Page 21 of Christmas Promises

“There are worse obsessions,” Laney said, thinking of her mother. Her obsession was not eating cookies.

“She wishes her boys were a bit more enthusiastic about decorating,” Nolan said. “Like we were when we were kids.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “I personally enjoy decorating, but maybe it’s because I’m so much better at it than my brothers.”

“I bet Laney’s good at it too. Aren’t you?” Nolan asked her before turning to his brother. “She’s a really good artist.”

“I don’t spend as much time drawing as I did when we were kids.” Laney flushed, pleased by the compliment “But I do decorate a mean cookie.”

“Great. Shall I tell Mom you and Edna will be there?” Nolan asked.

“Unless she has other plans, I’m sure she’d love to join us,” Laney said. “If not, maybe I’ll come on my own. I can’t resist cookies.” Or Nolan Hayes, apparently.

Nolan told her to come out as soon as she got off work and not to bring anything, other than a bottle of wine. “Mom will take care of the rest.”

“She lives to stuff us all senseless whenever possible,” Max said.

“The whole family will be there,” Nolan said. “So maybe take a nap beforehand. It’s loud and chaotic.”

“Our nieces and nephew are mostly to blame,” Max said, chuckling. “They love hanging out with Mom. Especially during cookie season.”

She agreed to be there at four and bring wine, then excused herself. “I have to get back to the shop. Aunt Edna has me decorating for the holidays, and there’s a large tree in three parts I’m supposed to figure out how to put up.”

“Call me if you need help,” Nolan said. “I finished my last class this morning and will be off for the rest of the year.”

“I’ll do that,” Laney said. “But I’m sure I’ll be fine.” How tempting it would be to make up any excuse at all to call Nolan for help.

Both Hayes brothers gave her warm smiles before she headed toward the door. When she got outside, she glanced back through the glass window. Nolan was watching her. They made eye contact, smiling at each other, before she slipped away.

All the way back to the shop she hummed a Christmas tune under her breath and couldn’t stop smiling. She really needed to keep herself in check, or she’d fall right back in love with Nolan Hayes.

6

NOLAN

That night, Nolan’s brothers came over for their monthly tacos and poker game. They’d have liked to get together more often, but with everyone’s work commitments and other activities, the brothers had found it was impossible to gather more than once a month.

Now that his house was finished, Nolan usually hosted. Max’s place over his store was cramped for all four of them. Luke’s house he shared with his wife and their three children wasn’t appropriate for a rowdy poker night. Logan had recently purchased a house out on Rabbit Run Road that needed a full remodel before he could move in, so he’d been living in the back room of his office building.

They ate before playing, each piling their plates high with tacos from the spread Nolan had laid out on his island before they arrived. While they ate around his table, they chatted about this or that. Work, sports, and fishing were common topics between them.

Tonight, Logan was unusually quiet. He wasn’t as outgoing as Max or even Luke, but he seemed particularly reticent tonight. “Everything okay?” Nolan asked him.

Logan looked up from his plate. “Yeah. I’m okay. This time of year, has me down.”

“Why’s that?” Max lifted his beer bottle but didn’t drink from it; he was too intent on Logan.

“I’ve got two ugly divorce cases going right now and it’s depressing. Makes me think I never want to get married. You wouldn’t believe the way these former couples go at each other. It’s hard to imagine that they were ever in love. One of my clients and her ex are fighting over custody of their three kids. It’s gotten really ugly.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Nolan said.

“That’s rough,” Luke said, reaching for another stack of chips from the bowl in the middle of the table. “Having gone through a divorce, I know how gut-wrenching it can be. However, now that I found Abby, I have to fully endorse marriage. With the right person, it’s pretty great.”

Max rolled his eyes. “One by one, you guys are all going to get domesticated. What am I going to do? I have a bad feeling our poker games could be obsolete before long.”

“We can still play poker if we’re married,” Nolan said. “Luke’s here, isn’t he?”

“Yes, but for how much longer?” Max shook his head as if describing an inevitable decline. “And I have a prediction.” He paused dramatically. “Nolan, you’re next.”

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