Page 52 of The Merriest Christmas

"Did you get lost or something?" Dex asked.

"Nope," I said simply."Have all the gifts been handed out?"

"They have," Mom said then gave me a knowing look."Is everything okay?"

"Of course."

My mother was the best, and she'd always been able to read her kids.So instead of continuing that line of questioning, she directed everyone to start opening, taking the attention off me and the guy I'd been caught in the pantry with.Twice.I gave her a grateful nod.Seeing my pile of gifts, I went straight to it.Because fate couldn't give me a break, Seaver ended up directlyto my left.But it was fine.I was fine.Everything was perfectly fine.

And then I noticed the midnight blue package with the silver stars in Seaver's pile.

How did that get there?

I must've tossed it in with the other gifts under the tree by accident.

I reached for it—but Seaver got there first.

"Hey," he said, "I thought this was for me."

"Um, I don't think so," I said.

Seaver looked down and lifted a brow."It has my name on it.Well, the name I used to go by."

"Are you sure?Maybe there's another John here."

He looked up."Says it's from you."

"Huh."

As I made a grab for the present, he held it out of reach.

"I just wanted to make sure you didn't mix up the names," I said lamely.

"Hey, Chase?" Seaver said.

"Yeah?"

"What does this say?"

He held the gift out so my brother could see.

"'To John, From Emilia' with a little heart."Chase grinned."Always with the hearts, Emmy.It's her thing."

"Oh, I know."

As Chase went back to opening his presents, I sighed.

"Guess I can open it now," Seaver said."Since we double-checked whose pile it was meant to be in."

"Yeah, whatever," I grumbled.

"I didn't think you got me anything."

"Well, that's what you get for thinking."

Seaver gave me an odd look, but I rolled my shoulders back.So what if he saw?He probably wouldn't remember anyway.That was a comforting if slightly depressing thought.And as Seaver made quick work of opening the wrapping paper, I began to relax.Seaver's hands stilled as he looked down.

"What'd you get?" Dex asked.

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