Page 35 of 10 Things I Hate About Mistletoe

Anthony glanced away when he answered, “I’ve never been in love, so I don’t know why it happens.”

Delilah’s jaw dropped. “Never?”

His cheeks flushed. “Nope.”

“What about Yvette?” Pike asked, pointing at his friend. “You dated her for a year after high school.”

“Just because I stayed with someone doesn’t mean it’s love,” Anthony scoffed. “Look at Nick. He was with Amber for how many years?”

Nick grabbed the dry eraser from Merry’s hand and chucked it at Anthony. “I would appreciate it if you would stop talking about me and my romantic past, especially since my wife will be here any minute.”

Pike made a face. “Is it just me, or is it weird that he calls Noel ‘wife’ instead of by her name?”

“It’s an accurate description,” Nick growled.

“Can we get back to the topic at hand?” Merry hollered, retrieving her eraser from the floor and glowering at them.

The group quieted, and Merry burst into tears. Clark hugged her, obviously fighting a smile.

“What did we do?” Holly stage whispered.

“You’re all aggravating her,” Clark said, glaring at his sister-in-law with mock ferocity, “and I won’t tolerate it.”

Merry sniffled loudly. “I love you, but you smell.”

Clark released her and stepped back. “I do?”

“Someone does.” She sniffed the air and gagged. “Yeah, no, you all need to go shower. You smell like moldy sweat.”

“Damn, that’s harsh,” Pike said, lifting his arm. He held it out to Delilah. “Do I smell bad?”

Delilah burst out laughing, leaning away from his pit. “I don’t want to find out.”

“It’s probably me,” Nick said, heading toward his sister. “I didn’t shower this morning before coming over to help. What do you think, Merry?” He lifted his arm and shoved his pit in his sister’s face.

Merry’s scream turned into a series of dry heaves, and she pushed him away, dropping the dry eraser in the process. Daisy, who had returned to her bed, jumped to her feet with a ferocious bark. Nick backed off with his hands up as the one hundred and twenty pounds of fluffy white fur rushed toward him.

“Uncle Nick was just playing, Dais!”

“Kill him, baby!” Merry gasped, scrambling toward the first door to the left with Daisy right behind her. Merry shut it before the dog could follow her inside, yelling through the door, “I hate you, Nick Winters!”

“Not cool, man,” Clark said, glaring at Nick while Daisy pawed at the door and whined. “She’s got a sensitive stomach, and everything sets her off.”

“Clark, you know I love you like a brother”—Nick clasped the other man on the shoulder and pointed toward the closed bathroom door— “but that is my sister, and I will torture her even on my deathbed.”

Delilah bit back a laugh. She didn’t have siblings and watching the antics between the Winters siblings and their in-laws had her second-guessing if she should be thankful or envious.

“It’s alright, Clark. I’ll get him back later,” Holly said, pointing the dry-erase marker her sister had dropped. “Better watch your back, brother dear.”

“Whoa, why are you coming for me?” Nick asked Holly. “You should be Switzerland in this!”

Holly laughed mockingly. “Merry is the incubator for my future niece or nephew. Her value has surpassed yours.”

“Please don’t call your sister an incubator to her face,” Clark begged, his gaze shooting toward the bathroom door nervously.

“I won’t,” Holly said, climbing off Declan’s lap to pat Clark on the back, “but only because you’re my favorite brother-in-law.”

“I’m your only brother-in-law.”