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Imogen’s smile widened further, and she pressed her lips together as if physically trying to contain whatever joy was threatening to spill out of her. “Do I? I hadn’t noticed.”

But the way she said it, with that telltale note of barely suppressed excitement, made it clear that she had definitely noticed. Vanessa raised an eyebrow, her curiosity now fully piqued.

“Mm-hmm,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest in mock suspicion. “And I suppose that glow has nothing to do with a certain hockey-rink-owner who shall remain nameless?”

At the mention of Lincoln, even in the most indirect terms, Imogen’s composure cracked completely. Her hand flew to her mouth, but not quickly enough to hide the enormous grin that had taken over her entire face. She looked like she might actually burst from the effort of keeping whatever news she was carrying contained within her chest.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Imogen said, but her voice came out in a higher pitch than usual, and she was practically bouncing on her toes.

Vanessa felt a smile tugging at her own lips. There was something infectious about Imogen’s obvious joy, something that made it impossible not to be drawn into whatever celebration was clearly brewing just beneath the surface. She just wanted to know what it was, and why it was such a secret.

“Mom!” Katie called from across the store, where she had discovered the section of friendship bracelets and matching journals. “Come look at these! Emma loves to write stories, and we could get matching journals and then we could write stories to each other!”

“That sounds perfect, Katie,” Imogen called back, chewing on her lower lip as if that would help her keep the secret. “Why don’t you see if there are any that come in your favorite colors?”

As Katie became absorbed in examining every possible combination of journals and bracelets, Imogen moved closer to Vanessa, lowering her voice to a whisper that somehow managed to convey even more excitement than her previous attempts at normal conversation.

“Can you keep a secret?” she asked, her eyes dancing with mischief.

“Always,” Vanessa replied, although she had a feeling she already knew what the secret might be. The pieces were starting to fall into place: Imogen’s radiant happiness, the way she kept mentioning Lincoln, the barely contained energy that seemed to be vibrating through her entire body. She bit her lip, wondering if Imogen was pregnant. All the signs certainly seemed to be there. But she didn’t want to steal her friend’s thunder, so she kept her suspicions to herself.

“I’m probably not supposed to tell anyone yet,” Imogen continued, glancing around the store to make sure they wouldn’t be overheard. “Lincoln wanted to wait until we had a chance to tell our families properly. But I don’t think I can hold it in much longer. I feel like I might actually explode if I don’t tell someone soon.”

Vanessa felt sure her guess was right. The thought of her best friend having a baby so close behind her sent a shock of excitement through her. They could share so many milestones, help each other through the tough times… she could give Imogen things that her baby had outgrown, and they could shop for new things together. She felt her smile brighten. “Imogen…”

“Promise me you won’t say anything to anyone else until we make it official?” Imogen asked, reaching out to grab Vanessa’s hands. “I know I shouldn’t be spilling the beans before we’ve had a chance to do this properly, but you’re my best friend, and I trust you completely.”

“Of course,” Vanessa said, squeezing Imogen’s hands in return. Her excitement was rapidly building. “You can tell me anything.”

The sound of footsteps approaching from the back of the store made them both turn, and Vanessa saw her grandmother emerging from the stockroom carrying a box of newly arrived merchandise. That brought Imogen up short, and Vanessa tried not to let out the huff of frustration that she felt at being interrupted.

“Oh, hello, Imogen,” Mabel said, setting down her box and moving toward the register. “How lovely to see you. And Katie, sweetheart, are you finding everything you need for your Christmas shopping?”

“Yes, ma’am!” Katie replied brightly. “I’m getting Emma the most perfect present ever.”

Mabel smiled indulgently at Katie’s excitement before turning her attention back to Imogen and Vanessa. She looked distracted though, Vanessa thought, just as she had for the last several days. She didn’t know what was on her grandmother’s mind, and every time she’d tried to ask, Mabel had waved it away as being ‘tired and busy.’ Before she could analyze it further, or try to steer Imogen to a quieter spot to find out her news, Katie was approaching with her arms full of carefully selected items.

“I think I’ve found everything,” Katie announced proudly. “Can Miss Mabel ring these up for me? I have my Christmas money that I’ve been saving, and Mom said she would help me wrap everything when we get home. So I don’t need it gift-wrapped,” she added, as firmly as a little adult doing her Christmas shopping.

“Of course, sweetheart,” Mabel said, moving behind the register to ring Katie up. “Let’s see what you’ve picked out for Emma.”

As Mabel began scanning Katie’s items—a leather-bound journal with an embossing of a unicorn, a set of friendship bracelets in pink and purple, and a set of matching jelly pens—Imogen grabbed Vanessa’s elbow, steering her out of earshot of Katie and Mabel, back toward a window display with a clicking train that would help muffle her voice.

“I can’t hold it in any longer, honestly,” she whispered excitedly. “I’m sure Lincoln wouldn’t mind me letting the cat out of the bag, especially to you.”

Vanessa nodded eagerly. “What is it?” she whispered back.

Imogen’s face was practically luminous with joy as she took a deep breath. “Lincoln and I are engaged!”

The announcement struck Vanessa so abruptly that it took her a moment to speak. She was so shocked that it took her a moment to scramble for the right thing to say. She’d been so sure that Imogen was pregnant, that she’d have her best friend to suddenly share all the nerves and excitement and ups-and-downs with, and instead it was completely different news. The news she should probably have been expecting before a baby announcement, she reasoned, but all the same, she’d been so sure…

Without thinking, she burst into tears as a wave of emotion hit her, overwhelming her so suddenly that out of nowhere she was crying right there in the middle of the toy store.

“Oh my gosh!” she managed to say through her tears, immediately pulling her friend into a hug. “I’m so happy for you! This is amazing! When did it happen? How did it happen? I want to hear everything! Do you have a ring?”

She sniffled, wiping away her tears. Imogen was looking at her worriedly as she pulled back, and she didn’t want her friend to think for a second that she wasn’t actually happy for her.

“Vanessa, are you crying?” Mabel asked from behind the register, her voice filled with concern.