"Faith!" Tyler called out from downstairs. "Perry's here!"

Today started out slow with clear skies and a Christmas tune in my head. I had high hopes that today's shopping adventure would have me buying my lamp, if it was still there, and possibly some organization things. Like a laundry basket. The guys were going to wash the laundry today at their mom's house. It was rare to find guys that knew how to do laundry, but with Raina bribing them to do hers, they’d learned fast.

Of course, now she knew how to do it since getting married and having a baby.

Footsteps pounded up the stairs as I tugged on a pair of my skinny jeans. They were a little snug around the waist but nothing I couldn't handle. I glanced to the doorway and saw Lincoln standing there admiring me with an intense look in his eyes. They were focused in on my body and then drew up to my lips, which parted when I saw the heat in his gaze. The last few nights were nice, tame, compared to what they had been before, not that I minded, but I was ready for a little Lincoln action.

With a shoulder propped up against the door and the heated gaze he wore, my insides squeezed. I caught my lip between my teeth and strolled toward him.

He straightened when my arms curled around his waist and I laid my head against his chest. His arms tightened around me.

“Perry’s still waiting?” I asked him.

His voice rumbled. “Yeah.”

With a glint in his eye, he put his hands on my hips, having me step back into the room, then kicked the door closed behind him and spun me around so we switched places. And ever so gently, he placed me against the door as he crowded in and kissed me hard.

Sizzling heat and excitement chased through my body. I wanted him urgently. His hands left my waist to curl under my thighs and lifted me to fit against him as he deepened our kiss.

Hotly, I remembered one time we had done this before and Raina had told us to get a room.

We had a room, and a bed, but we didn't have the time. My fingers threaded through his hair as if I didn't care and I opened my mouth against his, letting him explore me. His hard erection pressed into the cradle of my legs, amping up my desire. I wished we had done this earlier today instead of now.

With a groan, Lincoln's mouth left mine and he rested his head against my shoulder. "Fuck," he said in his low drawl, and I knew exactly how he felt. "We need more time for what I want to do with you."

I ran my fingers through his hair, trying to soothe him and my racing heart. "We'll have to make time."

He lifted his head, blue eyes dark with want, and leaned in to kiss my lips before nipping them when he drew away. "We do."

He let me down gently and stepped back, admiring my outfit of a deep purple sweater and dark denim jeans paired with some practical boots for the snowy weather.

His gaze came back to mine with a slightly dangerous smirk. "If you keep standing there, I'll tell Tyler to send Perry home."

That got me moving. "Don't you dare." I whirled around, opened the door, and headed downstairs, listening to Lincoln's deep laughter.

I raced down the stairs to see a rosy cheeked Perry standing in the doorway talking with Tyler about the minor car accident in the grocery store parking lot, while Kayden was leaning against the wall listening in.

She kept twisting her gloved fingers nervously as she talked about it. A grin met my lips. It seemed my guys were kind of freaking her out that they were listening, and she just kept rambling. I thought it was time for me to save her.

I stepped in her line of view and she immediately looked relieved when I walked over. "Hey, just need to grab my coat and gloves and we can go."

"Scarf too," Tyler added.

"And hat!" Lincoln yelled from upstairs.

My gaze hit Kayden and I lifted an eyebrow. "Anything else you'd like to add?"

Perry snorted behind me.

Kayden chuckled and took out his hands from his pockets, beckoning me to him. "Yeah. A kiss to take with you to warm you up."

"Already did that!" Lincoln yelled from the top of the stairs.

Kayden turned to the stairs and yelled up them with a retort. "Well, maybe yours was broken!" He turned back around to me with a wicked grin. "Faith, come here."

"My damn kiss was perfect!" Lincoln argued.

"Quit with the yelling and come down here," Tyler yelled.

Perry snorted again. "You just yelled." The two of us grinned and I danced away from Kayden.

Linc mumbled something about cooling off as Tyler beat me to the hall closet and grabbed my things.

"Here." He held out my coat so I could slide my arms in, then handed me my gloves and scarf when I turned around, followed by a kiss. "You be safe and careful, okay?"

I pressed my lips to his once more before Kayden stole me away and took his own. "Buy some candy. Hot cinnamon ones," he whispered against my lips.

I chuckled. "I'll try." Then I moved away and yelled goodbye to Lincoln before heading out, leaving them with a laundry reminder. "Remember, colors don't go with whites!"

Perry and I laughed our way to her small SUV, careful of our footing, and got inside.

"Are they always like that?" she asked, starting the car.

"Sometimes," I answered while buckling in.

When the heat turned on, the vents were facing away from me, so I reached over and fixed it. She must not have people ride with her often or at all.

She started to pull out of my driveway. "Okay, where to first?"

"Let's drive-thru for coffee and hot chocolate then head to downtown. I want to see if Granny Manto still has my lamp."

Perry shot me a grin. "You got it."

We pulled up to the antique store and got out with our drinks in hand. "You're getting a lamp here?" Perry questioned, her eyes fixed on the store before coming to rest on me. "Not that I have anything against antiques, but this doesn't seem your style."

I pushed the store door open, and the pleasant jingle of the bell attached above gave me a sense of home. I loved hearing it.

The store was full of antiques, but Granny Manto had upgraded and let in a few handmade items as well as a few booths. So it wasn't just old stuff anymore.

"Whoa," Perry exclaimed when she saw what was inside. "Did Christmas explode in here or what?"

A chuckle escaped me when I realized she was right. I hadn't been back in since my honeymoon, and Thanksgiving had definitely moved out and Christmas had taken its place. Cinnamon pine cones scented the store, and trinkets of holiday crafts, such as Christmas tree decorations and monogrammed stockings, lined the shelves and display tables. There were homemade lotions and hand scrubs, hand sewn tablecloths with napkins, and tree skirts. There were even large, carved Santa's that were skinny and tall. All of it was mixed in with the old, bringing the store new life.

"Hi! Welcome to Manto's Antiques and More!" a cheery voice greeted us. I turned to the counter and found a younger woman behind it, grinning at us. "If you need any help, my name is Victoria."

I sent her a smile and nodded.

Perry leaned in to me and whispered, "Does she not know who you are?"

I shrugged and headed toward the back where my lamp had been. "It doesn't matter. Let's go see if it's still here."

"Do you even have a place to put it?"

A little of my excitement whittled away. "No, but I will."

When we reached the back, I saw the place where my white lamp with goosebumps, as I liked to call them, had been and found another lamp had taken its place. My shoulders slumped in disappointment. "It's not there."

"Maybe they moved it? How long has it been since you've seen it?"

Biting my lip, my gaze moved over to her. "Two weeks? Maybe three?"

Perry gave me a small smile that said, 'Girl, I'm sorry, but you waited too long,' and patted my shoulder. "Maybe ask Victoria up front if she sold it."

I nodded, trying to not to let my hopes die, and headed back up front. Perry drifted behind me, pausing every so often to look at things, so that ultimately, when I got to the counter, I had lost her.

Victoria flashed me a winning smile when she saw me coming and stopped what she was doing to greet me. One I had worked behind more than once, since Granny Manto had required it of me.

"Hi." I pointed to the far corner Perry and I had just been at and asked my question. "About two weeks ago, there was a milk-white lamp with polka-dotted textured and brass trim back there. Was it moved, or did you sell it?"

Her eyes went wide as she nodded. "Of course!" Then she gave me a sad face. "I'm sorry to say, it sold last week."

I sighed. "It's okay. I guess–"

“Faith! Is that you?” came the old withered voice of Granny Manto, peeking out of the back room.

A grin teased my lips when I saw her come out in a red sweater that had Santa in full gear roasting a turkey with a flamethrower. It said, “Ho-ho-ho, Happy Thanksgiving.” I guess we knew who won that debate.

I heard Perry snort and I knew she’d just read the caption. “Yes, Granny. I'm back.”

“Well, it's about time, child!” Granny Manto exclaimed as she approached me. It looked like she had been in the back room for a while. With a knowing glint in her eyes, she took me in with a genuine smile on her face. “It's about time you came to see little old me. I give you Monday off and no call. No text or email either. I should fire you.”

“You wish.” I laughed as Victoria’s eyes grew wide with each word we spoke.

She shook a gnarly finger at me. “Don’t you tempt me, child.” Then she held out her arms and motioned me in for a hug. I moved in, letting her faux grandmotherly hug envelop me. She might have been a grandmother, but she was pretty much the opposite as far as I was concerned. “It's good to see you,” she admitted.

“I'm sorry I haven't talked to you lately.” I drew back and smiled softly, wondering if she knew about me being pregnant. “I’ve been preoccupied unpacking and... other things.”

Her eyes narrowed in on me as her lips pursed. “Uh-huh.”

Giving a one shoulder shrug, I raised my eyebrows innocently.

“Fine,” Granny relented. “So, what are you doing here?”  She was totally ignoring Victoria, focusing all her attention on me, until she saw Perry behind me. “And who is this?”

“Hi!” Perry chirped, stepping up to my side and holding out a hand. “I’m Perry. I’m pretty sure we met at Faith’s bridal shower a few weeks ago.”

Granny gave a slow nod as if remembering and took her hand. “Of course, I know you!”  With a pat, she let go of Perry’s hand and turned to a plate of saran-wrapped goodies and offered them to us. They had been on the counter marked for sale, but if Granny made them, we would not be eating them. Who knew what she put inside them. “Goodie?”

“Oh, thank you,” Perry said, reaching for a treat.

I slapped her hand down before she could take one. “No, Granny. We’re not hungry.”

Granny frowned and eyed Perry. “I have a nephew or two who are looking for a life mate. Are you single?”

Perry glanced to me before answering, “I’m single but not looking for anyone at the moment.”

“Granny, stop trying to set up my friends with more of your questionable relatives,” I said teasingly.

Granny huffed. “The only questionable one in our family is you, right now. You and your three husbands.”

A gasp sounded behind us. The three of us spun to Victoria, who was still behind the counter listening in. When Victoria noticed she had our undivided attention, she blushed. “I’m sorry.” Her voice was high pitched with embarrassment. “I’ll just check on things in the back.” She some shuffled papers before hurrying her way to the back room.

“That girl...” Granny shook her head. “She’s wonderful behind the counter, but some days I wonder about her.”

“Granny, you wonder about everybody,” I smarted back as she tried to push the plate of goodies on us once more.

“Are you sure you won’t take some?”

Perry was eyeing them, so I answered for both of us, keeping her hand down. “We’re sure.”

The twinkle came back in the old biddy’s eyes. “Why?” she asked, putting the tray down. “I wouldn't have spiced these. They’re for customers. You can't drug customers. It’s bad for business.”

Perry giggled as if it were a joke. When none of us joined in, she sobered. “Wait. Really?”

“As chocolate cake,” I replied.

Granny ignored me and asked, “You girls busy?”

“Just doing some shopping,” my no-good friend answered before I could interrupt.

“Good,” she said as if it was decided. “You girls are coming with me.”

“What?” we both chirped.

“Granny, we had our whole day planned,” I reasoned.

She moved past me, swiping my purse as she hobbled out the shop door. “Well, now you have your whole day planned with me.” Then she wiggled my purse as if it were a prize. “Coming?”

I glanced to Perry, who shrugged.

“Victoria,” Granny yelled. “I'm headed out. You and the new girl can hold down the fort.”

“Yes, ma'am,” she called back, and Granny slipped outside.

Unsure what to do, I sighed and linked arms with Perry to head out the door. “I guess sometimes it’s best to just go with the flow.”

“And your purse,” Perry added, amused.

I chuckled. “Yes, and that.”

***

An hour later and deep in north Rochester, Granny pulled into Ruby Gordon’s furniture store.

She had us listening to Christmas music and entertained us with holiday traditions, which I was familiar with from the last few years. She also told us stories of her grandsons—one of which had supposedly gotten Marissa pregnant—which kept us oblivious to where she was going until we were there.

“What are we doing here?”

Granny took that moment to bring up the conversation, yet again, that I wasn't ready, or willing, to talk about. Marissa.

“How is that cousin of yours?”

This made me bristle, and I knew Perry was in tune with what was going on. “My cousin is just fine. Now, Granny Manto,” I said, refusing to talk about her. “It’s freezing cold and we’re parked in front of a furniture store. Why?”

She opened her door and started to climb out, and as she did this, she stated simply, “Because you need furniture.” Then she shut her door and waited for us in front of the store, with my purse.

“What are we going to do?” Perry asked from the backseat. “Is she just going to stand out in the cold?”

I watched the old bat do just that and grumbled, “Yes. She knows that I won’t let her stand out in the cold and she’ll wait out in there until I get out of this damn car.”

“So... we’re getting out?”

I opened my door. “Yes.”

Right when both of us shut our doors, Granny Manto’s car beeped, signaling that she’d locked it and secured the alarm.

Perry hooked our arms together and leaned in. “Go with the flow, huh?”

I elbowed her. “Shut it.”

Following Granny inside, I asked, “How would you even know that I don’t have furniture?” 

She turned and gave me a wink. “I have spies.”

That had me missing a step; thankfully, Perry caught me. “What does that even mean?”

With a dismissive wave, she quipped, “Asks the girl without any curtains on her windows. How do you think I found out?” And with that, she left me gaping as she went to talk to an associate.

When she saw I wasn't following, she turned back to me with her red sweater and Santa and gave me ‘the gramma look’ with her hands on her hips. “Well, are you coming?” 

Perry linked arms with me and leaned in to whisper in my ear, “We might as well see what she’s up to.”

I humored Granny Manto, and it ended up with her buying me a whole living room set and a kitchen table.

“What just happened?” Perry asked as we walked out of the store.

I was still shaking my head, wondering the same thing myself.

“I–I’m not sure.”

“I bought you what you need!” Granny sounded smug. “Now, let’s go to lunch. Your treat.”