Huffing, Rosie scowled. “Oh, go be wise somewhere else, you old hags.”
“Okay. You’re right. We need to take our places.” Maybelle feigned remorse for half a second, then, practically giggling, went, “Eeee-onk.”
Ruby and Aunt Claudia looked at each other, then, tears running down their faces, barely able to breathe, collapsed into hysterics.
*
If someone hadbet Zach that he’d be playing Joseph in a high school Christmas concert, Zach would have lost. Why had he tossed out that he would conditionally fill in? It wasn’t as if he’d expected Isabelle to say no. Whether she wanted to do something or not, she’d say yes if it meant helping someone she loved.
He liked that about her. How loyal and dependable she was.
An unfamiliar twinge seized his insides, making him swallow. Glancing at where she knelt next to a manger in the middle of the stage, he admitted that he liked a lot about his pretend girlfriend, who was currently his pretend wife.
Particularly her bent-over belly laughs at the Butterflies and again during Rosie’s stellar performance. Prancing about during a rendition of a song about a Christmas donkey that shouldn’t have been funny, Rosie had worked the stage with her usual gusto and earned her and the talented choir a standing ovation. Isabelle letting loose and laughing the way she had filled Zach with a happiness he couldn’t explain.
Well, he could, but he shouldn’t. Falling for Isabelle would be pure craziness.
“Ahem.” She softly cleared her throat, drawing his attention to the fact that he was to have joined her in kneeling next to the manger beneath the bright stage lights.
Zach did so, but rather than look at the swaddled doll, he stared at Isabelle. Only her face was visible beneath her Mary costume, and he put her features to memory. He never wanted to forget a single thing about her.
Glancing up, her gaze connected with his, and he could see the question in her eyes as to why Joseph wasn’t pretending awe at their newborn child. What would his Mary say if he told her the truth? That he was in awe of her? And that, not for the first time, he wondered what it would be like if they were real?
*
“Y’all were wonderful!”Annabelle rushed over and hugged Isabelle when she and Zach entered Lou’s, where everyone had gathered for an after-party. Between the cast, friends, and family, the diner was rocking.
“You are who was wonderful. Your solo of ‘Mary, Did You Know?’ gave me goosebumps.”
“Thanks.” Annabelle glanced around the diner. “Is Sophie coming?”
“Sophie, Morgan, Andrew, and Greyson went to spend time at the firehall with Ben and Cole. If it’s not too late when they finish, and Greyson’s not too tuckered out, they’ll be by.”
Jeff joined them and handed Annabelle a drink. “Here’s your soda.” Turning to Isabelle, he smiled proudly. “Wasn’t she amazing?”
“Absolutely.” Isabelle returned his smile. Carrie’s son always had been a good kid and had been the single mom’s pride and joy and reason for working so hard. “Jeff, this is my friend, Zach.”
Jeff immediately stuck his hand out and the two men exchanged pleasantries. Isabelle and Zach stood watching when the younger couple moved on to join friends.
“She really does resemble Sophie, especially tonight when she’s so bubbly.”
“I’ve always thought they should have been sisters,” Isabelle admitted.
“Sophie wouldn’t trade you for anyone in the world.”
Smiling, Isabelle glanced toward him. “That’s a nice thing to say.”
“It’s an honest thing to say.” He gestured toward a particularly loud group. “Speaking of nice things to say, we should tell Rosie how great she was.”
“Not that she doesn’t already know,” Isabelle teased.
Zach grinned. “Yep. But since she and Lou are throwing the party, it’s only polite.”
“And you’re always polite?”
“Not always.”
She eyed him curiously. “Other than your teasing, I’ve never seen that side of you.”
