Page 60 of More Than Words
Before I could push any further, Quinn thrust a cookie between us.
“This issogood.Dad, you have to try these.”
Delaney turned away as I took the cookie from Quinn.
“Gingerbread,” I said as I took a bite.“How do you have Christmas cookies already?”I raised my eyebrows.“I mean, it’s one thing to decorate way too early, but cookies?Don’t tell me you were baking all night.”
“Okay, I won’t tell you that.”Delaney laughed.“But only because I wasn’t.I froze these last season, because Quinn is one hundred percent right.You can’t decorate without festive snacks.”
“You have a ton,” Quinn said.“It’s lucky we’re here to help you eat them.”
“It isverylucky.”Delaney looked over Quinn’s head, a small smile on her face.“I guess we have your dad to thank for opening a brewery right next door.”
I raised an eyebrow at her.“You’re thanking me for that now, are you?”
She shrugged.“Well…maybe I’m notthankingyou for it.But…”
“Whatever!It’s still lucky.”Quinn laughed and raised a mug of hot chocolate in the air.“Cheers to cookies.”
“Cheers to cookies,” we both dutifully repeated.
Delaney
It took a few more hours of work to get everything in the boxes out and on display.I still had the front window display of a Christmas tree made out of books to put together, but that would have to wait.
Long after the cookies were gone and Quinn and Ethan had gone home, I surveyed my festive shop with a smile.I always loved it when the decorations went up, but it felt different this time.Special.
And as I flicked off the lights and headed up to bed myself, Quinn’s words from earlier rang in my ears, and I couldn’t help but think about exactly how lucky I was.
ChapterSixteen
Delaney
“Why do we insist on having our girls’ night the same night they do trivia?”I asked, as Lauren and I pushed our way through the crowd to get to the table Kat came early to save for us.“It’ssobusy in here.”
Lauren laughed.“Because trivia is fun, obviously.”
I shot her a look as we both slid into our seats.Me across from Kat, who already had one of the Wildflower’s fancy mocktails in front of her, and Lauren across from Avery, who looked like she’d also just arrived.
“When was the last time we did actual trivia at trivia night?”I directed the question to Avery.
“Careful.”Kat grinned.“That sounds like a trivia question.”
I groaned and reached for a menu.
“I’m just happy to get away from the inn for a few hours,” Avery said.“Don’t get me wrong.I love it and all, but…”
“I get it.”Lauren nodded.“Running your own business is satisfying and rewarding and blah blah blah.But also…”
“It’ssogood to have a break,” Kat chimed in.“And double so to get a break from mom life, too.Don’t get me wrong, baby Billy is amazing, but some time off from everything is great, too.Trivia night or not.”
“I will cheers to that,” I said.“As soon as I get a glass of wine.”
As if by magic, the server chose that moment to appear with a tray full of drinks.
“She’s super busy,” Kat said.“So I took a chance and got everyone their usual.”
“You are the best.”Lauren blew her a kiss.
