I felt for the engagement ring in my pocket. I'd been too chicken to wear it, too scared of the questions everyone would fling at me if I did.
Where was Asher? Late as always. Part of me wished he wouldn't show up at all.
“Oh, dear, the mashed potatoes are heavenly,” grandma cooed in the kitchen. “And the gravy! Makes a mother proud knowing she raised such a fine cook.”
Cole snickered. Grandma had no idea mom's potatoes were the instant boxed variety and that the gravy came fresh from a can.
There was a heavy knock on the door. I jumped, heart pounding. Asher?
I opened up. There stood dad on the porch, shivering and cheeks red.
“Dropped my keys in the snow, dang it. It'll be springtime before I find them again.” He brushed the ice off his pants and came inside. “So, Sarah, it's good of you to come tonight. We see so little of you these days.”
“Well, you know. Running the shop keeps me busy.”
Grandma trailed into the kitchen, arms raised, singing loudly to some old-time music on the radio.
“That reminds me,” she said as the song ended. “How has my store been doing lately?”
My stomach flipped. Lying to grandma was not something I wanted to do.
“With Christmas coming soon, I expect sales will be up. You know, you're always welcome to come back and lend a helping hand.”
She snorted. “No thank you. I'm far too old to be running myself ragged, and quarter four always was a pain in the ass.”
While mom put the finishing touches on dinner, we all lingered in the living room to watch old holiday movies and warm ourselves by the fireplace. As Cole passed me by to refill his mug, he gave me a funny look.
“You're not yourself tonight.”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“I dunno.” He shrugged. “You've barely smiled. You're all jumpy. Something the matter?”
Leave it to Cole to notice. He always had been the sensitive sort.
“I'm fine, it's just –”
Another knock on the door made me yelp. Cole studied me with a raised eyebrow.
“Expecting someone?”
I didn't answer. That would have only gotten me deeper into this hole. Instead, I raced to the door before anyone else could.
“Good evening, Sarah.” Asher smiled and handed me a bouquet of flowers. “Sorry I'm late. I was having trouble picking out a good wine.”
I took the roses as my entire family gathered behind me, gawking and whispering to each other. Mom was grumbling about our uninvited guest.
“How dare she invite someone without warning me?” She hurried to the fridge. “What if we don't have enough food?”
Yeah, I probably should have told her about him, but let's be honest. How well would that have gone over?
Cole shot him an icy glare and stalked after mom into the kitchen. I could hear them whispering in there, throwing around all sorts of wild theories.
“Asher Carrington.” Grandma beamed and brushed the snow off his jacket. “It's been quite some time since I've seen you last.”
“Nice to see you, ma'am.”
“Please, call me Hazel, and come on in. Make yourself at home.” She cheerfully ushered him inside. “Ignore my rude daughter. All guests are welcome to eat with us, especially given it's almost Christmas.”
She took the wine and left us alone in the foyer. As Asher slid out of his coat, my eyes were helplessly glued to his body.
Just one more night with that, please. Maybe then I'd stop fantasizing about him pretty much every minute of the day.
“At least we've got your grandmother on my side,” he said. “But I think your mom and Cole are in there plotting how to kill me. Wish I knew what I ever did to them.”
“You did nothing – not that I know of, at least. Mom just happens to have some grudge against people better off than she is.”
“And your brother?”
“He thinks it's his job to ward off any jerk who dares come near me. Naturally, that includes you.”
He laughed softly and put an arm around me. “I'm just a fun-loving party boy, not a jerk.”
“Good luck convincing him of that.”
We stood before the fireplace, basking in the warmth of the golden, flickering flames. Asher gazed into them. He didn't take his arm from me.
“Your family sure seems to go all out getting ready for Christmas.”
“That's my mom's thing. I swear, she looks forward to December all year long.”
He admired the old glass nativity scene she'd put up by the tree. “It's nice,” he admitted. “My parents don't do anything like this. At best, they have the maid set up an artificial tree. Even when I was young, that's how it went.”
“You didn't have a real Christmas tree? I'm sorry.”
“No, I never did.” He brushed the branches and inhaled the pine scent. “But that wasn't such a big deal. I was just happy when dad actually made it to dinner that day. Usually, he had more important things to do.”
There was a hint of emotion in his words – regret, maybe, that his childhood memories weren't so happy as mine.
“At least you don't have my crazy family to deal with,” I said, fumbling for a way to comfort him. “Every time we get together in the same room, there's always a fight about something.”
He didn't reply. Instead, I caught him looking at my left hand.
“You're not wearing the ring I bought you.”
Blushing, I felt for it in my pocket. “Well, no. I didn't want to spoil the surprise too early.”
“You're scared, aren't you?”
I surveyed the kitchen from my hiding place around the corner. Grandma was busy scolding mom for being such an awful hostess. Dad and
