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Brooks rolls his lips together. “Hm. I haven’t heard that.”
David grunts. “Odd. Even I knew Vermont was famous for their mistletoe.”
Brooks smiles tightly. I attempt to smooth things over. “They’re actually known for their maple syrup, I believe.”
The siblings look at me with amused expressions.
“How was your sister’s wedding, Molly?” Sophie asks. “Weren’t you planning to stay through Christmas? Not that we aren’t thrilled to have you with us!” She adds with a bright smile.
“The wedding was great! It was just … stressful. And I was ready to get home.”
Sophie nods. “That makes sense.”
Madden and Odette’s boys run to their parents, both jumping up and down in anticipation. “Can we open presents now?”
“Not until we’re done eating,” Odette says calmly, then sends them back to their seats.
They pout before walking away but cheer up when their grandpa sneaks them candy as they pass by him. I smile at the scene. The Windells are wealthy and successful, but they’re not stuffy and formal. Although I think that fact mildly annoys Diane.
I can picture coming here with Brooks each year, hanging out with his siblings, and maybe someday … in the very distant future … having our own children running around and sneaking candy.
Once we’re finished eating, we’re quickly ushered into the living room by the children. Brooks finds me and places his hand on my back before leaning in and whispering, “Do you think they know?”
“Oh, they definitely know,” I whisper back. “They’re trying to fake us out, make us admit we’re together.”
“Stay strong. Don’t give in,” he says, pinning me with a serious look.
I nod and give him a mock salute, making him chuckle. We sit on the floor beside each other and watch the kids pass out gifts. I’m surprised to see I have a pile of presents just like everyone else does. I look at Brooks, my eyebrows raised in question, and he just shrugs his shoulders.
The children open their gifts first, ripping into them with pure joy. The boys bring their toys to Brooks and ask him to put them together. He happily agrees, being a giant kid himself.
Mrs. Windell claps her hands together. “All right, now time for the adults! This year, we’re going to start with the oldest and then end with the youngest.”
Brooks’s mouth falls open for a moment. “But we’ve always done the youngest first.”
Madden quickly sticks his tongue out at Brooks before Diane can see him and rips into one of his presents. Odette yanks it away from him, a teasing smile on her face. “Excuse me, I’m the oldest.”
Madden groans and mutters, “Barely.”
Once it’s finally Brooks’s turn, he rips into his pile with as much gumption as the children did. David rolls his eyes at the scene.
When he opens the second to last one, he stops and stares at the contents of the box. David, Madden, and Drew give each other knowing smirks.
Everyone seems to know what’s inside the box, except me. I try looking over Brooks’s shoulder, but he’s so tall. Finally, he angles the box for me to see.
There’s nothing inside except a recent gossip magazine. I’m confused at first until I spot the name of one of the articles inside: Du Pont Media’s billionaire heir gets hitched.
Without delay, I grab the magazine and turn to the article. I read it out loud, “Preston Du Pont, heir to half of the multi-billion dollar company, Du Pont Media, married Mildred Annelise Vanderbilt this week in a lavish ceremony at her family’s Vermont mansion.”
I scan the pictures in the article and gasp when I come to a large one of me and Brooks kissing under the mistletoe awning. I read the caption aloud, “Are wedding bells in the air for Mildred’s younger sister Mary Elizabeth too?”
David rubs his hands together conspiratorially. “I guess we’ll be coming back to the States sooner rather than later,” he says to Isa.
She beams at him, clearly enjoying the drama. “Perhaps … in the spring?”
Mrs. Windell, who obviously doesn’t know the terms of the bet, looks pleased. “Oh, how wonderful! You’re both welcome to come home as often as you’d like!”
Drew grins. “You want to increase our workouts? I’m sure you want to look good.”
