Page 39 of Nerdy or Nice

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Harper looked so wistful that my heart went out to her. Hoping to get the two sisters talking, I chimed in, "Yeah, if there's something juicy you'd like to share, Lexie, we're all ears."

When I glanced at Harper she gave me a "what-the-heck" look, as if I'd said far too much.

Oh, for Pete's sake.This wasmycue to do something else, so I reached toward the stroller and unzipped the main flap. I reached into the carriage and gently lifted the basket full of kittens.

I turned toward the fireplace and set the basket in their favorite spot within leaping distance of the nearest Christmas tree.

When I stood, Harper asked, "What's that sound?"

I looked around. "What sound?"

"I heard a jingle."

I almost winced.Oh, crap."Uh, yeah. I got them a little ornament. It's in the basket."

Harper eyed the basket like it might chew her face off. "Whatkindof ornament?"

I shrugged. "It's this clear globe thingie with a little jingle bell inside."

She looked far from comforted. "And you bought onlyone?"

Technically, I hadn't bought anything. Drake had given me the small globe as a present for Ginger.

Just before leaving, I'd tucked it into the basket with all of the kittens. It had seemed so festive at the time. But now, under Harper's scrutiny, I shoved a nervous hand through my hair and began to stammer. "I, uh, could get more. I mean, I know where to get them."

This, of course, assumed that Drake had more to spare. Or hey, I could buy a package on my own if I discovered where to get them.

Harper gave me a penetrating look. "And what's with your hair?"

"What about it?"

"You've stopped wearing it up."

Lexie chimed in, "Ithink it looks really nice."

Harper looked to her sister. "Iknowit looks nice." She looked back to me. "I told you so yesterday, remember?"

I did, actually. When I nodded, Harper said, "And your glasses are missing. Did you break them or something?"

"No. I just haven't been wearing them, that's all."

Next to her, Lexie laughed. "Maybethat'swhy she got lost." She jumped up from the sofa. "Hey Harper, let's go over our Christmas lists."

Harper asked, "What Christmas lists?"

"Youknow. What we're getting mom and dad."

"But we already did that," Harper said.

"Yeah, but I have a few questions, and Christmas is only three weeks away. Since we're both off work, we might as well do it now, right?"

It felt like a rescue, and I gave Lexie a grateful smile before making my excuses to get the heck out of Dodge. By the time I reached my bedroom, my smile was back.

This time, it didn't go away. It lingered long after nightfall and probably continued in my sleep as I dreamt happily of you-know-who.

Over the next week, I found plenty of more reasons to smile, and they all centered around a certain somebody named Drake – until I discovered something really odd.

The way it looked, his name wasn't Drake at all.