Page 61 of Two Purple Gloves

“Oooh, scandalous,” I gasp.

“What are you talking about?” Jake asks, coming into the kitchen with a bottle of wine in hand.

“Nothing,” Nel singsongs.

“Nel was telling us your sister has some new friends,” Harry says, and I smack the back of my hand against his pec.

Jake gives a withering look to his fiancée. “She’s just being nice.”

“Uh huh,” Nel agrees but sounds as convinced as Oscar and Lucas when Jake tries to convince them he didn’t play Santa two years in a row.

“They had nowhere to go, she didn’t want them to miss out on Christmas.” Jake tries valiantly to make his point.

“Sure, babe.” Nel’s patronising tone has me giggling.

“What, you think she suddenly has three men in her life?” Jake asks like it’s the most ridiculous thing in the world.

“Lisa and I read a book like that,” Harry muses. “It was pretty good.”

Jake glares. “Yeah, I know what books you two read, and I’d very much appreciate it if you don’t bring them up in the context of my sister.”

Harry just smiles at his friend. “Hmm, Karma’s a bitch, huh?”

Nel snorts. “Okay, that’s enough you two. Go make yourselves busy and offer drinks out.”

“Three French men, huh?” I say to Nel once the boys are out of earshot.

“I’m telling you, she sounded…weird on the phone. Buckle up, it’s going to be a fun Christmas.” Nel takes a platter of food and heads to the lounge, where I follow to find my husband. Everyone is chatting and laughing, in good spirits for the holiday and I melt into Harry’s side.

“You good, baby?”

“Yeah,” I say with a contented sigh before straightening up to whisper in his ear. “How ungracious would it be for us to disappear for an hour?”

He raises a brow at me, a sexy smile tugging at his lips. “Very ungracious.”

“How opposed are you to being ungracious?”

“I love you, Angel.” He dips to kiss my neck.

“I love you too, Frosty.”