My mom nods in her wise way. “That’s why.”
“What?”
“That’s why Justin wanted the ring all of a sudden. He’s proposing to Summer so you can’t have her. It’s just like when you were kids. If you had something, he wanted it. If he had something, you wanted it.”
“Mom, that’s not what’s happening here.”
“Then tell me why Justin has spent the last nine months saying things weren’t serious with her, and then the second you show interest, he’s asking for her hand in marriage?”
“I hope you’re wrong.” I stand, swiping my hand through my hair. “For Summer’s sake, I really hope you’re wrong.”
“Maybe I am wrong.” My mom wrings her hands again. “I just thought it seemed really sudden.”
I rub my hands over my face. I thought it seemed sudden too. Not the timeline. Just his jump in feelings.
“What are you going to do?” my dad asks.
“Nothing.” I place my hands on my hips, looking out the window without really seeing anything. “Summer already made her choice.”
“Justin said they might stop by later tonight, after he proposes.”
My eyes dart to my mom. “I can’t be here. Not right now.”
“Where will you go?”
“I think I’ll go up the mountain. Maybe ski a little.”
“On Christmas Eve?” my mom gasps. “Caleb.”
“Don’t worry.” I hug my mom close. “I’ll be fine. I just need to get out of here for a little bit.”
thirty-eight
SUMMER
“Cora’s goingto be Mary, and Peter will be Joseph.” My mom taps each one of them on their heads as she sets up our own family nativity play.
“Lucy can be baby Jesus!” Jack points to his little sister.
“Yes, and Berkley can be an angel.”
“What about Aunt Carma?” Peter asks. “Who can she be?”
“She’s the angry innkeeper who has no room,” Jeff answers.
Aunt Carma sits in her recliner across the room with her eyes closed. “I heard that.”
“She has no room but great hearing.” Brian laughs.
I tip my lips upward, almost smiling.
“Hey.” Justin leans in, whispering in my ear. “Is everything okay? You seem distracted.”
“Everything’s great.” I smile at him like I’m perfectly calm, even though a tornado whirls around in my chest.
We made it through dinner without Justin proposing, and I’d be pretty surprised if he got down on one knee during the nativity story. So it must be after. After this, he’s going to propose.
“Okay, birthday girl. I was just checking.” His sweetness is killing me.
