“It’s good to see you, Dad.” I pull him into a hug.
“Let me see the ring,” my mom says, pulling my focus back to her and Ebba where she tugs on her hand and proceeds to ooh and ahh over the ring. “Oh, this is beautiful and so you. Did you pick it or?—”
“Fisher picked it,” she replies before my mom can finish her sentence. Ebba looks at me from beneath her lashes with an almost shy smile on her lips. “And it’s perfect. I couldn’t have picked a better one. He knows me well.”
The four of us settle at the old kitchen table—another remnant of my childhood that still bears my name scratched into it with a dinner knife when I was eight and is now my designated spot to sit whenever I’m home.
My stomach rumbles, reminding me I didn’t grab anything to eat while I was at my place. I swipe two whole sandwiches from the stack my mom prepared.
“Always so hungry,” she says in amusement. To Ebba she adds, “When he was a teenager he damn near ate us out of house and home. I thought I was going to have to take another part-time job just to keep up with his appetite.”
“Mom,” I groan around the bite of food already in my mouth.
Ebba laughs, exchanging a conspiratorial smile. “I mean, have you seen him? He’s huge. He needs a lot of fuel.”
“That’s probably my fault,” my dad joins in with a chuckle.
“Probably?” my mom scoffs. “It definitely is. Have you never looked in a mirror?”
My dad laughs harder. “You’re the one that married me.”
“Yeah, because I was young and wanted to climb you like a tree.”
“Oh. Ew. Mom.” I slap my hands over my ears. “Please, stop. I’m begging.”
“I’m sorry, honey, but it’s true.”
I turn to Ebba. “Let’s leave. We can celebrate Christmas at my place instead.”
“Don’t be silly,” my mom scolds. “I’ll be good from now on. Promise.” She mimes zipping her lips.
“I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Ebba finds my hand beneath the table and lays hers on top of mine. She gives a gentle squeeze and I flip my hand palm up, lacing our fingers together. “No need to leave. I’m exactly where I want to be.”
I search her brown-eyed gaze and don’t find any trace of a lie. I’m glad she’s happy to be here with them. Withme.
“I saved decorating the tree for y’all’s arrival. I know Christmas is only a few days away, but I thought it would be more special if we all did it together.”
A tiny gasp catches in Ebba’s throat. If she was just a little farther away from me, I wouldn’t have even heard it.
“That’s so kind of you to wait for us.”
My mom gives her a soft smile. “I’m just so thrilled to see y’all back together.” When Ebba opens her mouth, no doubt to protest, my mom holds up a hand. “Don’t worry, Fisher has told me everything but forgive an old woman for having some hope and believing in fate. That’s what I think this is. Fate was intervening for you guys.”
Ebba meets my eyes and raises one shoulder in a shrug. “Maybe it was.”
CHAPTER 35
FISHER
“Dad,I think you should lay off the eggnog.” I take his glass and set it aside. He doesn’t even notice me moving it as engrossed as he is in singing,I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clausat the top of his lungs.
Ebba picks up a red ornament, laughing at the distorted reflection of my dad in it as he reaches out for my mom and pulls her into his arms to dance with him.
“I love your parents,” Ebba says in a hushed tone just for my ears. “They’re so fun.”
“They’re … something,” I agree.