Page 17 of This December

Me:Bad news. I can’t come to dinner tonight. Promised my mom I’d go caroling with the fam

Flower Crazy Cole: Christmas caroling? Say no more, I’m in!

I laughed in disbelief. I hadn’t even gotten around to inviting him. Technically he’d invited himself. But somehow I wasn’t too surprised. I’d learned in my short time with him that Cole wasn’t afraid of much.

Me: Seriously? You want to meet my nutty family?

Flower Crazy Cole: Why not? Are you ashamed of me?

Me: Never. But did I mention none of us can really carry a tune? It’s more about enthusiasm than talent with this crew

Flower Crazy Cole: Hey I have plenty of enthusiasm! Count me in

Me: Don’t say I didn’t warn you

I sent him my parents’ address and the time we were supposed to leave.

Flower Crazy Cole: Can’t wait!

How did I get into this situation?

Although a large part of me—that I wasn’t proud of—couldn’t wait to see the look on Aspyn’s face when Cole Jackson rolled up to our parents’ house.

* * *

But come five o’clock, I was a jittery mess. The kids were screaming, hopped up on sugar. Aspyn had been sending me a squinty-eyed glare, while Mom had been giving me a not-so-subtle thumbs up every time she saw me.

It was almost a relief when I saw a blinged out black Range Rover pull up to my parents’ curb.

“Whoa,” Oliver, Aspyn and Matt’s oldest, whispered next to me. “That’s a sick car.”

I wanted to give Olly a huge hug since he was being so cute, but he was apparently too old for that now. Or at least that was what he’d shrieked when I’d tried earlier today—apparently eight meant he was too cool for me. Instead of hugging him, I leaned down and whispered, “Want to check it out?”

“Are you serious? Hel—um, heck yeah!”

Laughing, I threw my arm around his shoulders and led him down the driveway.

Cole was just getting out when we approached. “Hey! I’m not late, am I?”

“Right on time.” I grinned back at him.

Despite our tiny audience, Cole stepped up to me, cupped my face in his hands, and gave a sadly short welcome kiss. “Thanks for the invite.”

“Pretty sure you invited yourself, but technically my mom asked me to invite you, so you can thank her too.”

“I plan to. And who’s this?” Cole stepped back and looked down at our eight-year-old chaperon.

“This is my oldest nephew, Oliver. Olly, this is my friend Cole.”

When he said nothing, I looked down to find Olly gaping at Cole.

“You’re Cole Jackson.” Olly’s wide eyes almost swallowed his face. “This is Cole Jackson. You were kissing Cole Jackson. You know Cole Jackson?”

I bit my lip to keep from laughing.

“Well thanks, Olly. It’s nice to meet you. Are you ready to sing some Christmas carols?” Cole held his hand out for Olly to shake.

Olly clasped Cole’s hand in his with the cutest, wide-eyed stare I’d ever seen. “Yes, sir.”

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