It was even better than I’d hoped, and when they got to the end of the song, it was fair to say the room went wild, even people I’d never seen stand were on their feet.

“Well…” Dottie looked around. “I really don’t know what to say.”

Nick leaned into the mic. “How about, what’s next?”

Charl whooped a loud, “Hell yeah!”

“But…” Dottie had a hand up and was trying to look into the dark of the room. “But who did all this? Who are we thanking here? Charl? Was it you?!”

Charl shouted back, “Guess again…” She laughed, enjoying how well this evening was going down.

But she’d promised, so her lips were sealed. There was no way I wanted credit, that wasn’t what tonight was about. Tonight was about Dottie getting the Christmas surprise she deserved. It had taken me a while, but I finally got that Christmas wasn’t about doing things perfectly, it was about having the perfect people to do them with.

With Dottie’s friends and the staff clapping a chant of “one more song,” the band launched into “Winter Wonderland.”

And as they played, and the party notched up another level, that’s when Nick finally saw me. He did a double take, probably because of my bright-orange face, but then grinned.

Was this you? he mouthed from the stage, trying not to lose his place in the song.

I shrugged innocently, but who knows what that looked like when I was fully round, my arms only just sticking out.

When the next song finished, and Dottie took a quick break, Nick slipped off stage.

He walked straight over. “This was all you, wasn’t it?!”

“I couldn’t possibly say.”

“And I couldn’t possibly say what an awesome job it is.” It was so good to see him smile—especially after yesterday.

“I knew Au Revoir Hairs was going to be epic, but seriously?!”

“Thank you…I mean, not the band thing, even though obviously I’m biased.” He looked over at Dottie, already back up dueting, shaking her shoulders, loving every second. “I mean thank you for—” But I didn’t let him finish.

“Don’t. It was the least I could do. My way of saying thanks. For everything. And sorry. And…well, I get it. A little late, but I get it.” I held out a piece of gingerbread house I’d been stress nibbling on. It was Dottie’s favorite, so we had a massive one for all the residents. “No more Grinch chat. I promise.”

“But this must have taken you forever?”