“Was she always like that and I just didn’t see it?”

“Yes.” Sandra loaded plates into the dishwasher. “I would say consider yourself lucky that you’re with Nicole now and not Holly. Poor Aaron has to deal with her, not you.” Sandra looked back at her. “You held your own, Nicole. Good for you.”

Abby touched her mother’s arm. “I guess we’re going to go up to shower too. What do you have going on today?”

“Oh, I have things to do. And dinner to plan and cook. You go on and enjoy yourselves.”

“Do you want to go with us, Sandra?”

“Oh, no. I couldn’t. You run along. We’ll have a nice dinner. Then tomorrow is Christmas Eve. More informal. A buffet.”

“When do Grandma and Grandpa come?”

“Oh? I didn’t tell you? They’re not coming this year. Four of their friends invited them on a cruise. They’ll be back the twenty-ninth so they’re planning to come up for New Year’s instead.”

“Really? Well, I guess that sounds like fun but hardly Christmas. I don’t think we’ve ever not been together, have we?”

Her mother pursed her lips, indicating her displeasure. “We have not. That didn’t seem to matter to them.”

Abby tried to hide her smile as she patted her mother’s shoulder. “Well, at least I’ll get to see them then. Do you need anything from town?”

“No, no. I’m going down to Taos since all of you will be gone. I have a few last-minute things to get, and I need to hit the grocery store one last time. Aaron said that Holly wanted to lunch at that new Italian place.” Sandra grinned at them. “Hopefully you won’t run into them.”

“We’ll definitely be at the brewery.” Abby kissed her cheek. “See you later, Mom.”

Chapter Twenty-two

“How about this?”

Abby shook her head. “No. How is it possible that we are the world’s worst gift givers? How hard can it be?”

Nic pulled out a sweater only to have Abby wrinkle up her nose. “Actually, I don’t give gifts,” Nic said. “To anyone. I guess now that I’m going to be Aunt Nicky very soon, that’ll change.”

“Are you looking forward to that?”

“Can you tell?” She laughed. “April. They want me to be in the delivery room. Is that cool or what?”

“It is. I’m sure it’ll be a beautiful experience.”

“Between me and Eric, one of us will pass out. I hope it’s not me.”

Abby paused at a rack of assorted knit caps, all different colors, some with balls on the top, others not. Most had Red River stitched across the front. “Here. You need a cap. Pick one out. I’ll stick it in your stocking.”

Nic shuffled through them, finding a blue one. “This one.”