Page 78 of The Christmas Arrangement

“Dasher, how could you?” Mom’s voice is pure betrayal.

“Not me,” I say quickly. “I didn’t know he’d be here. I didn’t even know who he was—is.”

She spins to face Ivy. “You did this.”

“Yes,” Ivy says. “I did.”

“You have no right?—”

And my frozen astonishment melts as hot anger bubbles up. “She has no right? You had no right. You told me you didn’t know who my father was. My entire life, I’ve wondered. And you’ve known this whole time.”

“You don’t understand—” she begins.

“I didn’t know.” Daniel steps forward. “Rachel, I didn’t know you were pregnant. You left without telling me.”

“You wouldn’t have cared,” Her voice cracks. “You were about to go on tour, it was your big break. We were so young, and you weren’t ready.”

“You didn’t give me a chance to decide!” Daniel’s composure breaks. “I loved you. I would’ve?—”

“You would’ve what? Given up your dreams? Your career?” She’s crying now. “I wasn’t going to let you make that mistake.”

“It wasn’t your choice to make,” I choke out. “You decided for all three of us.”

Ivy

Dash and his mom face each other, a lifetime of secrets cracking open between them. Daniel steps forward, then back. He’s not sure whether or how to intervene. I know the feeling.

“Dasher, you know that my parents disowned me when they found out I was pregnant.” Rachel’s voice is raw. “But what you didn’t know is that before I told them, I went to your father’s house. To talk to him and figure out how to make this—us—work. And his mother took one look at me, at my baby bump, and begged me not to ruin his life. She said he had a future ahead of him and if I truly loved him, I wouldn’t tie him down.”

That sounds familiar.

Daniel’s jaw tightens. “My mother knew? And she said that to you?”

“She loved you,” Rachel whispers. “She didn’t want you to give up your music.”

“So the two of you made the choice for me.” His face is stricken.

“I was nineteen, pregnant, and terrified,” Rachel says. “I thought I was doing the right thing.“ Her voice rises, desperate. “Actually, I’m sure I did the right thing because now that history’s repeating itself, I truly understand what your mom meant.”

Dash shakes his head. “How is history repeating itself?”

Rachel gives me a look, then turns to her son. “Ivy’s pregnant.”

I stare at her, genuinely confused. “What?” I manage.

“You’re pregnant?” Merry squeals.

“I’m not pregnant!” I eye Rachel cautiously. This is even weirder than the toast thing. “What are you talking about?”

“You were drinking herbal tea during karaoke,” Rachel says, frantic. “And I saw the prenatal vitamins. In your bathroom.”

“I ordered that tea for Holly,” I say slowly, trying to figure out what she’s talking about. “What vitamins?”

“I saw them with my own eyes, Ivy. In your loft on the bathroom vanity.”

“Holly’s loft,” I correct her. “I don’t live there. Merry and I live in Noelle’s old place.”

“Those are my vitamins,” Holly says, her face bright red. “I thought I put them back in the cabinet.”