Blake giggled. “He’s so stupid.”
I steeled my own smile when Charlye looked at me. “What?” I asked.
She narrowed her eyes. “He gets on my nerves.”
I laughed then. “Join the club.”
“Look who I found.” Dallas walked in the room with Demi. “She pulled up right as I was calling her.”
Demi greeted everyone with hugs, except for Duke who she greeted with a punch on his shoulder. “That’s for not saving me any pancakes.”
Blake sipped her drink. “They were slappin’ too.”
Duke stood. “That’s why I’m about to give the short stack I hid for you to Harp’s greedy ass.”
Demi’s face lit up. “You saved me some?” She hugged him and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
We spent the afternoon playing cards and games, just being together. Charlye and her siblings fit in well with us. Which wasn’t surprising since we’d grown up together.
When Dallas announced the Secret Santa drawing, we all turned our attention to her. She sat on Preston’s lap and shook the box of names. “We’re so thankful that the Burke family decided to join us this year. I imagine this annual event will get bigger and better as we continue to add new people to our family. Y’all know I take this seriously. So don’t make me call you to check on your gift progress.” She glared at Asa. “If I have to, it’s on sight. Remember that.”
Asa lifted his hands up. “Why are you singling me out?”
“Because you’re always late,” Bliss said. “And cheap. Do better, baby brother.”
Dallas gave a rundown of the rules again. “Okay, are we ready?”
“Where’s Tristan?” Harper asked. “I haven’t seen him in a minute. Does he not participate in Secret Santa?”
I caught the way Dallas glanced over at Demi, flashing a sad smile. I wasn’t the only one that was paying attention either. Duke was staring at her too. The tick in his jaw let me know he wasn’t happy either. Bliss shared a weird look with Paityn, but the two of them just sighed.
Paityn cleared her throat. “He’s busy.”
Harper shrugged. “Okay.”
Blake opened her mouth to speak, but Lennox placed a finger over her mouth and shook his head subtly. She grumbled a curse and folded her arms over her chest.
“What the hell just happened?” Charlye whispered. “This is awkward.”
I realized that I’d been so preoccupied with Charlye that I missed something important. “No idea,” I muttered. But I definitely planned to ask questions later.
“Dallas, come on,” Asa prodded, obviously sensing the calm before the storm. “We’re ready.”
“Right.” Dallas stood. “Let’s get this party started.”
Everyone had just picked their names from the box when I heard a gasp. Frowning, I looked at Bliss. I followed her startled gaze to the door, where Tristan stood.
My oldest brother entered the room slowly, his eyes meeting all of ours. “What’s up? Am I too late to draw a name?”
* * *
