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Maybe tonight was the perfect night for that to change.

27

Izzy

While Brooke, Mabel and Matt put the finishing touches to the meal, Izzy worked her festive magic on the dining room. With Mabel’s permission she delved through cupboards and boxes, extracting various items she thought would work well together.

She couldn’t stop thinking about Jason, who was upstairs calling his niece. She kept picturing his pristine bachelor apartment filled with children’s toys, those gleaming wooden floors strewn with building blocks and crayons.

Uncle Jason.

Now she understood why he’d been desperate to get home for Christmas. For the first six years of Jess’s life he’d stepped into the role of father. When his sister had needed him, he’d stepped up.

Which proved what she’d originally suspected—that Jason didn’t need a misfit like her in his life. He might think she was the woman for him, but that was because he didn’t really know her. Which made this matchmaking attempt of Brooke’s all the more awkward and uncomfortable.

Brooke had created this romantic opportunity and what was Izzy supposed to do? Throw herself at Jason across the table?

The door opened behind her and Mabel came in carrying napkins. “I found these in the back of a drawer. I bought them for Christmas once and never used them.”

“Brilliant.” Izzy took them from her. “Exactly what I need to finish this.”

“The table is looking wonderful.” Mabel scanned it and then turned to Izzy. “And you look very pretty in that dress.”

“Oh, thank you. Brooke gave it to me. I didn’t exactly pack for a festive dinner.” She glanced down at herself. The dress sparkled as it caught the light. She’d never felt this good in a dress before. “Do you think it’s too much? Do I look as if I fell off the Christmas tree?”

“No. I think any time life gives you a reason to dress up and celebrate, you should take it. It’s the perfect dress for Christmas.” She paused. “And for our special dinner.”

Special dinner.

Had Brooke told her?

Izzy was mortified. “Perhaps this was a slightly over-the-top idea.”

“Oh, no.” Mabel stroked her hand over the back of one of the chairs and looked around her. “I haven’t eaten in this room since I lost Walter. It’s good to see the place all lit up and festive again. You’ve brought life back into the house. I can’t thank you all enough.”

Izzy felt emotion lodge in her throat. She needed to stop thinking everything was about her. It was clear this evening meant a lot to Mabel, too.

Impulsively, she leaned in and gave Mabel a hug. “We’re going to have a great time. And whatever is cooking in the kitchen smells wonderful.”

“And that’s my cue to check on my duck.” Mabel gave her arm a squeeze and left the room.

Izzy added a napkin to everyone’s place setting, then stood back to survey her handiwork.

The cutlery and glass gleamed in the candlelight. She’d found a box of pine cones and she’d arranged them in bowls, twisting through a few small strings of fairy lights. She’d marked each place setting with a sprig of fake holly, which turned out to be a great deal less painful than working with the real thing.

“It looks good.” Jason’s voice came from behind her and she turned, her heart giving a little kick.

The way he smiled almost unbalanced her. She felt as if she was going on a first date.

“Thanks.” She waved her hand towards the table. “I wanted it to look festive.”

“It does. How on earth did you manage this?” He strolled into the room and studied the table.

“I delved through Mabel’s boxes. There are all kinds of treasures hidden in there.”

She tweaked one of the napkins. “Mabel and Brooke have gone to so much trouble in the kitchen, I wanted the table to do the meal justice.”

Did it look romantic? Was he going to know this was one of Brooke’s elaborate matchmaking attempts?