Logan laughed in the driver’s seat as I belted out the lyrics to Santa Baby as it blared through the speakers in my car.

“Come on, you love it!” I bumped his arm, and he shrugged.

“I love you, yes,” he said. “But your singing…” I laughed but didn’t stop. Judging by his smile, I knew he secretly enjoyed it.

Logan and I had been together for almost nine months now, and we figured it was time for him to finally meet my family. We started out as classmates in a study group in college, but soon enough, he became my best friend. We did everything together. One thing led to another, and soon we began dating. My closest friend and boyfriend were wrapped in one perfect package.

Excitement raced through me when we pulled up to my parents’ log cabin, and I excitedly hopped out and ran to Logan’s door. He flung it open, and I grabbed his hand. “Come on! I can’t wait!”

I’d prepared him over the last nine months about how much I loved my family, and how I couldn’t wait for him to meet them. I talked about Mom and Dad, Matt and Taylor, but I spoke of Sarah the most. She was my best everything. The girl I could call with awkward sex questions or the one who would mail me a handwritten letter just because. She was the best sister I could ask for, so after going on and on about her, and the rest of my family, I knew Logan couldn’t wait to meet them too.

He laughed and held my hand to the front door. Without knocking, I flung it wide open and shouted, “Honey, I’m home!” in my loudest housewife voice.

Taylor rushed across the room to wrap me in a bear hug, squishing me as tight as she could.

“Oh, my little Olive!” Mom excitedly exclaimed from down the hall. Matt came up behind Taylor and gave me a quick side hug too.

I turned to Logan, who was standing shyly by the door. “This is Logan! The guy I’ve been talking about for months.” I pulled him to me, and he smiled briefly before greeting my brother and sister-in-law.

I pulled him to the kitchen to meet my parents. Mom wrapped him in a hug, and Dad gave him a firm handshake. Logan was always the shy one out of our friend group, so I wasn’t surprised when he cowered.

“Where’s Sarah?” I smiled brightly and bounced on my tippy toes.

Mom laughed. “She’s in your room. She stayed up all night because she was so excited to see you.”

I shouted, “Sarrahhhh!” down the hall and laughed as a door flew open and feet shuffled in our direction.