“I think you’re going to have to wait, Mr. Icinda. Santa came, and those kids will not wait for you to get your fill of me.” I maneuvered out of his hold and headed to the bathroom.
“Damn, I might have to rethink this holiday thing.”
He’d had fun the night before setting all the gifts under the tree and stuffing the stockings. It was almost like he was a kid, and seeing the joy in his eyes had made my heart even fuller.
Gabe came in while I was brushing my teeth. His hair was messy, and he looked incredibly adorable. It tempted me to make Reid wait an extra half hour to take advantage of Gabe, but there was no way I’d convince my son to wait for Christmas.
After we’d both dressed, me in my Christmas pajamas that Gabe promptly teased me for and him in a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt that made me regret not stealing a few minutes because now he was just sexy as hell, we headed down the hall. Reid and Shelby were eagerly waiting at the top of the stairs,both knowing the rules that they had to wait for the adults—not that I thought they hadn’t peeked at the tree while we were dressing. Cash and Brandi were standing guard, keeping them from wandering, and the others were congregating as we joined them. Liv gave Gabe a glare that had me relieved that he would have to deal with her wrath and not me.
“Why in God’s name are we up this early?” she grumbled.
“Because it’s Christmas morning, and this is what we do,” Brandi explained.
“Can we go down now?” my niece asked.
Cash stood aside, and she and Reid bolted. I took Gabe’s hand as we followed. “This makes it all worth it.”
Instead of watching the kids, I watched Gabe. It was his first Christmas with Reid, and emotions played on his face. Wonder, excitement, awe. This moment was one I would remember along with the other significant ones that were slowly healing the painful ones.
When wrapping paper sufficiently covered the floor, Gabe took my hand and pulled me into his side, kissing my head. I peered up at him and saw that his eyes had grown misty.
“Can we go play?” Reid asked, gathering a handful of presents while his cousin did the same.
“There’s one more present for you,” I said, looking at Gabe to make sure he was still okay with this.
“For me?” Reid asked, dropping back to the floor. The move sent his presents tumbling from his hand.
Gabe rose and went to our room, returning with the box his father had sent. Neither of us had opened it. He placed it in front of Reid, and Liv shifted in her seat, her hands clenched. This was a big step for them, and I knew she was just as uncomfortable as Gabe was. Anxiety sent my nerves tumbling through my stomach like falling blocks.
“From Santa?” Reid asked, putting his hand on the box as my mother handed Gabe a pair of scissors.
“No,” Gabe said, and a collective tension ran through the room.
My parents hadn’t been happy about the gift either, my father taking on a protective stance regarding Gabe and even Liv when we’d told them. As much as this had been my suggestion, however, it was Gabe’s decision, and I was proud of him for making it. I would have backed him either way, but I knew there were too many raw wounds remaining in him.
As he cut the tape on the box, the image of him tear-soaked and vulnerable returned, and I found myself moving closer to Liv. She had her hands bunched in her lap, and I reached over and placed mine on hers. Gaze flying to me then to our hands, she tensed, and I thought she would pull away. She was anything but touchy-feely. But she gave me a small smile and left it there, relaxing some.
Gabe removed a wrapped present from the box and pushed the empty box over to me. He sat on the floor next to Reid, staring at the present for a moment, and the emotion I witnessed pass over his face had me tightening my grip on Liv’s hand. She put her other hand over mine, encasing it between hers, and we both held our breath.
“We should let them have a moment,” my mother said, but Gabe shook his head.
“No, it’s okay.”
Reid looked between them before scooting closer to Gabe, whose focus remained on the present. He kneeled and put his hands on Gabe’s face, lifting it. The prick of tears burned my eyes.
“Are you okay, Daddy?”
Gabe sniffed and cleared his throat, rubbing his eye before taking Reid’s hand and kissing it. “I’m fine. This is from my father for you.”
Reid’s eyes grew large, and in a hushed voice he said, “Your daddy? The not nice one?”
Gabe chuckled, and Liv moved her hand from mine and cleared her throat. I leaned closer to her, knowing Gabe had Reid in this moment, but Liv needed someone, too.
“Yes, he’s your other grandfather, and he’s trying to be nice. I guess.”
Reid sat back, contemplating his words. Silence fell over us, only the clink of Shelby’s building set she had opened making any sound. Reid scratched his nose and tilted his head as he studied the present.
“Why does that make you sad?”
