Page 113 of Falling for Keeps

“I love a good majority vote rules situation. Isn’t Maven in your group chat? She’d side with you.”

“She’s not technically on the board, but we all count her vote. She’s part of the team.”

“I love you.” My arms go around her waist and I rest my chin on her shoulder, inhaling my favorite apple-scented shampoo.

Emma’s hands still. “That’s so sweet, and I love you too, but if this keeps happening I’m gonna chop a finger off.”

“I won’t move a muscle.”

“Hey,” Daryl says. “Quit your canoodling when there’s knives involved, you two.”

Canoodling. If only Todd from Burlington could see us now. Is he going to get a shock when I send him this wedding invitation…someday? I wish I could see his face.

I press a kiss to the side of Emma’s neck before backing away, and she gets the chills.

“Here, make yourself useful.” Daryl hands me a bag of green beans. “Get snapping.”

“Yes, sir.” I sit on a stool over the trash can and snap the ends off the green beans.

Mom slips through the doorway. “Penny is doing a great job setting the tables.” She looks at my beans. “Want me to start a pot to boil?”

“Sure.” Still not sure entirely what I’m doing with these, but that sounds like the logical next step.

Emma points out the pots and Mom fills one with water, then puts it on the stove. “I heard Penny got to talk to her mom this morning.”

“During the game.” I nod. “Jen called while I was out in the field, but Penny had her little flip phone on her, so she was able to answer it.”

“I think that was the best call. Penny has a direct line, but it’s not a smart phone. Best of both worlds.” Mom leans against the counter and pushes blonde hair behind her ear. She’s in scrubs because she has to go in to work, but this is a familiar sight. We’ll take her as long as we can get her. “Is Jen still in LA?”

“Yeah, she has a few more auditions coming up. She told Penny that Nurse B for some doctor show sounds promising. I guess she gave up on the singing thing, but things seem to be working out for her.”

The door opens and Ben and Maven file in, holding pies. “Hello! Happy Thanksgiving!”

“Is that Rosie?” Daryl asks.

“Not yet.” Emma wipes her hands and heads around the kitchen island to hug them.

I lift my beans, and Ben claps me on the back. “Brutal game this morning,” he says.

“Glad we were on the same side. We were so close to winning.”

“Next year.”

Dominic hears us, because he leaves the living room to lean in the kitchen doorway, arms crossed over his chest. “Next year you’ll lose again, old men.”

Ben laughs. “We’ll see.”

Emma rolls her eyes. “They’re literally two years older than you, Dom.”

“Still older.”

Mom claps her hands twice. “Okay, if you aren’t actively cooking, I need you out. Help Penny set the table⁠—”

“I don’t need help!” she cries.

Mom laughs. “Or not. There’s probably a game on or something. Reese started a puzzle if anyone wants to jump in.”

“I’m game,” Maven says.