Abby’s eyes softened. She leaned closer, kissing her lightly on the mouth. “You stick your hand inside and pull something out. Hopefully, there’ll be lots of fun things in there.”

So, she did, tentatively reaching inside. The first thing she felt was cool and round. She wrapped her fingers around it and took it out. She grinned as she saw it. It was the snow globe she’d been fascinated with when they’d shopped. She shook it now, the little gingerbread house getting buried beneath the falling snow.

“When did you sneak back and get this?”

“I got Dad to get it for me. You like?”

“Yes. It’ll be a great reminder of the very best Christmas,” she said honestly.

“Good. That was my hope.”

As Abby fished things from her own stocking—a pretty glass candle holder, for one—Nic stuck her hand back into hers. There was an assortment of trinkets—from Sandra, no doubt—a Red River keyring and a Red River bottle opener among them. She was also surprised to find a stack of lottery scratch-off tickets in it.

“Everyone gets them,” Abby explained, holding up her own. “Twenty dollars’ worth of tickets. We’ll sit at the table before we eat and have a scratch-off party.” Abby leaned closer. “Holly thinks it’s beneath her.”

“It’ll be fun.” She put the tickets aside and picked up the snow globe again, shaking it once more. “I never had one of these before. It looks so peaceful, like you wish you were standing there on the porch or something.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

Before long, Bill was tidying up the discarded wrapping paper and everyone was gathering their loot.

“We’ll eat in twenty minutes,” Sandra announced. “I just have to get the hash browns on the griddle. Oh, and don’t forget to bring your scratch-offs.”

“Come on. Let’s take this upstairs.”

Holly and Aaron had the same idea. The four of them stood at the bottom of the stairs, as if trying to decide who got to go up first. Abby smiled charmingly at them.

“Age before beauty, please,” she said with a wave of her hand toward the stairs.

It was Aaron who spoke. “I hope you’ll seriously consider being the maid of honor. It would mean be a lot to us.”

“Would it? Or would it be just another way to humiliate me?”

Holly looped her arm with Aaron’s. “Let her think on it, honey.”

They stood at the bottom watching as Holly and Aaron went up. Abby turned to her.

“I think I hate her.”

“I wouldn’t waste even that emotion on her.” Nic headed up the stairs after them and Abby followed.

Once in their room, Abby closed the door, putting her gifts on the bed. “So? Was that okay for you? Not too bad?”

“It was fun.”

“You think so? There was a little tension.”

“Was there?”