Page 20 of Between Secrets and Obsession

Once I walk inside the house, I immediately follow the delicious scent into the kitchen where Maddie and Sophie are baking. Christmas carols are playing from one of their phones, and they’re grinning ear to ear. Just because I’m a scrooge doesn’t mean I want to ruin their time, so I put on a happy face to appease them.

“Whatcha up to?” I ask, snatching a sugar cookie from the cooling rack. It’s still warm when I take a bite.

“It’s Hallmark movie night!” Maddie cheerfully says. “And don’t you dare steal another cookie.”

I reach for another one, and she swats me away while Sophie scolds me. “I told Mason he couldn’t have one, and neither can you. The only way to get any of these cookies is to watch a movie with us. It was a hard no from him.”

“Seriously?” I ask, popping the rest of the warm gooey deliciousness in my mouth.

“He can’t handle it,” Maddie tells Sophie.

“Is that a bet?” I smirk.

She arches a brow. “Maybe it is.”

“What’re the stakes?” I ask as Sophie grabs her cup and a plate of cookies. I follow them into the living room. Though Christmas is officially over, an outsider looking in would think it hasn’t even started yet. The tree’s still lit, and the nativity scene and all the décor Sophie put up weeks ago are still on display. They plop on the couch and turn on the Hallmark Channel.

“Two hours of watching the movie we want, and I’ll bake you a dozen cookies for yourself,” Maddie offers.

“And if I don’t make it?”

“Then you can’t go out of town tomorrow,” Maddie says.

“Damn,” Sophie says around a mouthful. “Not a bet I’d take.”

Maddie’s beaming, knowing she’s backed me into a corner. If I take the bet and lose, I’ll be forced to stay here, and if I object to it, she’ll hang it over my head forever. But if I survive one movie, I get delicious cookies and another win to gloat about.

“I want two dozen, twelve for every hour I have to sit here and be bored to death.”

I hold out my hand, ready to shake on the deal. She contemplates, narrowing her eyes. “Nah. You’re up to something.”

I chuckle, then shrug. “Guess you remember the lesson you learned last time.”

Sophie’s eyes go wide. “Last time? What’re you guys talking about?”

“Nothing,” Maddie says quickly.

Muting the TV, Sophie gives me her full attention. “Someone better spill it or I’m gonna kick some asses.”

I pretend to be annoyed, but happily tell Sophie what happened, and she’s almost as shocked as Maddie was.

“Are ya gonna show me some of these poses?” she asks, holding back her laughter.

“So you can use them in the bedroom?” I tease, and she glowers at me.

“I actually might kick your ass for that!” Sophie says, but all I can do is chuckle.

As soon as the couple who spent the entire movie in a fake relationship almost kiss for the tenth time, and Maddie and Sophie both let out awws in unison—when the kissfinallyhappens—I’m out, but at that point, it’s over. When I stand, they start talking shit, but the credits run after, so I walk toward the staircase.

“If you would’ve shaken on it, you’d be baking me twenty-four cookies right now,” I tease Maddie.

She snorts. “But I didn’t have to waste a bet for you to watch it with us.”

I tell them good night, then go to my room. I fall asleep regardless of the excitement of flying out in the morning. When I wake up, the house is quiet, and because I’ve given myself some wiggle room, I make a cup of coffee and notice a Ziploc bag full of cookies with a note on the kitchen counter.

Just for you, Hulk.

See you next year.