really shush him?

“Penny!” she said into her phone. “I just saw the Facebook post! Congratulations!”

Malcom frowned. His mother was on Facebook? Since when?

Penny was talking, but all he could hear was his mom’s responses. She didn’t hang up until they were almost to Lori’s parents’ old house.

“Well, that’s that,” she said. “You missed your chance with Penny. Her ex-husband wants to reunite, and they got engaged today. It’s a done deal.”

Why would Malcom care about Penny becoming engaged to another man? “Good for her.”

“What do you meangood for her?” Mom snapped. “You broke her heart. You threw away a perfectly good thing. Just think, you and Bronson married to sisters. It would have been amazing.”

“No, Mom.” Malcom slowed his truck and stopped in front of a closed shoe store.

“Is this it?” his dad said. “It’s awfully dark.”

“No, the house is one street over,” he said. “We need to talk before I take you to meet my girlfriend.”

“You shouldn’t use the wordgirlfriendso lightly,” Mom said. “This Lori woman might get ideas.”

Malcom exhaled, frustration rolling through him. “Look, I need both of you to listen to me. Loriismy girlfriend, and I’m not saying that lightly. I love her. I’m in love with her. She’s it for me. She might not know it yet, but it’s true.”

In the dimness of the truck’s cab, both of his parents’ gazes were locked on him.

“That means, I don’t want you to bring up Penny at all when you’re around Lori,” he said. “We’ve already been through enough distress with Penny—who by the way, was never the right woman for me. I never wanted to date her, even before the company fiasco. I wasneverinterested in her as more than a coworker, not even a little bit.”

Neither of his parents said anything for a moment.

Then his father spoke. “You truly love this Lori woman?”

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