Page 95 of Fierce-Jonah

Her sister didn’t seem to have an issue with her husband yesterday. Or more like she just let it go when he made comments.

“Better her than you,” Raina said. “Did you get a lot of shopping done?”

“A little. I’ve been buying things online prior. I like to be done before now and only had a few things to get. I got my mother a sweater. The girls helped me pick out things for their parents. I never know what to get Tom and Bill anyway. I normally do gift cards for them as a couple, but this year I got them gifts. I got ideas of what the girls liked too.”

“I’m almost done too,” Raina said. “Cody likes to buy things for Tommy so he’s taking care of that and I got Riley’s stuff. It was so much fun to buy for a baby.”

“Are you thinking you’re ready for a baby?” she asked.

“No,” Raina said. “Not yet. I want to finish school first. I’m cramming and hope to be done within a year. Maybe as I get closer to the end I’ll start trying but don’t want to be in a position where I have to put one on hold for the other.”

“Smart,” she said. “You’ve got time yet. Unlike me who will hit the big three oh next fall.”

Raina put her head down after she looked around. “Everyone was asking about you and Jonah yesterday at Diane’s.”

“I figured as much,” she said.

There was part of her that worried that would have been brought up in front of Jonah and she didn’t want it. He’d made it clear his feelings on how the Fierces set people up and he didn’t need it nor did he want it.

“They were all asking how things were going. Where you two stood. Was it serious,” Raina said. “You know how it goes.”

“What did you tell them?”

“Not much. They knew you were at Thanksgiving with us. I think that said enough, but they pushed. Diane and Carolyn are frustrated because they haven’t had much of a hand in this and can’t seem to figure out how to do it either.”

“Garrett invited me to the Christmas Eve open house this year. I know it’s so they can see Jonah and me together,” she said.

“Go with us,” Raina said. “That might protect you.”

“No, it won’t,” she said. “Still, I don’t think there is any reason we can’t go together. I haven’t said anything to Jonah yet, but I’m going to ask him to go. He’s going to close the gym down early anyway.”

“I’m glad it’s on a Saturday this year. I don’t think we were going to go that early,” Raina said.

“Jonah is closing around three,” she said. “At least that was his plan. He said he wanted to spend the night with me and didn’t feel right asking anyone else to work.”

“Are you guys doing anything special?” Raina asked. “My family doesn’t do much on Christmas Eve. Does yours?”

“It kills me, but I think I’ll suggest we go to my parents’ on Christmas Eve this year. I don’t want to spend Christmas with them. I’m such a horrible person.”

“No, you’re not,” Raina said. “You aren’t avoiding them, but maybe they will start to realize how poorly they’ve treated you for years.”

“I doubt it. But my sisters go to their in-laws on Christmas day and my parents always did Christmas Eve anyway. The past few years I was only with my parents on Christmas. I’d go for breakfast and be home early and just spend the day watching TV. I think they like to relax and it’s working out well this year if your family does Christmas.”

“Cody’s parents are going to come this year and stay at Marissa’s. They will be included with the Fierces’ Christmas Eve. Actually, it works out well. Ryder and Marissa will go to Diane’s on Christmas morning after they open gifts at their house. Cody and I will go to my parents as they do a big breakfast too. Cody’s mom is going to start dinner at Ryder’s and we’ll go back there in the afternoon.”

“I love how everyone is working around the other,” she said.

“You make do. I know Diane and Carolyn do a big breakfast thing now because there are other family members that people want to see too. They are good about it.”

“My mother threw a fit for years when my sisters wanted to go to their in-laws on Christmas day. I think Emily and Sarah got together and planned it so they were both doing the same thing and they’d be in the doghouse together.”

Raina grinned. “That is one way to do it.”

“I guess. I never realized all the games that went on with them.”

Raina shrugged. “Again, don’t let it draw you in. Jonah looks happy. Happier than I’ve seen him before. So do you.”

“I feel that way,” she said. “Who would have thought I’d be in love with a meathead?”

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