“I don’t think it was a moment. I don’t think it matters. I just know that I need you and I need that nerdy girl and it just is what it is.”

We go back to putting the tree together and agree to put the lights on it but leave the decorations for when Penelope gets home. I’ve never put lights on a tree, but Fletch is very methodical about it, so I stay out of the way for the most part.

“I can hear you thinking still,” he says, even though he’s hyper-focused on making sure each light is exactly right.

“I was just thinking that I don’t have as much to lose as you and Pen. Your families...Jenna. I don’t have any risk involved here.”

“People will either accept us or they won’t.”

“And you’re fine with that?”

He steps back and looks at his work. “I don’t think I have a choice. Not really. I’m better with you than without you, so I choose with.”

I swallow hard. “Tonight.”

He slides me a look that lets me know he knows what I’m saying, but he still wants the words to go with it.

“Tonight...I want...I want us to...”

“Say the words, Shane.”

“I want you inside me. Tonight. I want to feel you inside me. Is that what you want? I mean, we can maybe try it both ways, but tonight can we...?”

He walks over to me slowly then spears his fingers through my shaggy hair so different from his close-cropped style. “Yeah, that’s what I want.”

“Shit. Are we really going to do this?”

When his lips close over mine and my insides light up brighter than the twinkling tree we just put up, I know it’s right.

When Penelope comes in the door later her eyes get big like a kid at Disney.

“Hey, gorgeous. How was your day?” I smack a kiss on her and Fletch comes out of the kitchen wearing an apron and holding a spatula.

She laughs. “What is going on in here?”

“Fletch makes better cookies than I do.”

“It looks so beautiful in here.”

“It does now,” he says and kisses her.

“Nice one, buddy.” We fist bump above her head.

“Jenna called me today. For the first time since Thanksgiving.”

Fletch and I get serious. “How did that go? Are you okay?”

“It went really well. She wanted to talk before we got back home tomorrow. She’s sorry she overreacted. She’s still totally wigged out, but I think she’ll come around. She told me she misses me. That was the thing I really needed to hear, you know? I couldn’t deal with all those years of our friendship just being gone.”

“Oh, honey.” Fletch pulls her in for a hug. “I’m sorry this has been so hard.”

“It’s been hard on all of us.”