Page 16 of Packed for the Holidays

Meggie: (likes Lily’s photo)(twerking gingerbread gif)

Vickie: (sends photo of herself kissing the side of a grande peppermint frappuccino)

Vickie: I love that mom won’t see these until we get to yourplace

Lily: Bitchessss

Meggie: Festive bitchesssss

Vickie: Festive Christmas Eve bitchessss!!!

11

Meggie

The guys have jumped headfirst into my family’s most sacred traditions. Especially today’s competition. As professional athletes, we’re all pretty competitive, so it’s not surprising, but I didn’t expect them to be as excited about it as I am. Ellis even made shirts for each team.

The doorbell rings, and I rush out of the kitchen to open it. Before the ringing even stops, my little sister Lily barges in. Without even a ‘hello,’ she hollers, “Ellis is on my team!”

I cut her off at the pass with a hug. “What am I, now, chopped liver?”

“Ew.” She makes a face andsticks her tongue out at me.

“I’ll be on your team, Meggie.” My other sister Vickie shimmies past Lily with an eager smile.

“Hi, sweetie.” My mom makes it through the door a step behind my little sisters. She’s carrying a bag of presents nearly as big as she is, red and green wrapped boxes spilling out the top. She loves going overboard on Christmas when she can.

Having heard the commotion, Dante comes down the stairs and takes the bag from her.

“Good to see you again, Mrs. Harper.” He gives my mom a hug while Ellis joins us and sweeps both my sisters into a bear hug that makes them squeal.

When he sets them down, Vickie rolls her eyes, which draws her attention up to the mistletoe in the entryway. She freezes, looking at Ellis, cheeks as red as cherries. Ellis notices how she’s stiffened. He winks at me. “Looks like someone needs a kiss.”

He bows gentlemanly to my sister. “May I kiss your hand, my lady?”

She giggles and holds out her hand. He kisses the back of it. Then, not to be left out, Lily jumps under the mistletoe and asks for a kiss too. “But I want mine on the cheek.”

Ellis complies with an amused smile.

“You boys are too sweet.” Mom sets her bag down on the couch and pulls me into another hug. It hasn’t been that long since I saw her, but she’s always been affectionate.

“Meggie!” Oz yells from the other room. “Is it supposed to smell like this?”

I rush into the kitchen just as Oz pulls the pot of caramelized sugar off the burner. It smells a little burnt, which is fine since we won’t eat it, but we need it to stay soft a bit longer before we’re ready for it. I grab a carton of cream from the fridge and pour in a generous amount before turning down the burner and handing Oz a whisk. “Keep it moving.”

Mom smiles proudly at me from the archway between the kitchen and living room before stepping away to settle the presents under the tree. We’ve done this every Christmas Eve, but usually she’s the one in the kitchen trying to balance the timing of getting everything just right.

“I can help,” McQuinn says. “If your arm gets tired.” He leans a hip against the counter next to Oz, who shakes his head and looks away.

Oz has been a little jumpy today, and I don’t know what the heck I was feeling from his side of the bond last night, but we haven’t had a private chance to talk. He didn’t sleep in the nest, and that’s ok, but whatever he was doing… He felt good. He felt damn good. There’s a different undertone to his usual rain shower scent this morning.

It’s Christmas, so we’re all keeping secrets and surprises, but I wish I knew what made him so happy last night, and what’s making him so twitchy this morning.

My sisters plop down on the bar stools and promptly start popping pieces of candy into their mouths while peppering Ellis and Dante withquestions.

“So do you think eggnog is a refreshing and delicious and amazing beverage or are you bizarre?” Vickie takes the lid off her peppermint frappuccino and starts using her straw to scoop out the whipped cream clinging to the sides.

“It’s so disgusting!” Lily shrieks as Ellis and Dante laugh. “Like mint and chocolate, it’s so gross.”

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