"I never snuck out."
"You absolutely did. You just never got caught." Lily winked at Grant. "She'd tell Mom and Dad she was studying at Hannah's house."
"Lily!"
"What? I'm just saying, you have a history of being sneaky when it comes to this man."
Grant couldn't help but grin. "Is that so?"
"Don't encourage her," Riley said, but she was smiling.
Lily dried the last dish and set it aside. "I'm going to check on the kids before they destroy the living room. You two have fun." She breezed out, leaving Grant and Riley alone in the kitchen for the first time all evening.
Riley immediately stepped closer, her hands finding his chest. "Finally. Five seconds of privacy."
"Your family really doesn't believe in alone time, do they?"
"Not even a little bit." She rose up on her toes and kissed him, quick but warm. "Thank you for being so patient."
"I'm having a great time."
"Even though we haven't had a single moment to ourselves?"
"Especially because of that." Grant pulled her closer. "This is what I want, Riley. All of it. The chaos and the family and your sister telling embarrassing stories about you."
"She has so many more. This is just the beginning."
"Good. I want to hear them all."
Riley's smile turned soft. "You're really good at this, you know."
"At what?"
"Being here. Fitting in. Making my mom love you and my nephew adopt you and my dad show you his workshop full of half-finished projects."
"Your dad's workshop is impressive."
"It's a fire hazard."
"An impressive fire hazard."
Riley laughed, and Grant committed the sound to memory—Riley laughing in her mother's kitchen on Christmas Eve, warm and happy and his.
The moment was interrupted by Jake barreling into the kitchen. "Aunt Riley! Uncle Grant! We're doingPictionaryand Mom says we need more players!"
"We'll be right there," Riley promised.
Jake ran off, and Riley sighed. "So much for our five seconds."
"We'll have later," Grant reminded her.
"Later," Riley echoed, and the promise in her voice made Grant's heart skip.
Finally, Carol declared dinner ready, and they all crowded around the table. Grant found himself seated between Riley and Sophie, with Thomas across from him looking amused by the whole production.
"Before we eat," Carol said, raising her glass, "I want to say how grateful I am to have all of you here. Family, friends, old and new." Her eyes landed on Grant with unmistakable warmth. "This is what Christmas is about. Being together."
"Hear, hear," Riley's dad said, and they all clinked glasses.
