Page 68 of A Christmas Bargain

I smiled at my sister, smug in the look of surprise on her face.

See? She’s not bad. Give her a chance. Get over your issues.

“So,” Stacy said. “Have you ever thought about having kids, Claire?”

Nicky and I both spat out our coffees. I glared at my sister.

“Um, yeah. Someday. When it seems right.”

I smiled at Stacy again.

“Hmm…” She sipped the coffee. “You’d be able to give up your career and be a mom?”

And I went right back to glowering at her.

“Who says I’d need to?” Claire argued easily and politely. “Lots of moms are working moms.”

“Yeah,” Naomi piped up. “According to the U.S. Department of Housing, statistics show?—”

“All right. All right.” Stacy waved at Naomi. “I’ve just noticed that you’re often on your phone. Always in work mode.”

“Nah. Sometimes, deals don’t fall within normal working hours, but you know how that can be. Didn’t you get called in for an emergency root canal appointment a couple of days ago?” She increased the wattage of her smile, as though she didn’t care whether Stacy knew she was sticking it to her.

Stacy harrumphed.

I chuckled, pulling Claire in for a kiss. Just because I could. Just because I wanted to. When she reached up to hold my face to hers to prolong it for more than a chaste peck, I smiled against her lips.

Eventually, the parade started. We all watched, clapping and cheering as the floats went by. Naomi and Claire had a friendly competition chasing after candy they threw out to the spectators. And Stacy was a downer, reminding them that all that sugar would end in cavities.

“What is your problem?” I whispered to my sister.

“I don’t want to see you get hurt.” She frowned, not making eye contact.

“Who says I will?”

“Fine. You can be so cold-hearted and impervious like that. But what about Naomi? Look at her.”

I did, watching her laugh with Claire over reaching for the candy.

“You let her get attached like that, and then when she leaves…”

I shook my head, not wanting to think that far ahead. “Let us enjoy what we can, Stace. Haven’t you realized that life is too short not to?”

“If you’re asking me not to worry about this holiday affair having lasting damage, I won’t. I see how you are with her. All in love and happy.”

I grunted. “Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Yes, but what about when it’s over?”

Stop reminding me.

“What about when Naomi has to miss her when she goes back to Denver?”

I shrugged. “Maybe long distance?—”

She groaned. “Derek, I know you’ve been peeved with my always matching you up with women in town.”

“Women I wasn’t interested in,” I corrected.

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