“Finally!” Maverick grins from his spot on the couch, Gina tucked against his side. “Santa’s elves were getting restless.”
Gina’s mother, Malina, sits in the wingback chair, her husband Lucious perched on the arm beside her. I’ve known them for years—they visit Gina and Maverick constantly from their place across town, and Malina’s cooked me more Sunday dinners than I can count. But watching her shrewd gaze assess Desiree makes me suddenly nervous.
“Gran!” Bella rushes over, tugging Desiree by the hand. “This is my mommy! Mommy, this is Gran Malina and Mr. Luc!”
“Oh!” Desiree’s eyes widen, clearly caught off guard. “It’s so nice to meet you both.”
Malina’s face lights up as she takes Desiree’s hands, pulling her down to the ottoman. “Come here, baby. Let me look at you.” She studies Desiree’s face. “Oh, you’re even prettier than Bella said. That child hasn’t stopped talking about her mama all morning.”
“Really?” Desiree’s voice softens, glancing at Bella.
“Mm-hmm. ‘My mommy’s here for Christmas, my mommy made cookies with me, my mommy and daddy—’” Malina pauses, her gaze dropping to Desiree’s neck. Her eyebrows climb. “Oh my.” Her voice carries clearly across the room. “Gina, sweetheart, I think we’re gonna need to call pest control.”
“Pest control?” I ask warily.
“Mm-hmm.” Malina’s dark eyes sparkle with pure mischief as she gently turns Desiree’s chin, inspecting her neck with exaggerated concern. “It appears this poor child’s been absolutely devoured by... what you call them, Lucious? Love bugs?”
Lucious snorts into his coffee cup. Gina dissolves into delighted laughter, burying her face in Maverick’s shoulder.
Desiree’s hand flies to her neck. “Oh my God.”
“Very aggressive this season,” Lucious observes solemnly, his deep voice perfectly deadpan. “Must be something in the Winter Bay air.”
“It’s the Christmas spirit,” Maverick adds between laughter. “Really brings out the pests.”
Malina tsks sympathetically, patting Desiree’s knee even as her smile widens. “Don’t you worry, sweetheart. These particular bugs?” She cuts her eyes toward me with a knowing look. “They’re the good kind. The kind that stick around.”
“Mom,” Gina warns, but she’s grinning.
“Can we open presents now?” Bella bounces between us. “Please?”
“Breakfast first,” Malina declares, earning groans from all the kids. “Santa’s orders. Can’t open presents on empty stomachs.”
What follows is the fastest breakfast in history—kids inhaling pancakes and fruit at record speed. Desiree helps, moving around the kitchen like she belongs in this family. Because she does.
Finally, we adjourn to the living room for the main event. Organized chaos ensues as kids tear into presents with abandon. I’m more interested in watching Desiree’s face as Bella opens gift after gift.
“Enrick,” she whispers during a particularly loud moment, “this is too much.”
“She’s my only child,” I counter. “Look at her face.”
Bella is indeed radiant, showing off each present to her cousins with pure joy. But the best moment comes when she opens a small box from me.
“What is it?” She holds up the delicate silver necklace with a small ‘B’ pendant surrounded by tiny diamonds.
“Every princess needs jewelry,” I explain. “Want me to put it on?”
“Yes!” She scrambles over, holding up her hair.
“I have something for you,” I murmur, producing a wrapped box from behind the tree.
“Enrick, you didn’t have to—”
“Open it.”
She unwraps it carefully, gasping when it reveals multiple sets of keys, each tagged with an address.
“Enrick—what?”
