Tanner winces as if maybe it wasn’t. “You think you can come to the meeting with me? I can handle the small reps, but I can’t afford to goof this up.”
“You bet. Just let me know when and I’ll be there. I plan on being around a lot more often.”
Missy’s eyes widen at the prospect. I haven’t broken the news to her yet because it’s a part of the second Christmas gift I’m going to give her tonight. But it’s the third gift that I’m hoping will have her floating ten feet off the ground.
Sabrina scoffs. “You can handle that meeting alone, Tanner.” She straightens the collar on his dress shirt, and Missy and I exchange a glance. “You’re the most confident man I’ve ever met. So what if you’re a little rough around the edges? Who isn’t? My favorite part about you is that you don’t put on airs.”
“What’s going on?” Missy shakes her head at Sabrina. “Is this?” She points to the two of them. “Are you?” She leans in, unable to finish the question.
“We are!” Sabrina wraps her arms around my brother, and if I didn’t know better, he looks rather happy about it. “It’s official. We’redating!” She bounces on her heels as if she were on springs.
“Dating.” I inch back and study my brother as he breaks out into a big old grin, and the sight of it warms me. “Congratulations, man.” I’d warn him about her, but I’m starting to get the feeling he’s dating a whole new Sabrina Jarrett. In the least, he’s well aware of what he’s getting himself into.
“Wow,” Missy marvels, clearly stunned on her feet. “Ditto that. Huge congratulations. To many more—dates.” She shrugs, and the four of us share a laugh.
Sabrina and Tanner excuse themselves as they head for the eggnog, and Missy steps in close to me.
“I’m not sure whether I should apologize or reclaim my perfect track record? He is a Holiday, you know.” She lifts a shoulder my way, and I can’t help but think she’s adorable. I have always thought she was adorable, and the thought alone makes me smile.
Joy Winters steps up with Holly. “What track record?” She looks to her younger daughter.
Missy glances to my brother. “I knew I was setting up Sabrina Jarrett with a Holiday for life. It turns out, my matchmaking skills are still intact. My perfect record remains just that, perfect.” She and Holly share a high five.
Mrs. Winters holds up a hand. “I believe it’s my record that remains perfectly intact.” She gives a sly wink my way. “I have had my fair share of perfect matches, too, you know.”
“Like who?” Missy asks as if she didn’t have a lot of faith in what her mother was suggesting. It’s safe to say two women warring over the same track record can bring the tension to the party real quick.
“Like you.” She flicks a finger between us while sipping her fruity green drink from a thin red straw. It’s mint jubilee. Mom makes it every year because it looks festive, and she calls it Holly-ade. “Don’t for a minute think I didn’t know who would be waiting for you at that realty office that afternoon.” She averts her eyes to the ceiling and gives a coy smile.
“Mother!” both Missy and Holly chime at once.
I can’t help but shed a laugh. “So, you had Missy meet with me that afternoon?”
“I sure did.” She waves a proud finger in the air. “And I may have—”
Noel bounds over, and Missy picks her right up. “Here’s my Christmas baby.”
Mrs. Todd—Rose, Mayor Todd’s wife, pokes her head in our small circle for a moment. “Isn’t she the best?” She looks to Joy. “You really got the pick of the litter. She had the rest of those puppies sold in a week! You came just in the nick of time, or this little precious one would have had another home by now.” She gives a slight wave before melting back in the crowd.
“Mother?” Holly takes a solid step away from her.
But Missy leans in. “Explain yourself. Quickly.” Her tone is curt, and neither she nor Holly takes their eyes off her. To be honest, I can’t either.
“What’s this about?” I reach over and land my hand over Noel’s warm back, and she nuzzles into me.
“Oh, I don’t know”—Joy looks to the four corners of the room before zeroing in on us. “Okay, so my wheels might have started churning after you called and said you were coming into town.” She frowns at me. “I always thought you and Missy would end up together one day. The way you two bantered, it was only a matter of time. Why, you were an old married couple long before you even knew you were a couple.”
Missy and I share a dull laugh.
Holly huffs at her mother. “Get to the dog.”
“Well”—she winces—“no sooner did we get off the phone than Rose called, letting me know her sister’s lab had a litter of puppies, and she wanted to know if I wanted to get one for Savanah.”
“Oh, man!” Holly protests. “You mean Noel could have been mine?” She looks to Missy. “We are definitely sharing.”
“Anyway”—Joy continues—“I couldn’t resist the idea of a puppy bringing the two of you together. And once I realized the only furnished home was next to yours, I drove over and waited until the two of you arrived, and, well—you know the rest.”
Missy shakes her head in disbelief. “So that’s why no one called the shelter to report a perfectly healthy missing puppy.” She glares at her mother a moment before melting into a smile. “Thank you.” She leans against my shoulder. “You gave me two things that day that I will forever be grateful for.”
