“It fits your personality,” Dex calls out.
“Thanks, bro.”
Grace wins a reindeer hat that lights upandplays a Christmas song. She puts it on and starts bobbing her head to the tune like she’s in a music video.
Summer unwraps the gift, lifts the shirt, and freezes.
“It says…‘I kissed Santa and he liked it.’” her voice breaks into a disbelieving laugh.
She looks straight at me, cheeks blazing.
Jace loses it.
“ETHAN, YOU DOG!”
Summer covers her face, laughing into her palms, but when she peeks at me, those eyes are sparkling with something that hits me low and hot.
I drag my thumb slowly across my bottom lip, just to tease.
“Pretty sure he’d more than like it.”
Her breath catches. She kicks me under the table, but the smile she’s fighting is pure temptation.
And I’m a goner.
She’s relaxed. Happy. Safe.
Safe.
That word hits me hard.
I want to keep her like this. I want Mia to always feel this loved, this included. I want them to wake up here every Christmas Eve for the rest of their lives.
I don’t know how I’m going to do it yet.
But I promise myself, right there as she leans into my shoulder and laughs at Jace using the mic to call the next number like a man possessed, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them here.
With me.
Happy.
Home.
Chapter 28
Summer
I wake up to Mia jumping on our bed.
“It’s Christmas! It’s Christmas, Mommy! Let’s see what Santa brought me!” Her tiny hands grab my arms, shaking me awake with enough energy to power the entire ranch for a week.
Ethan is laughing beside me, hair mussed, voice rough with sleep but clearly delighted. I squint at my phone and groan. Eight a.m. Already. Considering we went to bed well after midnight, it feels like two seconds later.
“Efan! Did you hear Santa last night?” Mia asks, eyes wide with pure wonder.
Ethan nods seriously, brushing a strand of hair away from his face.“I did. I think I even heard him land on the roof.”
Mia gasps, lips forming a perfect little“O.”
