“Please tell me you’re not going to make me call them on Christmas Eve,” Jean said. “Can’t we just put it off abit?”
“I think we can address it after the holidays,” Isaid.
Jean lit up like a string oflights.
“Is the picture on the blog yet?” Ryderasked.
I nudged him. My sister did not need anyencouragement.
Jean grinned. “Wanna see?” She bounded out of Hogan’s arms to find her tablet before any of us couldanswer.
“I thought you’d be a better influence on her,” I groused atHogan.
He just spread his hands wide and smiled. “Come now, Delaney. I thought you knew mebetter.”
The twinkle of wicked mischief in his eyes wasirresistible.
I chuckled. “At least try to rein in her worsttendencies.”
“I do,” he said with mock seriousness. “You should have seen the hat she wanted to buyyou.”
Ryder snorted at that, then Jean showed up with the pictures and excitedly read us the blogpost.
I had to admit it, that little penguin wearing a baggy Santa hat that drooped over one eye, surrounded by concrete Buddha, frogs, fairies, elephants, Bigfoot, and an octopus doing yoga, looked pretty darncute.
They’d strung the whole scene with Christmas lights and candles, greenery stuffed in just the right places to somehow make the gathering feel both whimsical andsweet.
Like we were looking in on a little moment when the yard statues all got together in the cold and storm of winter to remind each other of friendship, happiness, andlove.
Okay, maybe I was reading too much into the scene, but at the very least, it was cute, fun, andfestive.
“Has the blog gotten any comments yet?” Hoganasked.
Yeah, I could see how hard he was working not to encourageher.
Jean scrolled for a minute. “About a hundred. Oh, here’s a good one: ‘Darling photo, but remember, even little penguins like to stay safe at home during the winter windstorms. Merry Christmas, Mrs.Y.’”
Mrs.Yates.
“That doesn’t sound angry,” Ryder said with another hugeyawn.
Jean made a sound. “I told you, she loves thisstuff.”
“Mmmm.” He leaned forward, his arm wrapping around my waist, his head tipping down to rest against myshoulder.
He had to be exhausted. “Did you sleep today?” Iasked.
“Some.”
“Some?”
I could feel him smile against my shoulder. “I did some Christmasstuff.”
“Like what? We already have a tree. And a dragon. MerryChristmas.”
“Your gift was in the truck. And that dragon is not my responsibility. It ate my welcomemat.”
“You went shopping? Youdrove?”
