I brushed Mel’s foot under the dining room table. “You okay?” I mouthed.

She nodded, giving me a small smile as she picked at her food, her eyes darting to the horde of people that had descended on the house.

When I answered Logan’s call and told him I’d be spending Christmas at my place with Mel, they brought the party to us. That worked for me, but my girl looked just this side of overwhelmed. 

Chase sat at the other end of the table, quiet as usual. His scruffy beard, grown out for the winter, made him look more like the musician he was, than the businessman that everyone assumed him to be. In truth, he was both. 

He gave me an easy smile, patting me on the back as he left the room to take a call. 

Lily sidestepped Chase on her way out of the kitchen, a pie balanced on each of her palms. “How’s your nana, Mel?”

Mel swallowed hard and reached for her water, her eyes meeting mine over the rim of the glass. “She’s fine. I saw her this morning.”

“Let me know if you ever want company.” Lily slid the pies onto the table. “When you visit her, I mean.”

Mel cleared her throat. “I . . . um . . . that’s very nice of you. She doesn’t speak, though. She knows everything that’s going on around her, but she has trouble getting the words out.”

“That’s all right,” Cameron interjected, fighting Logan for the dessert dish. “Lily’s great with people. And once you get her going, she talks enough for everyone.”

“I do not.” Lily pried the pie plate out of the guys’ hands and then cut the dessert into equal slices. “I went to the CurePSP website. I know she can’t speak. But that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t enjoy some visitors.”

“She would, very much,” Mel said softly. “Thank you.”

Logan finished the last bite of his pie and then pushed to his feet. “It’s time for presents,” he announced. “I’ve been waiting all fucking day for presents. I’m going to start unwrapping shit if y’all don’t get a move on.”

Mel picked up a couple of plates while everyone followed Logan to the living room. 

Taking the dishes from her hands, I set them on the table. “Leave those. I’ve got to go keep an eye on things, or Logan’s liable to open everyone’s shit.” I pressed a kiss to her lips. “Even yours.”

Before Mel could protest, I pulled her towards the ruckus in the other room.

Sinking into the leather chair, I gathered her onto my lap. “Y’all’s gifts are in bags in the closet. I didn’t wrap anything yet.”

Logan shot me a glare as he handed a package to Lily. “Where’s your Christmas spirit, asshat?”

I smiled. “My Christmas spirit didn’t show up until a few hours ago.” I jiggled my knee, and Mel settled against my chest.

Logan read the tag on the silver package that was tucked behind the tree. “This one says ‘Melody.’” He grinned. “But it doesn’t say who it’s from. So I’ll just take credit for it.” He dropped the gift in her arms. “Enjoy, sweetheart.”

Mel ran her hand over the metallic paper before lifting her gaze to me. “I’m assuming this is from you?”

I shrugged. “Better open it to make sure.” 

Scooting off my lap, she picked up the present she’d brought with her, holding the package out for me to take. “You first.”  

“We’ll open them together.” 

Satisfied, she returned to my lap and tore open her gift while I fiddled with the paper on mine. Her brow creased when she opened up the folder. As she read the description, her chin trembled. “Christian . . .”

I caught the tear that spilled onto her cheek. “You know, it’s probably just bullshit,” I joked, carefully taking the certificate for the star I’d purchased in her nana’s name. The bold letters described the exact coordinates where the Marina Sullivan star was located in the Pegasus Constellation. “But I’ll take you both to the planetarium to check it out anyway.”

“Thank you,” she croaked, placing the certificate back in the leather folder. “I love it.” She ran her hands over the cover and then looked up at me. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” I kissed her nose. “But I think there’s something else in the box.”

Smiling, I peeled back the heavy wrapping on my package, revealing a thick blue book. I swallowed hard as I opened the cover of the first edition copy of Relativity by Albert Einstein. 

“Mel . . . this is . . .”

“Do you like it?” She clutched the small cloth bag she’d retrieved from her box, still unaware of the contents. 

“I love it.” I cleared my throat. “But you shouldn’t have. This is a first edition.”

She shrugged. “I recently got my first job on this research project my boyfriend held a fundraiser for.” She grinned. “I’m rolling in dough.”

I knew for a fact that Mel’s salary was minimal. And I also knew how much the book cost. I was still gazing at the cover when she let out a gasp.

“Oh my God,” she breathed, lifting the two-carat, star-shaped diamond pendant from the velvet box I’d stowed inside the bag. “I . . . oh . . .” She looked up at me, eyes wide. “It’s beautiful.”

Any guy that tells you that chicks don’t like diamonds is lying to your face. At least, if my girl was any indication. 

“It’s got the coordinates of your nana’s star lasered into the stone,” I whispered as I fastened the clasp around her neck. “So she’ll always be with you.”

Mel buried her face in my neck, her shoulders quaking as she let out a quiet sob. “Thank you.” 

“Somebody’s been really good,” Logan crowed. “Or really bad. What did you get her, Wikipedia?”

“‘Wikipedia’?” Swiping at the tears, Mel’s curiosity got the better of her, and she turned to the group. “Why do you call him ‘Wikipedia’?”

“He’s a geek.” Logan wrinkled his nose. “Look at him.”

Scrunching her brow, she examined my tattooed arms and day old scruff before swinging her gaze back to Logan. “Um, no, he’s not. I’m a geek. So I would know.”

Logan smirked, taking a sip of his beer. “No, sweetie, you’re hot.” He pointed at me. “But he’s a geek. Or a nerd.” He scratched his head. “Or a geek-nerd.” 

Mel crossed her arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes at the guy who was more like a brother to me than a friend. “He’s not a geek, or a nerd. Or a geek-nerd.” Reclining against my chest with that sexy-as-hell defiant look on her face, she fingered the pendant around her neck. “He’s perfect.”

Money well spent. 

I discreetly shot Logan the finger. 

He scowled, shifting a wary gaze to Mel.

Since he looked more intimidated by her than me, I dropped a kiss to the top of her head for good measure. “You tell him, angel.”

“You’d better keep a hold of that one,” Cameron interjected with a chuckle. “She obviously suffers from the same disease my girl has.” He smiled down at Lily, tucked against his side. “Blind as a bat or some kind of brain damage.”

Mel’s autumn scent enveloped me as I tightened my grip on her waist. “Oh, I’m holding on. For as long as she lets me.”