Also, I genuinely wanted to know. After Peanut Butter hadreared—apparently unhappy about the cold mud caking his hooves, according to our trail guide—Nick had slipped out of the saddle and landed on his side. His shoulder probably had a bigger bruise than his jaw.
“I’ve had worse.” Nick turned his head a little toward me, and I let my fingers graze along his scruff to his chin before returning my hands to my lap.
“I don’t know that I ever said thank you.” I kept my voice low, figuring he’d be embarrassed if anyone else joined the conversation.
“Thank you for what? Humiliating myself? Ruining your dad’s hat?” He grinned, then winced. “Smiling hurts.”
“Ouch.” I mirrored his expression.
“Can we keep this about me, for like, a minute?” If his teasing tone hadn’t let me know he was joking, his taking my hand would have certainly implied no hard feelings. Or something else? My gaze met his as his fingers wrapped around mine, and electricity shot up my arm and tingled into my stomach.
Then his eyes shifted pointedly to the left. Ryan watched us, a slight crease on his brow. Right. The operation was in full effect.
Pulling a move from Chloe’s playbook, I snuggled in a little closer and rested my head on Nick’s shoulder. “Want me to get you some frozen peas?”
“That’s so romantic.” Nick laughed, his breath brushing my hair and sending tiny shivers down the back of my neck. “But I think I’m good.”
From his squat by the karaoke machine, Ryan frowned at us.
Perfect. I turned my head up, my face only inches from Nick’s. “What about a frozen steak?”
He glanced down at me, his lips dangerously close to mine, and my breath caught. We were getting maybe a little too good at this. “If you’re getting steak, I’d rather it be cooked.”
“I think we’ve all had plenty of dinner.” Ryan plopped down on the other end of the couch next to me, holding the karaoke remote. “Who wants to go first?”
I sat up straight, though I stayed close to Nick. His warm presence next to me was nice. Grounding. Having a pretend boyfriend was almost as much fun as having a real one. Having a pretend boyfriend who tried to save me from a runaway horse, even better.
Of course, the mare I’d ridden a dozen times over the years hadn’t been running away at all. She just loved the water, and I was fully prepared for her little romp—had even encouraged it.
Nick clearly hadn’t gotten that memo. Or Peanut Butter, for that matter.
“Chloe, you sing so pretty.” Mom adjusted the blanket in her lap from her curled up position in the armchair near the fireplace. Dad perched on the hearth next to her. “Want to take a shot at it?”
“Yes!” Axel pumped his fist in the air. “Wow us, babe.”
“Me?” Chloe pressed her hand on her chest and ducked her head, feigning humility even as she untangled herself from the blanket. “If you guys insist…”
Next to me, Ryan rolled his eyes and tossed her the remote. “Onesong each.”
Chloe began scrolling through the options on the screen. “What’s everyone’sleastfavorite Christmas song?”
“All of them.” Nick didn’t hesitate, though he did whisper. I squeezed his arm.
Axel squirmed on the sofa. “ ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas.’ ”
“Why?” Kat squinted at him over her coffee mug.
“Who gifts their loved one so many birds?” Axel shuddered. “Seems problematic. Like, dude, if she isn’t into you by now, I don’t think a French hen is gonna help, you know?”
“The man has a point.” Nick looked over at me and raised a brow, amusement lighting his eyes.
“Yeah, Holly.” Kat leaned forward in her chair to see me. “Would you have fallen for Nick if he’d gifted you a few turtledoves or a calling bird?”
“What evenisa calling bird?” Axel pulled his legs up onto the cushion, as if afraid one might be lurking under the couch.
“That song has symbolism.” Mom scratched her head and frowned. “I looked it up once before, but now I don’t remember.”
Olivia, who sat cross-legged on the floor by Mom’s chair, shot me a knowing look. I shrugged at her. Mom forgetting stuff wasn’t anything new. She used to call us by each other’s names all the time growing up.
