Chapter 7 #3
“Aw!” Chloe squealed. “That’s so sweet!”
“Wait a second.” Kat frowned. “You didn’t know she was coming.”
Grace cleared her throat and shot another panicked look at her husband. “We…”
“We need to get everyone settled so we can get to it, that’s what!
” Thomas clapped his hands and everyone jumped.
His no-nonsense tone sounded more like a coach in the locker room during the Super Bowl than a father greeting his kids at the holidays.
“Now, who’s going where? Let’s get this figured out so we can bring out the holly. ” He winked at Holly. “Not you, dear.”
How she refrained from rolling her eyes, Nick would never know.
“I’ll just grab a piece of paper and try to work out the new rooming arrangement.” Grace clasped her hands in front of her chest, something Nick was quickly noticing as her default move.
“No need.” Chloe offered a flippant shrug. “I can just share with—”
“ Kat. You’ll share with Kat. ” Grace spoke quickly, without a hint of anxiety in her eyes, despite the storm clouds gathering in Thomas’s.
Kat protested, “But I’m already bunking with Holly.”
Holly scrunched her nose, which was unfortunately adorable. “Guess we’re having a week-long sleepover.”
Kat groaned. Chloe squealed. “This will be so fun.”
Holly looked as if she didn’t quite believe her, while Kat looked like she most definitely did not believe her.
Nick covered his grin with his hand. Served Holly right after the pranks she’d pulled on him that morning.
Maybe having two roomies would prevent her from sneaking out again in the wee hours to decorate.
Grace continued. “And Axel can join Nick in the media room.”
Wait, what?
Nick blinked, working to keep his features schooled into something neutral and not reveal the wave of panic coursing through his body.
A muscle in his jaw jumped. Once again, the temptation to leave loomed fresh.
Nothing about this trip was going as planned, and his Cup O’ Noodles was becoming more appealing by the minute.
So much for the low-key Christmas Ryan had promised.
“I hope that’s okay?” Grace raised her dark eyebrows at him, hope shining in her eyes.
His chest tightened, and he pushed up the sleeves of his Henley. He couldn’t bail. It was clearly important to Grace that he stayed—and his dream career was equally important. If he could suffer through Holly’s sudden obsession with Christmas, he could share a room with Surfer Boy.
Right?
Nick nodded. “Of course.”
“Wonderful! Now, we’ve got an air mattress tucked away somewhere.” Grace tapped her fingertips together and looked around, as if said mattress might be hidden away in that very living room.
“I’ll get it, dear.” Thomas pressed a kiss to his wife’s forehead. “I think it’s in storage in the barn.”
“You don’t have to do that. Just send Ryan.” Grace glanced around, then frowned. “Where is Ryan, anyway?”
“The honeymooners are still asleep.” Olivia rolled her eyes. “Don’t expect to see them until noon.”
Grace shook her head, her forehead creasing. “We’ve got plans today, so someone needs to wake them up around nine.”
“Not it!” Holly, Kat, Chloe, and Olivia blurted simultaneously, as if defaulting to a family system of rules established long ago. Then they stuck up their thumbs.
“Ha!” Kat pointed to Chloe with a triumphant smile. “Too slow.”
“Not fair. I’m holding coffee.” Chloe pursed her lips.
“And your boyfriend.” Kat smirked. “Regardless, you lost.”
“I see you’ve not gotten any less competitive in your old age,” Chloe jabbed.
Kat crossed her arms. “I’m only five years older than you.”
“So why do you look more like ten—”
“ Girls. ” Thomas’s voice left no room for argument, also probably a system established long ago. “We have guests.”
Kat and Chloe formed matching sheepish smiles. “Sorry.” Their voices chimed in rhythm, Chloe’s more singsongy to Kat’s grudging tone.
Grace smiled at Nick. “They always bickered the most growing up. Never a dull moment.”
Nick had a feeling that’d be the case regardless of ages.
“I’ll go find the air mattress.” Thomas reached for the back doorknob. “Axel? Why don’t you help me.” The sentence clearly ended with a period and not a question mark.
“Sure thing, Mr. Sinclair.” Axel good-naturedly started to follow, but Chloe clung to his arm.
“Watch out for blade sharpeners. And the hay baler.” She trotted after him, her fingers sliding down the length of his arm as he continued after Thomas. Her voice pitched. “And the pitchfork !”
Olivia wrapped her arm around Chloe’s shoulder and pulled her back as the door slammed after the men. “He’ll be fine, babe. If you bring a boy home for Christmas, you know Dad will grill him.”
“Like a hot dog.” Chloe’s eyes turned mournful as she craned her neck to see out the window.
Grace smiled at the remaining bunch, clearly ignoring her children’s dramatics. “I’m going to make a fresh pot of coffee. Anyone want a cup?”
Nick’s hand shot into the air before he could censor his elementary-aged reaction. “Yes, please.”
Grace chuckled. “Coming right up.” She ducked back into the kitchen.
“Everyone, come here.” Olivia gathered the group into a huddle.
Nick hesitated, holding back as two dark heads, one red head, and one lighter brown head huddled into a circle by the couch.
“You too.” Olivia waved him into the group of sisters. “I’ve figured it out.”
They were back to this. Nick’s heart sank as he squeezed into the space between Chloe and Holly.
If the siblings knew that the Sinclairs were considering selling their property to him, would they try to change their parents’ minds?
Would his dream die before it ever breathed?
He could always buy another place, but he would never get the deal the Sinclairs had hinted toward.
On the other hand, having the secret out in the open would make things a lot less awkward. It could maybe even provide him the opportunity to go home, once the air was cleared.
One thing was certain—it had not even been twenty-four hours and these secrets were getting heavy.
“What are you talking about?” Chloe frowned.
Olivia quickly filled her in on the events of the last twenty-four hours. “Now think about it. On top of the fact Mom hasn’t decorated for Christmas and that weird convo we overheard in the kitchen a bit ago, she also called each of us and begged us to come home.”
“So?” Kat asked.
“ So. ” Olivia jutted her chin forward. “She’s never done that before. She’s always been chill about our different schedules and traveling over the holidays. Why this year in particular?”
“Good question.” Holly tossed her hair and the scent of vanilla and lavender shampoo filled Nick’s senses. He inhaled deeply before he caught himself. Holly shot him a curious look.
“Allergies, sorry.” He sniffed in exaggeration.
Holly offered him an overly sweet smile. “There are some Christmas tissues in the guest bath downstairs.”
Nick leaned back. “Now, what makes tissues Christmas —”
“Guys, focus.” Olivia shook her head, her tangled hair swinging. “It’s so obvious. I can’t believe I didn’t see it sooner.”
“See what?” Holly leaned in closer, her arm brushing Nick’s. Her sweater was soft against his bare forearm.
“Yeah, see what?” Kat asked. “Because I’ve been with you this whole time and haven’t seen ‘it.’ Whatever ‘it’ is.”
Olivia sighed, and her gaze darted to Nick’s. “I hate to be the one to announce it this way…”
Nick tensed. This was it. Time for the truth, for better or for worse.
“You guys.” Olivia’s complexion blanched a shade paler. “Mom’s sick.”