Page 51 of Terms and Traditions

When I asked how he outmaneuvered Ryder in that deal, Nash only shrugged. “He wanted the throwing knives.” Of course he did. “And I’ve got some adopted nephews and nieces at home who will love Uncle Nash for bringing this around. And their parents will hate me for it. So, I’m calling it a win.”

Chapter twenty-two

Nash

“How scandalized would you be if I told you I’d never seen It’s a Wonderful Life?” I whispered in Stephanie’s ear as we smooshed together on the sofa, the beginning credits starting to roll. “Oof!” I grunted as she bolted upright, jamming her elbow into my ribs.

“Are you kidding me?”

I chuckled at the absolute horror in her tone and tugged her back down to lean against me. Purely for her family’s benefit, of course. “Not at all. I’m afraid old movies have never been high on my radar.”

She snorted, settling back into my arms. Vanilla blanketed my senses as she tucked her head against my neck. Like she belonged there. “How have you managed to live this long without this essential piece of Christmas culture?”

“Guess it’s a good thing I’ve got you then.” I kept my voice light and low, but I caught her barely suppressed shiver all the same. “And you guys watch this every Christmas gathering?” I asked, keeping my gaze on the black-and-white film—apparently the recoloured version was an anathema according to Hailey.

“Mm-hmm. Frank Capra’s masterpiece and puzzles round out the evening.” Stephanie nodded over to the two low coffee tables, where two groups—headed by Elijah and Zoe respectively—were sorting puzzle pieces into edges versus middle. “The goal is to finish the puzzle by the end of the movie and beat the other team.”

“How many pieces are there?”

“I think they’re trying a thousand pieces this year since we beat the five-hundred-piece record last time.”

A chuckle rumbled low in my chest. Never had I met a more competitive family. They turned holiday traditions and puzzle solving into a contest. “I had no idea y’all were so cutthroat. I mean I did, from a business perspective, but this…” I frowned. “Constantly competing for attention and recognition is a hard way to live.”

I felt Stephanie’s eyes on me before she whispered breathily, “You should do that more often.”

“What?”

“Let your drawl out.”

“I do not have a drawl.”

Her lips twitched, distracting me. “Whatever you say, cowboy.”

I rolled my eyes. We’d had this conversation before about stereotypes. “Not all Texans are cowboys. Particularly not this one. Horses and I are not friends.”

“Would you prefer me to say you’re a Texan tycoon then?”

“I can live with that.”

We slipped into silence, and I found myself immersed into the story unfolding before me on the screen. The story of a man who gave up everything for others, including his dreams, and in the end still stood to lose everything to the point his life seemed worthless. Only to have the chance to see his life through the lens of if he’d never existed. What a rare gift to see the impact of your life from an external viewpoint.

Eden crawled onto Stephanie’s lap around the time George Bailey got himself hitched, and soon after, her breathing leveled into soft snuffling snores. She was a cute kid, but how she could sleep in this level of commotion—and after the six gingerbread men I’d witnessed her scarf down—was beyond me. The puzzle people alternated between smack talk and quoting the movie lines as they played on the screen. There were very few films I knew well enough to quote lines from, so colour me impressed.

“How’s the puzzle going?” Stephanie asked Hailey when she dropped onto the floor in front of us, leaning her head back against Stephanie’s knee.

“Remind me that if anyone ever suggests a one-thousand-piece puzzle again I will have no part of it. Also—” Hailey tilted her head to look up at us. “I was not built for that level of meanness. Somehow I forget how bad they get.”

“Sorry, Hails.” Stephanie sighed softly, running a hand over Eden’s hair as she slept. “I take it we won’t be beating the record this year?”

Hailey huffed. “I was on Zoe’s team, and we barely got the border together. Have I mentioned she scares me? Last I checked, Elijah’s team wasn’t doing much better. It wouldn’t have been so bad if it wasn’t a mystery puzzle, but no.”

I tore my attention away from the screen, suddenly clueing in. “Wait, y’all don’t even have a picture to reference what you’re putting together?” When they shook their heads, I groaned. “Has anyone ever told you your family is—”

“Insane?” Stephanie smirked.

“Mad as a hatter?” Hailey deadpanned.

“I was going to say intense, but those work, too.”