But at least he still got to be Santa, Luke thought a little glumly, trying not to think about the reindeer antler headband as it bobbled slightly on his head.

Patrick waved them over and Olivia’s fingers slid out of Luke’s harness. He caught her hand as it dropped down to her side; she gave him a brief look but didn’t pull away. Luke was pretty sure she was dropping into work mode, but he didn’t want her to go all the way there if she didn’t have to. Fortunately, hand holding was innocuous enough she didn’t seem bothered.

Gesturing them to enter, Patrick stood aside and held the door open for them. Michael and Ellie were already in there, standing in front of Patrick’s desk and looking just as bemused as Olivia and Luke were. Lexie, however, was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s Lexie?” Olivia asked, her brow wrinkling as Patrick closed the door behind them and locked it. Somehow, despite his size and aura of authority, he managed to look like a naughty little boy.

“I accidentally-on-purpose forgot the cookies at home today so I could send her back for them and talk to you all once you got here,” Patrick said, looking oddly excited as he hurried over to his desk. Yanking open the top drawer, he pulled out a small, gray, velvet box.

Ellie immediately gasped, her hands flying to her mouth in happy excitement, and even Olivia made a little noise of surprise and delight. His face practically splitting open he was grinning so hard, Patrick held it up.

“Yes, it’s what you think it is. If none of you have any objections, I’d like to use Marquis’ opening to propose to Lexie.”

Immediately Michael, Luke, and Olivia piled on with reassurances that they thought Marquis’ opening on New Years’ Eve would be the perfect place for him to pop the question. Ellie bounced up and down, practically squeeing with excitement and doing a little happy dance in place as her own boyfriend looked at her with shining eyes.

Luke slid his arm around Olivia’s waist, grinning. Romance was in the air. No, he and Olivia weren’t there yet, but at his age… well, he wasn’t going to get seriously involved with a woman if he didn’t see the possibility of it. And he sure as hell wouldn’t have let a woman do all the things Olivia had to him if he wasn’t pretty sure she was what he wanted for the rest of his life.

“How are you going to do it?” Olivia asked. Even though she wasn’t dancing around like Ellie, her cheeks were flushed with happy excitement and it was obvious she was thrilled for both of them. She glanced up at Luke as his fingers caressed her hip, grinning widely, her silver eyes dancing.