Page 60 of Wrapped Up with the Three Scrooges

Emery’s fingers tightened around mine, a silent message I couldn’t quite decipher, but she managed a warm smile that could’ve melted the fake snow dusting my mother’s designer wreaths. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Ms. Taylor. Your home is beautiful.”

Her genuine enthusiasm made me want to kiss her right there. Social consequences be damned. She actually meant it too. I could tell my mother’s over-the-top display had completely enchanted her and watching her take it all in made me see the gaudy decorations in a new light.

“Please, call me Diana.” My mother’s face lit up like we’d announced grandchildren were on the way. “And it’s about time! Come in, come in! I thought Levi would never bring someone home.”

As we followed her inside, I could feel the heat of Ronan’s glare burning into the back of my head. Max had gone completely rigid, his mask firmly in place.

“Your girlfriend?” Ronan hissed as my mother led Emery away to meet what would undoubtedly be every single guest at the party.

“What was I supposed to say?” I whispered back. “‘This is Emery, and we’re in a complicated polyamorous relationship that we haven’t even properly defined yet’?”

“We should have discussed this beforehand.” Max’s voice was tight with controlled anger.

“You think?” Ronan looked ready to strangle me with my own tie.

Before either of them could follow through on the murder their eyes were promising, my mother called out, “Levi, darling, come join us!”

I caught a glimpse of Emery’s slightly panicked expression across the room and managed a weak smile. “We’ll figure this out later.”

“Oh, we absolutely will,” Max promised, his tone making me grateful we were in public.

I straightened my tie one last time and headed toward what was either going to be the best or worst Christmas party of my life. Knowing my luck, probably both.

My mother had just pulled Emery to meet another couple. I stopped beside Emery, putting my arm around her waist and pulling her close. “What’s going on over here?”

“Richard, Margaret, you remember my son Levi.” My mother beamed like she’d announced I’d cured cancer instead of finally bringing a date to her party. “And this is his girlfriend, Emery.”

The word ‘girlfriend’ hung in the air like a ticking bomb. I tugged at my tie again, wondering if it was possible to strangle yourself with it before your best friends got the chance.

“Oh, how wonderful!” Margaret clasped her hands together. “How did you two meet?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but Emery beat me to it. “During my Christmas shopping. I was looking for the perfect gift wrap, and, well...” She smiled up at me with such genuine warmth that for a moment I forgot we were in deep shit. “Sometimes the best gifts come already wrapped.”

My mother actually swooned. Actually. Swooned. “Isn’t that magical? And during the holidays too!”

Max and Ronan approached, their presence adding another layer of tension to my already frayed nerves. They took up positions on either side of us like very well-dressed security guards.

“Max and Ronan!” My mother’s face lit up. “You know, I am so relieved that Levi is finally bringing someone home.”

I could only imagine where she was about to go with the conversation.

“After all,” she continued, oblivious to my internal panic. “People were starting to talk. Three handsome, successful men, all living together, never bringing dates to any events...”

Oh, God. Nope. Didn’t see her going that direction at all.

My mother did not just imply what I think she implied, did she? Except she absolutely did, and now Mrs. Henderson was nodding along like this explained everything about my perpetual single status for the past few years. Which, technically, it kind of did, just not in the way they were thinking. Or maybe exactly in the way they were thinking, except with the addition of Emery.

Mrs. Henderson nodded sagely. “Oh, Diana, my bridge club had theories too!”

I was going to die. Right here, at my mother’s Christmas party, surrounded by twinkle lights and gossiping socialites. Cause of death: acute embarrassment complicated by homicide via best friends.

The worst part? The bridge club’s theories weren’t entirely wrong, but they were missing a few... key details.

Max had gone completely still beside me, rigid as one of the ice sculptures dotting the party, while Ronan’s carefully neutral expression promised a very long and possibly painful conversation in my future. The kind that probably would involve extensive PowerPoint presentations about risk management. I had a sinking feeling I’d failed every metric on his checklist.

Emery’s hand wrapped around my waist, and she squeezed. She looked like she was biting back what I strongly suspected was a laugh. “Love comes in so many forms. I think it’s great that three best friends love each other enough to build a life together.”

She was not helping in the least. The way she emphasized ‘love’ made me want to crawl under the nearest holiday centerpiece and stay there until New Year’s. My mother’s friends were already exchanging knowing looks, and I could practically see them mentally drafting next week’s gossip bulletin.

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