I ticked off my answers on my fingers. “I couldn’t wait to leave Seabank after high school. I couldn’t wait to leave Florida, for that matter. Then when I came back, after... everything that happened, I thought I’d never want to be here again. Now?” I paused. “It’s all good. Who’d have thought?” I wiggled my fingers in the air.

“I am assuming, and it’s only an assumption, that some small part of that has to do with...”

I waited for him to say “me.”

“That talk with your mom,” he finished.

I was disappointed. “The talk, yes.”

“You’ll make it through the holidays?”

“Things are a mess, true. It’s doubtful either of the girls’ parents will surface, but Christmas can be about the rest of us. I’m going to do my darnedest to make it a good one.” I paused. “I wish Christmas was going to be about you, too. But I know you have to spend time with your own family.”

“I’m heading north tomorrow, coming back New Year’s Eve.”

“We’ll miss you.”

“I’m sorry I’ll miss the holidays with the girls.” He smiled just a little. “And maybe you.”

He hadn’t said as much, but Christmas was in the air, and I was more hopeful that somehow we were finding a path back to each other. “I wish I could be your Christmas present.”

“Better than a pony.”

I was encouraged. “Better than a trip to Disney World? Universal Studios?”

“You’re setting the bar a little high.” He threaded his fingers through my hair and pulled me closer. I nestled against him, and I wasn’t sure whose lips found whose. I sighed with pure pleasure.

“I need a drink of water.”

Laughter rumbled through Teo’s chest. I pulled away and turned to see Noelle, head cocked, watching us.

“You have a water bottle beside your bed,” I told her.

“You didn’t fill it.”

“Did you ask Holly to help you?”

“Holly’s asleep.”

Since I knew her sister’s sleeping habits—or lack of them—I doubted it, but I got to my feet. “Okay, I’ll come up and do it.”

“Right now?”

I sighed. “Immediately.”

“You were kissing.”

Teo laughed again. “We sure were.”

“Was I supposed to see?”

“You were supposed to be in bed asleep.”

“I’m not sleepy.”

“Of course you are.” I held out my hand. “Up we go.”

Five minutes later I was downstairs again. A slender package wrapped in silver paper and gold ribbon had taken my place on the sofa.

“What’s this?” I lifted it and sat down where it had been. “Is this my Christmas present? Because yours is under the tree. Want me to get it?”

“Just put this with the ones I already stuck there for the girls. You can open it Christmas Day.”

“What fun is that?”

He looked uncomfortable, and I laughed. “You’re afraid I won’t like whatever this is, aren’t you?”

“My sister Luella helped me pick it out.”

“So Luella knows that you and I are, you know, hanging out again?”