“There’s nothing. I haven’t been this worked up over Thanksgiving since Boomer brought Sandy to meet us! And that was at least fifteen years ago.” She twisted her hands a little bit. “I want it to be perfect.”

“Go put the final touches on your hair,” Iris said. “I’ll guard the food. It’s always perfect.”

Twenty minutes later they descended, almost all at once. Iris heard voices outside and opened the front door. Boomer’s SUV was parked in front and his wife and kids got out, all carrying something for dinner. Nick had pulled up right behind them as if he’d followed them to Thunder Point. Norm was just parking in the drive, still wearing his blue jacket with his name on it as if he’d had to work right up to the last second before sitting down to his meal. And then she saw Seth. He was walking across the yard from her house. Could he be more obvious? His deputy vehicle was parked in her drive and he was coming over in a change of clothes.

Norm shook hands with Boomer, kissed Sandy, ruffled the hair of his grandchildren, shook hands with Nick, shook hands with Seth, and then they all walked to the front door en masse.

“Iris,” Norm said with a nod.

“It was only a matter of time,” Boomer said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

“He finally woke up,” Nick said, grinning broadly and giving her a big bear hug.

“Iris, I’m so happy,” Sandy said, her hands full with a casserole dish.

“Hey, Iris,” twelve-year-old Sonny said, passing her and walking into the house.

“Hi, Iris,” nine-year-old Sylvie said, grinning, heading for her grandmother’s kitchen.

Seth was last. He smiled and looked into her eyes. “How’s your day, sweetheart?” he said, bending to put a gentle kiss on her lips.

“I think it might be okay now,” she said.

“It’s going to be okay from now on,” he said. “Can I help with anything?”

“Keep your brothers from teasing me,” she said.

“Baby, I can’t do anything about them. I’ve tried.”

This was the Sileski clan. They sat down to dinner within thirty minutes. Despite some wifely badgering, Norm didn’t change clothes. He washed up a little, but he wore his blue gas station shirt with his name sewn over the pocket. The kids wouldn’t wait for grace to be said, they were diving into the food even though their mother warned them they’d live to regret it. It took a long time for Gwen to sit—she was circling and hovering over the table, ready to provide anything that might be missing. Norm carved, Boomer passed heavy platters, Sandy fussed at the kids about manners, Nick grinned his handsome bad-boy grin and Gwen didn’t sit until Norm said, “Woman, you’re making me dizzy.”

“If there’s going to be a wedding, we’ll need some notice,” Boomer said to Iris. “I have to get my suit let out and Sandy has to lose ten pounds.”

“Boomer!” Sandy scolded.

“What, honey? I keep getting fatter and you always want to lose ten pounds. I’m just saying...”

It was perfect.

Late that night, finally in the comfort of her bedroom, Seth pronounced the day a success. Even Norm had been reasonably docile.

“I think it took ten years off your poor mother’s life,” Iris said. “I know why I was nervous—being presented as a girlfriend for the first time. I don’t know why she was nervous.”

“My mother has wanted the perfect family for as long as I can remember. What she got was a cranky husband and three scrappy boys. She deserves better.”

“You have a nice family,” she said. “And I saw Norm smile twice.”

“It was probably just gas.”

* * *

On Friday morning Seth went in to work first thing, but Iris had the day off. It was hard to leave the bed. Waking up with Seth was still a miracle to her and it was tempting to just lie there and daydream about him. Almost every day she had to ask herself, is this really happening to me? Is the one man I’ve always loved really mine?

She could not indulge in the warm sheets long—it was a busy day in town, a day she used to look forward to when her mother was alive. It was the day that everyone, particularly the business district, joined forces to decorate the town. And it looked like they had a beautiful day for it. For once the sun was shining.

It was still early by the time she walked into town, but she was far from the first to arrive. There were dozens of people on the street and most of the decorations had already been pulled out of attics, storage sheds, garages and basements. Mac was standing in front of the diner with Seth, both of them enjoying a cup of coffee on the street while Gina was sorting through decorations. A cherry picker stood at the ready in the street, garland, wreaths and red plastic candles organized to put up on the lampposts.

To her surprise, Grace was pulling her shop decorations through the front door.

Iris said good morning to Mac and Gina, accepted a little shoulder squeeze from Seth and then made her way down the block to the flower shop. “What are you doing here?” she asked Grace. “I thought you were skiing!”

“I decided to pass on that. I hate missing decoration day.”

“But what did you do? Where did you have Thanksgiving dinner? Why didn’t you join me at the Sileskis?”

“Oh, that was a family day and you were breaking the ice with them—appearing in your new role as Seth’s sex slave....”

“Shh!” Iris said, looking around to see if they’d been overheard.

Grace laughed. “I had a very indulgent day planned for myself, but in fact I was kidnapped. I went by Carrie’s late Wednesday to see if she had any holiday dishes for takeout, particularly dressing and gravy, and she interrogated me. When I told her I wanted to stay in my pajamas all day, eating and watching chick flicks, she wouldn’t have it. She demanded that I join her at the McCains’. In fact, she picked me up to be sure I’d be there. She had Rawley with her. She seems to always have Rawley with her. We took most of the side dishes to the McCains’. She had gone out there early to put the turkey in and she served a feast so incredible I almost had to be carried out. There were sixteen for dinner! Al from the gas station, Ray Anne and the three boys were there as well as Mac’s aunt Lou and her husband, Joe. It was quite a party. In fact, Lou and Joe escaped before charades began and gave me a lift home. Thank God. I managed to get in two chick flicks.”

“What about Troy?”

“I guess he went skiing. When I told him I just couldn’t make it he said it was my loss and I’d be lucky if he asked me again. But he said it nicely.”

“Well, if you get another chance, let me know. I have stuff you can borrow.” Then a thought struck her. “You know, you and Troy look good together.”

“Iris,” Grace said. “If I want your help, I’ll ask for it.”

“Well, do you want help with the shop decorations?”

“I could do with some help on that.”

Sixteen

“You’re a good sport,” Seth told Iris as they were climbing into the car at five in the morning to head for Seattle. “It’ll probably be seven hours. You can sleep. I like this drive.”

“You do it often?” she asked.