Page 20 of Mistletoe Kisses

“I’m not smitten. I barely know him.”I’m totally smitten.

Warren rolled his eyes, which was funny coming from a guy wearing a sweater with an elf’s body on it so it looked like his head was the elf’s. “You don’t have to know someone to have a crush on them. You were pretty smitten with that boy whose family always vacationed at the lake when ours did. What did it take you, two summers of showing off before he finally deigned to give you the time of day? Cannonballs that got water up his nose were not the siren song you thought they were.”

I laughed. Those vacations were some of my best childhood memories. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Twelve-year-old me was smooth as hell.”

“Yeah, literally, because you hadn’t gone through puberty yet.”

That nearly caused a spit-take as I took a drink of coffee.

“I’m thinking of taking Reed to the lake next summer.”

“So you can subject someone else to your endless kayak trips?”

A dreamy expression took over Warren’s face. “I’ll have you know that Reed is very into kayaking.”

“Of course he is.” I shook my head and smiled.

Warren settled deeper into my couch. “I can’t believe it’s been a year. I owe Katherine so much. If she hadn’t arm-twisted Reed into house-sitting for her, we probably never would’ve met.”

“And if you weren’t such a slut for Christmas cheer, you never would’ve forced him to spend time with you while he did all those dares.” I grinned.

“I can’t even argue. I am a slut for Christmas. The Festival of Lights has me extra pumped this year. Don’t you think it’s going well?”

Ever since my brother got back into photography after his worrying hiatus, he’d thrown himself into helping the town with its year-round events. It didn’t hurt that his boyfriend was contracted to help promote the events and often needed photos. The two of them were quickly becoming the town’s most festive hype team.

“It is. The tree lighting was the best one in years.” I meant it.

Warren began picking at his fingernail, a sign he’d come over for a reason. I gave him the space to work up to whatever he needed to say.

“I’m thinking of proposing to Reed.”

“Marriage?”

His face snapped to mine. “You think it’s too soon? It’s too soon.” Then he shook his head. “No, it’s not too soon. Your opinion doesn’t matter. No offense. I know he’s the one for me.”

I failed to hold in my laughter as Warren cycled through his one-sided argument.

“Can I talk now?”

Warren rolled his eyes and gestured for me to continue.

“I think it’s a great idea. He makes you happy, and you seem to make him deliriously happy, and you already have pets together, so why not?”

He scratched his beard. “I just have to figure out how to do it.”

“Are you thinking of doing it for Christmas or New Year’s?”

“I doubt it. I need more time to pull something together. Maybe Valentine’s Day?”

While Warren rattled off some proposal ideas, it started to sink in that my brother would be getting married—because, of course, Reed would say yes. They were absolutely bananas for each other. The first Mason to get married. Wow.

It’d been the six of us for so long that it was difficult to imagine us kids starting our own long-term relationships, possibly having kids, and splintering off from the nuclear family. I couldn’t picture a version of my life where I was married. Mostly, I couldn’t fathom someone wanting to spend that much time with me. No one had wanted to so far. People always expected me to be different than I was. Less outgoing, more ambitious, wanting to live in the city. Basically, to be someone else.

“I’m sure whatever you come up with will be perfect. He’s going to be so happy.”

A sappy smile overtook Warren’s face. “I want him to be mine forever.”

“That doesn’t sound creepy at all.” I squeezed his shoulder. “Pretty sure he already is. The wedding certificate only makes it government-recognized.”

---