Page 154 of A Country Practice Christmas
‘Go home, you two,’ Greta said, shooing them out from behind the desk. ‘Get some sleep before the big event!’
Butterflies danced in Piper’s stomach. Christmas Eve was here and the bonanza was tonight. She was no longer counting down to singing in front of hundreds of people by herself in days, but in hours.
She followed Maddie into the staff room and to the wall of lockers to grab her bag. ‘Remember Gloria wants us there early for a run-through of all the songs.’ Piper closed her locker harder than she meant to. ‘Seems a bit weird to sing through all of them only to sing them again moments later with an actual audience.’
‘We won’t really get a run-through in,’ Maddie said, hoisting her bag onto her back. ‘If the other years are any indicator, we’ll sing a maximum of three songs then Gloria will be called away because there’ll be a squabble over the tent for the sausage sizzle being too close to the face painting tent then two wise men will lose their beards and we’ll end up having to glue new ones together. Oh, and there won’t be enough ice for the drinks eskies. There’s never enough ice.’
Piper laughed. ‘Sounds like I should bring whatever’s in the freezer at home. Keen to keep this interesting? I’m betting we make it through five songs.’
‘It definitely wouldn’t go astray and you’re dreaming. It’ll be no more than three.’
‘Loser buys the drinks?’
‘Deal. Better get your wallet ready.’
‘We’ll see about that.’ They waved to Audrey and Cara as they came into the staff room. ‘I’m aiming for eight hours of sleep when I get home so I don’t resemble a walking zombie tonight.’
‘I’ll bring my favourite concealer,’ Maddie said. ‘Could make any zombie look human.’
Footsteps came down the hall and Emmett glanced over his shoulder to find Piper freshly showered, dressed in a bright blue polo shirt withRush Creek Communityembroidered on the breast and a pair of black pants that cut off halfway down her calf, showing off her long, lean legs. Emmett knew if she turned around, he’d see the wordsChristmas Bonanzawrapped around a couple of bells inside a wreath on her polo. It was the same design every year, only the colour changed, and damn, the blue looked good on her. Her dark hair was hanging down her back, with the front bits tied back like a braided crown, and candy cane earrings dangled from her ears. The closer she got, the faster his heart raced. She was wearing more makeup than usual and the gold sparkles on her eyelids made her dark eyes seem bigger and deeper, drawing him in, her perfume intoxicating him.
He whipped his head back when her eyes connected with his.
He was in trouble.
‘You’re leaving that a little late,’ she said. Emmett had only been home for an hour after his shift this morning and Piper had still been sleeping off her all-nighter. He hated that things were tense between them and that he was to blame for it. Hopefully, what he had planned would make up for that.
‘I’m almost done but this has to be the final one!’ Frustration seeped into his voice as he smacked the sieve with icing sugar in it over the gingerbread house. ‘I’m out of time and kits for a redo.’
Piper tilted her head as she studied the new house. He knew what she was thinking. It wasn’t as good as the one Major knocked off the table, but it wasn’t one of the worst he’d done.
‘Maybe you’ll get extra points if you give it a name like the Leaning House of Ginger?’
‘I don’t even care anymore.’
She laughed. ‘The Smarties definitely look better in that pattern.’
He lit up like a glowworm’s butt. She’d noticed. ‘I’m not going to lie, it was painful. I only did it to make you happy, so I’m glad you approve.’
Her cheeks pinkened in a way that made him feel proud to have put the colour there.
‘I do approve. I think you even stand a chance of winning because of it.’
‘I better. I may have asked Mayor Briggs who the judge was so I could invest in some serious bribery, but he remained tight-lipped. Guess I’ll have to win off my own merit.’
‘I guess you will.’ She smacked him playfully on the shoulder before heading into the kitchen. ‘I can’t believe that you, Emmett Coleman, would attempt bribery.’
‘I learned from the best, remember? I grew up with your brother.’
Piper’s face turned thoughtful as she headed for the fridge. ‘You don’t need to remind me.’
‘What does that mean?’ He peered out the window to check that Major was still tied up outside—the dog had no self-control around gingerbread—then moved from the table to stand at the bench.
She whirled around. ‘What do you see when you look at me? Who am I to you?’
Emmett rested his hands on the bench, leaning forward as sweat trickled down the back of his neck into his shirt. ‘You’re Piper,’ he said, slowly. ‘You’re one of the people who has known me the longest. I mean, there’s not much I wouldn’t do for Carter, I still consider him my best friend and you’re his sister so—’
Piper groaned loudly, cutting him off. ‘There it is. I’m Carter’s little sister.’
