Lori cleared her throat—throwing a glare my way—and opened the next gift, cooing appreciatively.Then the next.Then another.She reached for a medium-sized box wrapped in ivory paper and pink ribbon, lifting the card.
She gasped.
“Oh, this is gorgeous!Who's this one from?”Lori grinned, tugging the card from the box.“For the woman who deserves it all.To Sa—Savannah?”
The room stilled.
Every head turned.
My pulse spiked as I blinked, certain I’d misheard.
For…me?
Lori’s eyes cut sharply toward me, her smile frozen in place.I didn’t move.Didn’t speak.Just sat there, suddenly very aware of how visible I was—of how Jaxon’s arm tightened ever-so-slightly around me.
Chase laughed too loudly.“Must be a mix-up,” he said easily, leaning over to murmur something in Lori’s ear.
She nodded, her smile firm in place as if she was wearing a mask.She set the gift aside before moving to the next one.She didn't start with opening the box this time, just ripped the card off the top.
Through gritted teeth, she announced, “Also for Savannah.Lovely.”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd and Lori leaned into Chase, visibly upset.
My breath caught.
Jaxon dipped his mouth to my shoulder, kissing me there to hide his chuckle.“God, I wish I had a camera.Her face right now?Priceless.”
I turned to him, eyes wide.“Was this you?”
His gaze flickered with unapologetic mischief.“I may have had something to do with it.”
“How?”I demanded in a whisper.
He shrugged lightly.“Found where they were stashing them.Added a few of my own.”
I gaped.
He lifted a finger, tilting my chin up gently and pressing it closed.
“Careful,” he murmured, brushing a kiss to my cheek.“You’ll give us away.”
Our eyes locked.
The chaos around us faded into background noise.
And for the first time that afternoon, Lori wasn’t the center of attention.
I was.
The question on the why was on the tip of my tongue when Lori clapped her hands again, voice bright and ringing.
“Alright everyone, we’re going to take a short break,” she announced.“Feel free to mingle while Chase and the boys take the opened gifts out to the cars.”
The room stirred, conversation blooming all at once.I rose from Jaxon’s lap, smoothing my jeans, and turned to face him.
“She’s probably going to throw those gifts away,” I said quietly.“You know that, right?”
He shrugged, unbothered, like it meant nothing at all.“Don’t care.”
