Her sister’s expression told Amanda that she hoped otherwise. “No, I think it’s a beautiful first name. I would be honored.”
“Thank you, sis.” Quinn reached out and squeezed her hand.
“However . . .” Amanda paused. “This means I forever have a say in everything from prom dresses to college choices.”
“Deal,” Quinn agreed.
Amanda glanced down at her watch. “Grandma, we should probably get going. I need to purchase a gift for Tate and then check in with Dad. Is there a gift shop in this place?” she asked, anxiously reaching for her coat and purse.
“You want to buy a present for your boyfriend from the hospital gift shop?” Quinn asked. “Geez, I thought Mark was bad at picking out Christmas gifts for me. Why didn’t you buy him something in Wilmington?”
Amanda tried to think of a plausible excuse for not having brought Tate’s gifts with her. “Well, we were in such a rush yesterday morning coming to see you that we accidentally left all of our Christmas presents under my tree.” She crossed her fingers behind her back. “So it’s kinda your fault for going into labor,” she teased.
“Sorry, couldn’t help that one.” Quinn laughed.
“I just want to pick him up something small to open up tomorrow before dinner. You know how Mom is about opening presents and all. She’s stopping by the mall to pick him up something, too.”
She sighed, looking out the window. “The problem is I’m running out of time. I’m supposed to take over for Dad this afternoon.”
Quinn must have detected the anxiety in her voice. “Grandma, why don’t you stay here with Noel and me?” She smiled down at her baby. “We can have Mark bring us something yummy for lunch, and then he can take you home this afternoon. I’m tired of hospital food.”
“That’s fine with me.” Grandma Turner settled further into her chair.
“Terrific. And Amanda, you’re going to need a sweater if you are doing deliveries. Didn’t Mom give you one?”
“Yes, but I left it back at the house.”
“Well, take mine then. I won’t be wearing it. That way you can save time.” Quinn pointed to a large green bag lying on a table next to the window. “It will be a little big on you. Mom thought I’d still be pregnant when she made it.” She chuckled. “I guess we all did.”
Amanda rummaged through the bag and pulled out the red sweater. “Fabulous,” she said. She lifted her sweater over her head and replaced it with the regulation Christmas garment, tugging it over her waist and readjusting her ponytail. “Now I feel . . .”
“Complete?” Quinn asked.
“More like ridiculous.” She checked out her reflection in the window.
“Is Tate wearing one, too? You’ll look so cute together. I know what you should do!” Quinn shrieked with excitement.
“What?” Amanda asked.
“Go snap a picture with him. Then tonight you can make an ‘our first Turner Family Christmas’ ornament.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Leave it to her sentimental sister to suggest something so corny. Making a keepsake ornament for Tate was not going to happen.
“I’m sure Mom has extra ornament balls, and Brenda can help you. She’s good at arts and crafts. Now that would be a sentimental gift.”
Amanda laughed. “I think I’ll stick with a nice bottle of Dr. Frank wine or perhaps a book on Upstate New York history. He lived here when he was a kid. He seems to love this area.”
“Honestly, Amanda. A bottle of wine? You know romance is key to any new relationship.” Quinn eyed her suspiciously. “Oh, wait. This relationship isn’t new to you. It’s only new to us. Right, Grandma?”
Their grandmother nodded in agreement.
“Funny, funny. All right, you two. I’m off.” She bent down to kiss Quinn and then turned and gave her grandmother a quick peck on the cheek. “Ho, ho, ho.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Amanda walked aimlessly through the hospital’s gift shop, having no clue what she should get Tate for Christmas. The shop’s holiday music filled her head.
How hard is this really? It’s just one silly little gift. Just pick something out, for crying out loud. Maybe she should call Tate and ask him if there was anything he needed. She had to agree with her sister—it was pretty lame that she was purchasing his gift here.
“Can I help you?” a frail old woman with curly grey hair behind the counter asked. She was wearing a festive green sweater with a giant snowman on the front. Her name badge read, Mary.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’m looking for a gift for my pretend boyfriend that I nearly had sex with last night and now think I might be developing feelings for—although we hate each other. Can you help?” she asked, sarcasm overtaking her tone.
“How about a tie?” Mary pointed to a table filled with ties and scarves. “We have some nice ones over there.”
“Maybe. Thanks.” Amanda turned to look at some Christmas globes nearby. It was funny how being miles away from the news studio made her life back in North Carolina seem a little insignificant. It’s not like anyone here would care about Wilmington’s mayor or that she had embarrassed herself two days ago on live TV.
“Oh, this is just hopeless.” She picked up a snow globe and shook it. She watched the tiny snowflakes gently fall, blanketing the little ice rink inside. Cute. How nice would it be to live inside the tiny glass ball without a care in the world . . .
She laughed. “Until some idiot comes around and shakes your universe upside down.”
Her phone rang inside her purse. She recognized the assigned ringtone immediately.
“Hey, Lacy. What’s up? Is something wrong?”
“Hi, Amanda!” Lacy’s voice boomed through the phone. “How is your visit going? Did your sister have her baby yet?”
Amanda pulled her phone away from her ear. “It’s great. Yes, she had a girl last night. She and the baby are doing just fine. I’m at the hospital now.” She returned the snow globe to its spot on the shelf.
“Awesome! I won’t keep you, but I wanted to let you know that the producers would like tonight’s anchors to do a short segment on this year’s toy drive. They just wanted to run it by Tate and you since you both were so involved with promoting the event on air this month.”
“Oh, that’s nice.” She grabbed a tie. Wrapping it around her wrist, she couldn’t help but think back to two nights ago when she’d had Tate’s tie coiled around her wrist. He’d never explained that.
“Amanda, you still there?”
“Yep.” She pulled the tie off. “I’m sure Tate will be fine with it. I can ask him later.”
“So Tate’s with you?”
Dammit. Why did she just say that? “Um . . . He is. He’s helping me out this weekend. Long story.” Amanda thought back to yesterday when she caught her assistant and Tate deep in conversation on the front steps of Lacy’s apartment building. She had a sinking suspicion that it didn’t matter that she’d admitted it and Lacy had already known he was in New York with her. She still wondered why Lacy had told her this was going to be the best Christmas yet. Having your ex and his fiancée under the same roof with their kid and one on the way was far from it.
“I’m sure you and Tate are having a great time.”
“We are. Hey, Lacy. Let’s keep it between us that Tate’s with me.”
“Of course. Mum is the word.”
“Thanks.”
“Well, if you are home tonight, check us out online. We’re live streaming the show and tracking Santa. Jeff is planning to have the entire crew on camera for the close saying ‘Merry Christmas.’”