Page 129 of Nice Guys Don't Kiss Like That At Christmas
"You did all this?"
"With considerable help," she admits, nodding toward my mother."Apparently organizing surprise parties for you has been on Margaret's bucket list for approximately thirty-four years."
Mike claps my shoulder.“You should’ve seen your face, man.Worth the price of admission.”
“Which was keeping a secret in Pine Creek for more than twelve hours So glad you made it, this time.And we could make it even bigger for you.Everyone wanted to be here,” Wes adds, as Megan waves frantically.
“Uncle A!I kept the biggest secret!I didn’t even tell Dorothy!”
I’m completely speechless.
Eve hands the cake to Sally and steps closer, her eyes searching my face.“Too much?”she asks quietly, just for me.
I shake my head, throat tight.“Just...unexpected.”
“Good unexpected or‘I need to find an emergency that requires immediate veterinary attention’unexpected?”
That startles a laugh out of me.“Good.Definitely good.”
The next hour slips by in a blur.Stories I wish they’d forget, toasts that make my ears burn, Manuel telling everyone how he decided to stay in Pine Creek after I helped save his prized rooster.
Noelle raises her glass.“Remember the‘surgical shuffle’?Every time things got stressful, he’d bust it out behind the curtain.I swear that dance move saved lives.”
“I thought that stayed in the surgery room.”
“What happens in surgery stays in surgery,” she winks, “except at your going away party.”
Claire corners me.“So you’re the Adam from the videocalls.”
“And you’re the Claire who helped make sure Chuck was neutralized.”
“She’s been holding out on me.Those forearms are indeed impressive.”
I choke slightly.“Thanks?”
“Almost likeMagic MechanicMike over there.”
Mike is staring at Claire, shaking his head, before turning away.
I chuckle.“Eve told me you’re going to be working for my dad?”
“Starting January 2nd.Part of his second chances program.I’ll be living in the small apartment above the practice, actually.The one you stayed in years ago.From one caretaker to another.”
“You’ll make it your own,” I say with genuine warmth.“And probably improve it.”
Mrs.Clark steps toward me with a Christmas sweater and alit-up antlers.“Remember that town council meeting when they tried to ban leashed dogs from the park?”she asks, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
And for another thirty minutes, everyone comes with more stories, more memories.As I refill my cider, I notice Claire and Mike in a spirited debate, their body language anything but adversarial.
“All I said was your engine sounded rough,” Claire is saying, eyes sparkling.
“And all I said was that diagnosing car problems without training is like me telling you which antibiotics to prescribe, “Mike counters, leaning closer.
Sally clinks her glass for attention.“Time for the formal presentations!”
“Presentations?”I mutter to Eve, who’s at my side, her fingers between mine.
“Just go with it,” she whispers.“Sally’s been planning this longer than we’ve been dating.”
