“You knew me back then. Not only was I not getting into any trouble, my mom wouldn’t have cared if I did. Hell, I might have actually made her proud of me.”

“Gabe, you served our country. Of course she’s proud of you.”

“Not even a little. I would have been better off aspiring to a career as a grifter if I’d wanted to impress my mom.” He held up a hand when she would have argued. “Let me be clear, I never wanted to try. Gran is a different story.”

“Did she offer you absolution and assign penance in exchange for a promise of Christmas decorating?”

“You’ve got the lingo down.”

“Italian on both sides,” she said with a laugh. “It’s in my blood.”

“Gran was sweet and also lucid today, which helped. As far as penance, she wants to come for the downtown shopping event on Friday night. So I have four days to turn the store around and make it the best Magnolia has to offer.”

“Tall order,” Angi said, whistling under her breath. “Did you see the cute Christmas tree Stuart made out of books?” She stepped closer. “And Lily at the hardware store is doing holiday craft demonstrations that night. Avery and Meredith are helping with the art gallery since Carrie can’t be there.”

He blinked. “How do you know all of this, and is it your version of a pep talk?” He placed the globe on the counter. “Because you aren’t going to be giving Tony Robbins a run for his money anytime soon.”

“I’m the festival chairperson. I take my duties seriously.” To Angi’s immense horror, a yawned stretched her lips, and she quickly tried to stifle it. “Sorry. You didn’t see that. Let’s get going on these decorations.”

“We’re the festival chairpersons,” he reminded her, then reached out and took her hand.

She was so shocked by the gentle touch that she allowed herself to be led around the counter and into the back room.

“You’re supposed to share the responsibility with me,” he said. “Not take on everything by yourself.”

“You found the space for the dance. That’s plenty.”

“That was nothing and we both know it. Dylan Scott is to thank for that. Or really Carrie, since he’d do anything for her.”

“They’re a cute couple.”

“So are we,” he said. “Everyone thinks so.”

“We aren’t a couple.” Heat spiked through her, followed quickly by a cold rush of anxiety because her body reacted to those words, even though she knew he meant them as a joke.

“We’re still cute.” He released her hand and pushed her down onto the small love seat that was shoved up against the back wall of the office.

“What are you doing?”

“Giving you a break,” he said conversationally, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. “When was the last time you had one?”

“I take breaks,” she argued.

“Tell me the last time.”

“I took a break when my mom had her heart attack,” she said, then wrinkled her nose.