Drake Sisters 02 - The Twilight Before Christmas

what’s going on with my sister and you al alone up in that house of yours. I was going to help Hannah whip up a little love potion and stick it in your drink the next time I saw you, but they tel me you’ve been playing fast and loose with her already.”
    Kate turned a particularly fetching shade of crimson. “Joley Drake, that wil certainly be the last we hear on that subject.”
    Joley didn’t look impressed with the stern tone. “In case anyone is interested, I took a good look at Kate’s neck, and she has a particularly impressive love bite.”
    Kate clapped her hand over her neck and shook her head. “I most certainly do not. Drink your tea.”
    “What’s even more impressive,” Joley continued, “is that Matt seems to be sporting one of his own.”
    A col ective gasp went up. “We want to see, Matt,” Abigail pleaded.
    “Only if I get to make a wish on the snowglobe,” he bargained.
    There was instant silence. Sarah sat up straighter. “Matt,” she paused and glanced at Kate. “Wishing on our snowglobe is not like making a sil y, frivolous wish. It’s very serious business. You have to know what you want and real y mean it. You have to have weighed your decision very careful y.”
    “I can assure you I have. If you want to see the love bite, you can produce the snowglobe.” Matt folded his arms across his chest.
    “Matt,” Kate cautioned, “if you’re thinking about wishing for anything we already discussed—don’t. It wouldn’t work.”
    Joley lifted her head off the back of the couch and eyed them both. “This sounds very interesting. Does anyone else want Christmas snacks to go with the tea, because I real y could go for those little decorated sugar cookies.” She waggled her fingers in the direction of the kitchen. “Tel us more, Matt.

    The snowglobe is right over there by the fireplace. Please do step on Jonas’s hat. It always livens things up when he does his sheriff he-man routine.” She turned her head to glance at the stairs. “He’s been up there a long time. You don’t suppose he’s taking advantage while Hannah is asleep, do you?”
    Sarah nudged Joley with her foot. “You’re terrible, Joley.”
    Matt skirted around Jonas’s hat and reached for the snowglobe. It felt solid in his hands. He glanced at Kate. She shook her head, looking fearful.
    The globe warmed in his hands. He stared at the scene, the snowflakes whirling around the house until they al blended together to become fog. The lights on the tree sprang to life.
    “You activated it,” Sarah said. “That’s nearly impossible.”
    “Not unless he’s…”
    “Joley!” Kate interrupted her sister sharply. “Matt, real y, it isn’t something to play with.”
    “I’ve never been more serious. Tel me what to do.” He looked at Sarah.
    She glanced at Kate, then shrugged. “It’s relatively easy, Matt, but be sure. You look into the fog and picture what you want most in the world and wish for it. If you meet the criteria, the globe wil grant your wish.”
    “And it works?”
    “According to tradition. Family is al owed one wish a year, no more. And you can’t wish for harm to anyone.”
    “That’s why we don’t al ow Jonas access to it,” Joley said.
    Matt inhaled the fragrance of the candles and fresh-baked cookies wafting from the kitchen. He didn’t question who made the cookies. He wasn’t even surprised by the fact that there were cookies. He stared into the fog inside the snowglobe and conjured up the exact image of Kate. With everything in him, body, soul, heart, and mind, he made his wish. The fog was stil for a moment, then swirled faster, dissipating until the globe was once more clear and the lights on the tree dimmed. He placed the globe back on the shelf careful y and grinned at Kate.
    “Let’s hope you know what you’re doing,” Joley said.
    Suddenly in a much better mood, Matt flashed her a smile. “At the risk of sounding like an adoring fan, I love your col ection of blues. You have the perfect voice for blues.” He grinned at her. “Or Christmas music.”
    Joley winced. “I just sent that to my family for fun.”
    “It’s beautiful,” Abbey said. “Are you having fun on your tour?”
    Joley frowned. “Yes, it’s tiring, and there are always the freaks out there, but there’s nothing quite like the energy of forty thousand people at a concert.”
    “What freaks?” Jonas demanded, walking back into the room. “Hannah didn’t even wake up, not even