Tic-Tac-Mistletoe - N.R. Walker Page 0,55
another squeeze. “Good. I’d hate to have to kick his arse.”
Liv snorted. “Yeah, okay, Chuck Norris, settle down.”
“What? Like I couldn’t. You know how many times I’ve seen Mean Girls.”
Ren laughed again. “Are all conversations with you like this?”
“Mostly,” Liv answered. She patted my knee. “There’s nothing that can’t be explained by movie quotes and song lyrics.”
I chuckled. “Yep. ‘And when used appropriately, it has an eighty-three per cent rate of return on a dinner invitation.’”
Liv tilted her head, not getting the reference, but Ren laughed. “‘It’s called the bend and snap,’” he explained while finishing the movie quote.
Liv laughed. “Oh God, you two really are perfect for each other.”
She stood up and offered Ren her hand. He took it, a bit confused, and she helped him to his feet. Then she promptly shoved him onto the couch next to me. “Dinner won’t be long. Do I need to get the mistletoe?”
I snorted. “No thanks. I think we’re good.” I met Ren’s eyes. “Are we good?”
He nodded. “We’re good.” Then he leaned in and gave me a soft, lingering kiss that left my brain buzzing.
“Wow,” I breathed.
Ren chuckled and leaned back on the couch. He reached over and took my hand, threading our fingers. “Is this okay?”
My heart was doing all kinds of crazy things, and all I could do was nod.
“I like holding hands,” he murmured.
“Same.” I had to swallow down some jitters. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
He let his head fall back on the couch, never taking his eyes from mine. “Same.”
“I’m going to be an uncle,” I whispered. “I can’t believe it.”
“It’s wonderful news.” He glanced at the kitchen. “Should we go help your sister?”
“Yes, we should,” I replied. “But she will more than likely yell at us.”
“We should risk it. Come on.” He stood and pulled me up with him, but then he gestured me toward the door. “But you go first. Last time a girl yelled at me it was junior high and Felicia Martin thought it was me who pulled her bra strap, but it wasn’t. Sam Oberfeld did it and he told her it was me. I was horrified, she yelled at me, rightly so, mind you. But there’s some residual trauma, and now whenever a woman yells, I get cold all over. My hands go all clammy. It’s weird and gross.”
I chuckled. “Poor you! And poor Felicia. But not poor Sam Oberfeld. Did he get what he deserved?”
Ren raised an eyebrow. “Well, he got something.”
I gasped. “Was he one of the lucky guys in the football dressing rooms?”
Ren laughed and blushed a little. “Maybe.”
I gave him a nudge. “Remind me to tag along to your high school reunion. Sounds like it’d be a lot of fun.”
He laughed and we helped Liv and Josh carry everything out to the table. There was ham and lamb, roast potatoes and pumpkin, beans, corn, and gravy. And it was amazing.
We turned the TV off and played a shuffled mix of Taylor, Ari, and Mariah’s Christmas songs, we ate, we talked, and we laughed. Chutney slept in her bed by the fire, and snow began to fall again outside.
It was truly magical.
“This has been the best Christmas I’ve had in years,” I said, raising my glass. “To my sister and her handsome husband, and to baby Migaloo.”
Liv got all teary, Josh blushed, and Ren grinned as he tapped his glass to mine. “Cheers.”
“To being together again,” Liv said, raising her sparkling mineral water. Her eyes were glassy when they met mine. “To new beginnings.”
Josh raised his glass. “To the family here today, and to the family we have only in our hearts.”
Ren swallowed hard and nodded. “Merry Christmas.”
I gave his thigh a squeeze under the table and gave him a nod. “Merry Christmas.”
“Okay, enough of the mushy stuff,” Liv said, wiping her eyes. “Or I’ll be a blubbering mess.”
“Ren and I are cleaning up after dinner,” I announced, knowing Ren wouldn’t mind. I nodded to both Liv and Josh. “You guys can go and put your feet up. This will be your last Christmas Eve where it’s just you two, so you need to go enjoy the peace and quiet while you can.”
“We still have desserts to go,” Liv said.
“We’ll clean this up first, then serve desserts. You two go get comfy on the couch,” I said, standing up. I collected a tray of meat and headed toward the kitchen. “Now, can I get anyone anything else while I’m up?”
“Yep, you can stop right there,” Ren said.