I almost said nothing.
Then I smiled.
“Holiday magic is expensive when it sends an invoice.”
Trevor laughed before he could stop himself.
Whitney glared at both of us.
But later, when she left, she paused beside my suitcase.
“I did not realize how much work you were doing,” she said.
It was not an apology yet.
“That was because you did not ask.”
She nodded once.
The next morning, Trevor drove me to the airport.
He carried my suitcase to the curb.
“I feel like I failed some kind of test,” he said.
“There was no test.”
“That makes it worse.”
I looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because you were telling me directly, and I only heard the part that affected me.”
That was painfully accurate.
I touched his cheek.
“Then hear better next time.”
He nodded.
Charleston was cold in a gentler way than Ohio. Ruth met me at the hotel wearing a bright green scarf and immediately asked whether I had finally told Trevor about the house.
“Yesterday.”
She stopped in the lobby.
“Yesterday? Carolyn. You sold it three weeks ago.”
“I know.”
“You waited until his wife invited a small army for Christmas?”
“That part was accidental.”
Ruth laughed so hard the desk clerk looked over.
