Page 56 of Home for the Holidays

She slapped her hand over his mouth while peering over his shoulder. “Sorry. But they”—she jerked her head toward the whole house—“don’t know yet.”

“Oh,” he said from behind her hand. “Why not?” His voice was muffled, and in any other situation, she’d have found this entire display hilarious.

“Because Zac hasn’t told them yet.” She pointed a finger or two into his face. “You cannot tell them. He will.”

“When?”

“When he’s ready?”

“Sounds like high school all over again,” he murmured, sadness washing over his chiseled features.

“Crap,” she said softly. “I’m sorry.”

“No, no, it’s okay.” He waved a hand through the air. “I’m sure he’ll do it eventually.”

“That’s the fucking plan,” she deadpanned. “Otherwise, he’s gonna be cheating on me with you.”

Evan snorted. “Too late.”

“What?” She gasped. “He told me that nothing happened.”

Evan gave her aSeriously?look.

“That little skeez.” She shook her head. “I’m gonna kill him.”

“Hold on there, little miss. You’re not hisgirlfriend, so killing him is not—”

“Who are you going to kill, Iris?”

She froze, yet again, when she heard Nora’s sweet voice ask that question. She closed her eyes. “Tell me she’s not standing behind me,” she whispered.

“She’s not standing behind you,” Evan said with a shrug.

She turned to face Nora and let out a laugh. “Oh, no one, honey. I was just joking around with Evan.”

“What does cheating mean?” Nora’s inquisitive voice was definitely adorable, but it was now loud and clear that Nora had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

“Like, cheating on a test,” Iris lied. “Nothing you need to worry about because you would never cheat, right?” She bent down so she was eye to eye with the six-year-old. “But, Nora? How long were you listening? I’m not mad. I’m just, y’know, wondering.”

She smiled when she heard that Iris wasn’t mad. “You said he will tell them, and then Evan said it sounds like high school, and then you said crap. Not theS-word, but crap.”

“Jesus, what is she? A stenographer?” Evan whispered from behind Iris, but she held back her laughter.

“Okay, great. That’s all I wanted to know. Should we go sledding now?” Iris stood and held her hand out to Nora, who took it with glee. She looked at Evan and shrugged. “Just go with it?”

“Sounds good to me,” he mumbled as he followed them back to the living area, where everyone was gathered and ready to go.

Zac approached Iris the second he saw her, a forced grin plastered on his face. “What were you doing?”

“Well, I wasn’t fucking him, Zac,” she mumbled through her smile. “Unlike you.”

His mouth fell open.

“You little liar,” she said with her best joking tone. She was so not mad at him, but she was going to make sure he regretted fudging the truth. “Also, he knows about us. Isn’t that great?” She pulled him into a hug while forcing a giggle, trying to act like he had said something super adorable. “And I’m about ninety-nine percent sure Nora heard us discussing it.” She pulled away from the hug and smacked his arms. “So clock’s a-tickin’, big boy.”

She glued on her smile, zipped up her coat, and headed out of the house with the rest of the family, leaving a very bewildered Zac in her wake.

* * *

---