Page 9 of One Night with Number Nineteen

But she wants her Christmas lights up.

Or she’s wanted them up since yesterday when I was with the others, helping Lainey move into her new place.

And it wasn’t enough that I pulled the boxes down, that I promised to come back and finish up today.

She’s still off and running.

“You coming to the holiday party?” Aiden asks, pausing just outside the showers.

I shrug. “Yeah, of course.”

“Please tell me you’re going to make that stuffing again,” Gray says. “Faye was talking about it for weeks after Thanksgiving.”

I think of the work that goes into that stuffing—fresh breadcrumbs made from homemade sourdough, peeled apples, sausage from a special butcher a few towns over—and nod. “Yeah, sure. I can do that.”

“Killer!” Smitty says. “I love it.”

“You’ll love the chocolate peanut butter cupcakes I’ll be bringing too, you mean.”

He grins. “Yes.” A nod that resembles a bobblehead. “That. Definitely.”

I snag my phone as he hits the showers, type out a reply to my mom, telling her I’ve just gotten off the ice and will be by soon.

MOM: Oh good! Will you stop by Molly’s and bring me a sandwich and that baked potato soup too?

I pause.

Because the Molly’s near her house is only open for breakfast and lunch. I’ll have to go to the one across town then come back, braving rush hour traffic both ways.

Still, my reply is⁠—

SAWYER: Yeah, it’ll add a bit more time till I get there, though.

MOM: That’s okay. So long as the lights go up today!

It’s going to be a challenge in the dark but I’ll get it done.

I always do.

MOM: Oh, and don’t forget to pick me up one of those smoothies from next door. The peach one.

I shove down the flicker of irritation, just send her another message.

SAWYER: Sure. See you soon.

“You know you’re allowed to say no.”

I blink, look over at Leo.

He’s studying me like he can somehow zap the text out of thin air…and read every thought in my brain.

“About what?”

“About the stuffing and the cupcakes and the charity event at Bri’s center you volunteered to co-host next week.”

“I don’t mind doing those things.” A beat. “And I want to help Bri. The youth center does good things.”

God knows I wish I had a place like it growing up.