Maybe he meant to ask a question, but it sure didn’t sound like it.

“That’s what we’re working out,” Carrie told him, her voice soothing.

It amazed her that Carrie could be so polished and serene minutes after puking her guts out.

“Angi has a lot going on already,” Carrie explained to her husband. “I’m not sure—”

“I’ll help,” Angi said on a rush of breath.

Dylan nodded. “That’s settled. Let’s go.”

Carrie whirled to face him fully. “Enough. I’ll be ready when Angi and I finish our conversation. I threw up, Dylan. It’s nothing new at this point.” She pressed a hand to the small bump of her belly. “I’m going to take care of our baby.”

“I know,” he whispered, his blue eyes flashing with intensity. “I just worry about you. I need you to be okay.”

Angi felt she was witnessing a moment of deep intimacy, and her heart squeezed in response to the palpable love and devotion radiating between the two of them.

After giving Dylan a quick hug, Carrie turned to Angi again. “Are you sure? You don’t have to agree because Dylan is behind me glaring.”

“I’m not glaring,” Dylan muttered.

“More like a glower,” Angi agreed, earning a chuckle from Carrie. “I’m still not sure I’m the right choice, but I’ll do my best. You go home to those crackers and ginger ale. I’ll fill in everyone at the meeting, and we can discuss details when you’re feeling better.”

“Settled.” Dylan stepped forward and tucked Carrie’s arm into the crook of his elbow. “Thank you,” he told Angi. “Avery and Meredith will help, too. Whatever you need so that Carrie can get the rest she needs.”

Carrie opened her mouth like she wanted to argue and then clasped a hand over it. “Another wave is coming. We’d better go.”

Angi hurried up the steps and into the town hall building, then down the main flight of stairs toward the meeting rooms. Thanks to her inability to say no, she was running her mother’s restaurant, her own catering business and now she was adding holiday festival chairperson to her list of responsibilities. The new year couldn’t come fast enough.

GABE STOOD AT the podium next to Magnolia’s longtime mayor, Malcolm Grimes, wondering who he’d pissed off in a former life to warrant his current karmic kick in the pants.

As soon as Gabe arrived at the meeting, Mal had approached and requested Gabe’s help coordinating the annual holiday festival. Plans were already mostly set based on the previous year’s event. Carrie and her sister, Avery, had done a great job of marketing the month of holiday-themed events, so tourists and locals were already streaming into downtown for shopping, impromptu caroling and concerts. Over the next few weeks, they’d continue the traditions with a fun run to benefit Meredith Ventner’s animal rescue organization and two weekends of arts and crafts fairs plus live music, as well as a performance of A Christmas Carol by the local theater group and a Nutcracker-themed recital held at the dance studio down the street.