Shane gazes back at me as he tries to hide his expression from the boys. He’s pressing his lips together, and I can tell he’s trying not to laugh. It’s really not a laughing matter—they could have gotten hurt, but the looks on both boys’ faces is priceless.
Elly walks in from the kitchen holding two big mugs. “How about some nice hot chocolate to warm you up?”
She hands each boy a mug, and they hold them with both hands, obviously enjoying the warmth.
Luke peers down at his and smiles. “Little marshmallows.” Then he glances up at me and asks, “Can I drink it?”
I have to force myself not to smile back. “Yes, you can.”
He takes a sip of his hot chocolate. “Mmm. Thank you, Ms. Elly. It’s yummy.”
Aiden looks to Jake for permission to drink his. Jake sighs as he says, “Go ahead.”
Elly returns from the kitchen pushing a cart holding a large stainless steel beverage dispenser, a number of mugs, and a bag of mini marshmallows. “I’ve got enough for everyone,” she says.
When Shane asks me if I want some, I shake my head. “No thanks.” I’m still shaken by the events of this afternoon. All’s well that ends well, sure. But this situation could have ended very differently.
Lia turns the Christmas music back on. Now that the danger has passed, we have a chance to visit with Hannah and Killian. We haven’t seen them since their wedding in Bryce.
“If I’d known we were going to encounter missing persons,” Hannah says with a laugh, “I would have brought Scout. He’s quite the expert tracker now.”
“Who’s taking care of your dog?” Aiden asks.
“Scout is staying with our friends Gabrielle and John while we’re gone.”
“I wish you brought him,” Aiden says. “I like dogs.”
Hannah glances up at Jake. “Maybe you should invest in a guardian dog. Maybe a Great Pyrenees.” She nods toward Aiden. “Does he wander off often?”
“Only in blizzards,” Jake says with a wry expression. “Normally, he’s easy enough to find.” Jake turns back to face the boys. “I don’t think I need to say this, butno going outside anymore without an adult. Got it?”
Aiden nods as he swallows some hot chocolate. “Yes, sir.”
Luke says, “Yes, Uncle Jake.” And then he smiles as he takes a sip of his hot chocolate.
Chapter 4
The rest of Christmas Eve is much more relaxing as we hang out and listen to Christmas songs. The guys set up a poker game across the room at a table in front of the bar. Aiden and Luke get their building blocks out and start building houses and cars and spaceships.
The little girls—Ava, twins Emerly and Everly, and Mia—sit on a rug and play with a variety of toys, from colorful blocks to dolls to race cars. Jamie joins them, sitting on the floor with Hazel propped up on his lap so she can participate, too.
The rest of us are passing little Henry around. He’s sound asleep and a perfect little angel.
More hot chocolate appears, courtesy of Elly. Cookies in the evening. She spoils us rotten.
When it’s my turn to hold Henry, I can’t stop staring down at his sweet little face. He has a perfect nose and a darling mouth. His hair is the same rich auburn shade as Jamie’s, and I suspect he’s going to be his Daddy’s mini-me. Holding a newborn makes me think of having another baby. I imagine more than a few moms in this house are thinking the same thing.
In a family with seven adult siblings, it’s not unusual to accumulate a lot of grandkids. Even though we haven’t discussed it, I’m pretty sure Shane would be amenable to the idea of us having another one.
Elly comes out of the kitchen holding a platter piled high with chocolate chip cookies, a big glass of milk, and a bunch of carrots with the long, frilly greens still attached. George pulls a small table to the side of the Christmas tree, and Elly sets the goodies down.
Aiden and Luke crowd around the display.
“Who are these for?” Luke asks.
“The cookies and milk are for Santa,” Aiden says.
“And the carrots are for his reindeer,” Elly adds.
