Kat opened her mouth, then closed it, as if the joke required too much effort. “Whatever. First one home gets to pick the Christmas movie.”
“I’m totally calling dibs onHome Alone!” Axel let out a whoop. “Come on, li’l darlin’.” He grabbed Chloe’s hand and rushed with her down the street, despite the fact Dad—with his car keys—was still standing by the tree.
“Is it just me, or is he slowly turning into a cowboy?” Olivia tilted her head as we all stared after Chloe and Axel.
“He did say he’d never been on a farm before,” I reminded her.
Kat frowned. “But that doesn’t mean he has to actually—”
“Girls, be nice.” Mom clucked a warning at my sisters. “He’s a sweet boy.”
Dad’s frown matched Kat’s. “That might be a bit of a reach.”
“Thomas.” Mom squinted, the warning cluck transitioning into her full-out warning voice, which we’d never wanted to hear growing up. It meant punishment was imminent.
Dad straightened. If anyone knew that tone, it was him. “Guess we better meet them at the car. See you guys at home.”
“Mom, can you speed? Just this once?” Mason’s face scrunched as he watched his grandparents hurry off. “I really want to watchJingle All the Way.”
“I will not.” Olivia made a face at her firstborn and then launched into a near-perfect Arnold Schwarzenegger impression. “Tell Aunt Hollyhasta la vista.”
Ryan and Lydia disappeared into the market booths, while Olivia and Kat hurried after Janie and Mason, who were chasing after Mom and Dad. Nick and I were suddenly left alone. Well, as alone as you can be with a giant tree, a billion flakes of confetti, and a slowly dispersing crowd of strangers.
We locked eyes. Nick’s gaze shuttered, as if guarding himself. Probably from inflatable snowmen and attempted Heimlichs and feather boas.
I guess I had put him through a lot.
I clicked off my necklace, and my half-blinded eyes immediately rejoiced. “I got something for you.”
Nick winced, going so far as to back up a step. “You did?”
“Don’t panic. It’s a gift.” I tried to laugh, but it sounded nervous. To be fair, this was a big moment for me, even if Nick wouldn’t get that.
Hopefully the present would speak for itself.
Nick’s shoulders dropped a notch and he released a bit of air. “It’s not even Christmas yet.”
“You need this now, trust me.” As did I.
I reached into the gift bag that held my sisters’ presents and pulled free the prettiest snow globe I’d ever seen. Inside the dark blue encasement sat a beautiful farmhouse, complete withspruce trees and a long driveway. A tiny family in red jackets built a snowman in the front yard, while a horse and cow looked on from behind a fence.
It wasn’t an exact replica of our house, but it was pretty close.
I tore my gaze away from the cozy, homey scene and held it out to Nick. The wind tickled the curls frizzing out from my beanie, and I brushed them back with one hand. “For you.”
There. I’d done it. Olive branch extended. Of course, he wouldn’t recognize that part, but I still waited eagerly for his appreciation of the actual gift. It was the perfect memento for him to take back home—a reminder of his Christmas with the Sinclairs. And hopefully a reminder that maybe notallChristmases had to be horrible.
Even if we’d all made this one a little complicated.
He backed away, eyes narrowing. “What are you doing?”
“What do you mean?” I shook the globe, as if the fluttering snow crystals would change his mind. “It looks like the Sinclair farm, don’t you think?”
But he barely glanced at it, just batted it away like a cat. The globe slipped from my hands and crashed to the ground. It didn’t shatter, thanks to the fact that most snow globes were plastic now for this very reason—okay, maybe not for thisexactreason, because who shoved a snow globe away from them like Gollum rejecting Samwise’s potatoes? I knew Nick wasn’t into Christmas, but weren’t snow globes sort of universally beloved?
I scrambled to pick it up, wrinkling my nose at the wad of chewing gum on the pavement someone had spit out. Thankfully, the globe had landed next to it, not on it. “Nick—”
“This is taking things a little far, Holly.” His narrowed eyes darkened.
