“Just as soon we we’re on the mend. Another month or two, maybe.”
Damon gave his sister a wide smile and two thumbs up.
When his parents looked away from her at him, she dragged her thumb across her throat and glared at him.
Their dad continued, “With the boy finally getting a girl, it’s time to help our oldest find love and settle down.”
“Find love?” Grace sputtered with laughter. “He just met this woman and has his first date tomorrow night. For all you know, she’s crazy.”
Damon sighed. “One can hope. She sure is pretty.”
Big Mike nodded at him. “See? He’s a goner. Now we just need to work on you.”
“I like girls,” she blurted.
Mike didn’t miss a beat. “Good. Find one and bring her home. The playing field is wide open for you, honey.”
“Wide open.” Damon nodded.
Grace looked hunted. “Oh, er, I didn’t know you knew.”
Leila shrugged. “We’re your parents. We know everything. Oh, and the hotel called to let you know you left your credit card behind. That was the phone call you got earlier, not spam. So exactly how much time off do you have for this holiday?”
Grace turned bright red. Damon laughed his fool head off.
Big Mike grinned. “Yeah, never bet against the house. My Leila knows everything.”
An hour later, after he finished washing the dishes and putting all the food away, Damon rejoined his sister by the wood fire in the living room.
She sprawled on the couch. He rested in a recliner. Their parents had adjourned outside for a dip in the hot tub.
They’d all lived in this home for the past twenty years, and the place looked as rustic and warm as it had the day his father and mother had made it their own. Done in warm shades with wood accents everywhere, the log cabin home sat outside of town in a development that had turned from remote to up-and-coming over the years.
Nestled in the woods, it blended well. Hope’s Turn at Christmastime looked like something off a postcard. And his parents’ home, when dusted with snow, always put him in mind of a winter wonderland.
“Gonna get snow soon,” he said to Grace, feeling sleepy while the fire crackled.
“Yeah.” She yawned. “What time is it?”
He checked his phone, disappointed but not surprised not to see any texts from Marlie. “Close to six.”
“Oh man. We’re getting old. All I want to do is sleep.”
“Hey, Grace. Know any famous people named Dick?”
“Hmm. Dick Clark.”
“Did that one.”
“Dick Cheney?”
“Oh, thanks.” He sent that to Marlie and had to laugh at her immediate response—a clown followed by a rolling eyes emoji.
“Any reason you’re into Dicks?”
“I knew you’d run with that.” He turned his phone face-down on his stomach and straightened out his left knee. “I met a woman. We have a date tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I know. Still not understanding the dick references.”
