“No way, Dad!” Jane said, her eyes just as wide and excited as Trinity’s. “You adopted her?”
“I did,” Jack confirmed.
Trinity, Jane, and Maddy let out simultaneous squeals and rushed forward. The two dogs were immediately engulfed with love and excited petting.
Holly stepped over to Jack, her eyes misty with happy tears. “What a wonderful display,” she said softly, kissing his cheek. “The doghouse is adorable.”
“Thank you,” Jack said. “Logan and I have been building over the past week as a Christmas present for Duke.”
“It’s beautiful,” Holly said, her eyes going back to where everyone was playing with the dogs.
“Oh, and I have something else.” Jack reached for a nearby table and held up an official-looking document. “We passed inspection.”
“We did?” Holly’s voice broke as emotional relief flooded through her. “Jack, we really did?”
“We really did,” Jack confirmed. “Abe filed the report this afternoon. We’re cleared to operate. The inn is safe. The ball is happening. We’re going to be okay. And thank you, Holly,” Jack said softly, his eyes holding hers. “I saw what you did to the suites on the third floor.”
Holly smiled, feeling her cheeks warm. “It was a team effort between me, Gabe, Christopher, Trinity, Maddy, and Charlie.”
“Thank you all,” Jack said, pulling her close and giving her a quick kiss. “I could never have done this without any of you.”
“We would never have been this happy without all of you,” Holly told him, and she meant every word.
They were broken apart when Trinity rushed over and threw her arms around Jack.
“Thank you, Granddad,” Trinity said, squeezing him tight. “Thank you for Brandy.”
Holly saw Jack’s eyes mist over, saw the emotion play across his face. She glanced over and saw Jane had frozen in place, tears springing to her eyes at the sound of Trinity callingJack “Granddad.”
Jane stepped up and joined the hug. “Thank you, Dad,” she said. “For everything.”
The three of them stood there in a group hug, and Holly stepped back to give them their moment. Her son walked over and put an arm around her shoulders.
“Now that’s a sight I’ll never get tired of,” Gabe said quietly.
“I was thinking the same,” Holly agreed, watching Jack with Trinity and Jane, watching Duke and Brandy surrounded by love, watching all these people who had become her family celebrating together.
Christopher appeared on her other side, and Isabella joined them. Maddy was still on the floor with the dogs, her laughter filling the room.
“Hot chocolate?” one of the wait staff offered, and soon they were all holding warm mugs and eating cookies and talking over each other in their excitement.
“When did you pick up Brandy?” Jane asked Jack.
“This morning,” Jack said. “After Abe left. Detective Bruce was happy to let her go to a good home.”
Holly looked around the room at all these people who had become so important to her in such a short time.
This was what family looked like. Not just blood, but choice. People who showed up for each other, who worked together, who celebrated each other’s victories.
“To the Christmas Inn,” Jack said, raising his mug of hot chocolate. “And to family.”
“To family,” everyone echoed, raising their mugs.
Holly caught Jack’s eye across the room, and the look he gave her made her heart skip. Love, gratitude, hope, and promise all wrapped into one.
They still had some major hurdles to overcome, and the inn was far from in the clear. But they were still going to have Christmas here and come what may, Holly knew it was going to be the best Christmas ever.
18
