Bianca announced her arrival before she actually arrived.
The sound came first—jingling, clanking, and a very enthusiastic hum of a Christmas song Laureen couldn't immediately place. He was still half-asleep on the couch, stethoscope forgotten around his neck, when the front door flew open.
"Laura!" Bianca called. "I brought—whoa—!"
The welcome mat betrayed her.
Bianca tripped, bells attached to her oversized tote exploding into sound as she pitched forward. Laureen reacted on instinct, pushing himself upright just in time to catch her.
They collided.
Hard.
Her hands grabbed the front of his sweater. His arms wrapped around her waist. For one very loud, very awkward second, neither of them moved.
The bells jingled again.
"Oh," Bianca breathed.
"Oh," Laureen replied.
They were far too close. He could smell peppermint and something warm—vanilla, maybe. Her hair brushed his chin. His heart did something medically concerning.
Bianca blinked up at him. "Hi, Laureen."
Every intelligent sentence evacuated his brain.
"Hi," he managed, which felt deeply inadequate for a woman currently pressed against him.
Laura leaned against the hallway wall, arms crossed, watching with unfiltered delight. "Wow. I leave you two alone for five seconds."
Bianca gasped and scrambled backward, nearly tripping again. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to—these bells—Laura said festive bags were encouraged!"
"They were," Laura said innocently. "I just didn't say how festive."
Bianca glared at her, then looked back at Laureen, cheeks pink. "You okay?"
"Yes," he said too quickly. "I mean—fine. Completely fine. You?"
She nodded, smiling. "Great catch, by the way. Very… doctor reflexes."
"Occupational hazard."
There was a pause. An awkward one. The kind that stretched too long because both people were thinking the same thing and neither wanted to say it.
Laura clapped her hands. "Okay! Bianca's here, Laureen's alive, bells are ringing—it's basically Christmas already."
Bianca laughed, the sound light and easy. "I can't believe you agreed to host a party."
Laureen winced. "Neither can I."
She tilted her head, studying him. "Laura said she had to threaten you."
"She did," he admitted.
"With what?"
Laura opened her mouth.
"With absolutely nothing," Laureen cut in.
Bianca smiled, clearly unconvinced. "Sure."
She slipped off her coat and set her bag down—carefully this time. The bells jingled softly.
"So," she said, glancing around the half-decorated room. "This is where the magic happens?"
Laureen followed her gaze. "Magic is a strong word."
"I think it's charming," Bianca said. "Very… you."
He frowned. "You don't know what 'me' is."
She met his eyes. "I think I do."
Something about the way she said it made his chest tighten.
From the hallway, Laura smiled to herself.
Step one was complete.