“I’m sorry, Ronan. It didn’t occur to me that I might be disturbing you. I can finish moving these boxes tomorrow morning before Gabby gets here.”
“Gabby’s coming tomorrow?” he asked in surprise.
I slapped my hand over my face. “I can’t believe I forgot to tell you. I must be having an off day.” I paused and shook my head. I’d been having a lot of off days or moments, particularly when Ronan was around. “Yes, Gabby called earlier today. She’s out of school all next week and wants to help me set up my Christmas village.”
“What time are we leaving to pick her up?” he asked as he typed something into his phone.
“We’re not. Jacob is flying her here in the morning.”
He put his phone away and nodded. “Well then, let me help you get all of this moved downstairs. You and I both know Gabby will be ready to get started as soon as she comes inside.”
I laughed at that. “Keegan said she’s been drawing various layouts in her notebook since Halloween.”
Ronan’s eyes widened. “Really? She’s what? Six years old?”
I nodded. “Impressive, isn’t it?”
“Indeed, it is,” he agreed. “I can’t wait to see what she came up with.”
We spent the next few hours moving totes, boxes, and tables downstairs. When I started to rearrange the furniture, Ronan made a suggestion. “Maybe we should clear this room out completely to give Gabby a blank canvas to work with.”
“That’s a great idea, Ronan,” I said and picked up an end table to carry it to another room.
When I returned, my other two full-time guards, Seth and Ian, were in the sitting room lifting one of the couches. I looked to Ronan who answered my question before it was verbalized. “You didn’t think I was going to let you move couches and display cases, did you?”
“I’m very capable of moving furniture, Ronan,” I snapped.
“I didn’t say you weren’t. But, it would be a shame if you accidentally got hurt and couldn’t set up the village with Gabby, wouldn’t it?”
“Well played, Ronan. Well. Played,” I said with a wink.
2
Jacquelyn
When I heard the unmistakable sound of a helicopter approaching, I grabbed my jacket and headed for the door so I could greet Jacob, his wife, and my granddaughter. I was reaching behind me for the other coat sleeve when Ronan’s familiar scent filled the air. “Let me,” he said softly and helped me with my jacket.
“Thank you.”
“Let’s take the cart down,” he suggested.
Several years before, I purchased a golf cart so I could move around the estate easier. I rarely ventured out onto the grounds, but every now and then Gabby wanted to go “exploring.”
As we got closer to Jacob’s helipad, I could see Gabby bouncing in her seat while impatiently waiting for the blades to come to a stop.
Once it was safe to exit, Jacob helped Keegan out first, and then lifted Gabby from her seat and placed her on the ground. “Gigi!” she squealed and ran to me as fast as her little legs would carry her.
“Gabriella!” I returned and caught her when she launched her little body into my arms. “Did you have a good flight?”
“We did! We saw snow on some of the mountains,” she said excitedly.
“You did? Do you think we will get any snow this year?”
“I hope so! I want to go sledding with James and help the babies build a snowman.”
“Hey, Mom,” Jacob rumbled and pulled me in for a hug before he turned to greet Ronan.
“My boy, you look handsome as ever. And Keegan,” I said and turned to hug my daughter-in-law, “you’re positively glowing.”
