But Michael Barrett pulled him in for a hug instead, and Ella held in her tears as she watched her two favorite men embrace.
Thank you, Andy.
Thank you for bringing us all together.
21
ELLA
Ella spent the next day feeling like she was floating on sunshine, despite the blizzard outside. The whole family decided that if they were snowed in on Christmas Eve, at least they could bake. So, after they dug their way to the barn to feed the pony, they got out all the ingredients.
All day long the kitchen was filled with laughter, delicious scents, and the sound of Christmas music on the radio as they taught Dalton the family’s holiday recipes.
Ella and Dalton headed back out in the late afternoon to feed Goldie again. The snow was so deep that the whole farm looked different, the smaller hills and valleys leveled under the pale frosting. But at least it wasn’t falling anymore. The sky was clear enough to see the stars, and the air was bright and crisp, as if the snow had cleaned it.
“Is it wrong to wish every day could be like this?” Ella wondered out loud as Dalton held her gloved hand in his.
“I was thinking the same thing,” he told her with a crooked smile that almost broke her heart.
They were about to walk in the back door when Dalton tugged her hand to stop her from opening it, and stole a featherlight kiss that sent her heart racing.
Life was good, so good.
They all stayed up late, enjoying cookies and mugs of tea, and telling stories about Christmases past. Ella even convinced Dalton to tell everyone his Andy story, and they all laughed until they cried happy tears.
On Christmas morning,Ella was up before the sun, her heart singing before she was even awake enough to remember why she was so happy.
The whole house still smelled like cinnamon and spices. She hummed “Joy to the World” as she took a quick shower and dressed. But she stopped humming on the way down the stairs, in case anyone was sleeping in.
She skipped the creaky step, and had just reached the landing before the kitchen when she heard soft voices.
“I didn’t get to talk to Santa,” Dove was saying plaintively.
“But you did,” her grandfather told her. “You came home with little candy canes, remember?”
“No, he just gave out candy and heleft,” Dove said. “I didn’t get to tell him.”
“Tell him what, sweetheart?” he asked.
“What I want for Christmas,” Dove said softly.
“Well, Christmasisa nice time for presents,” hergrandpa said carefully. “But the most important thing that we all have is each other.”
Ella smiled. She’d heard some version of that sentiment so many times as a child, especially when the farm had a hard year. But for the Barretts, it was true—Christmas really was more about preparing special foods and hosting family get-togethers. Those were the things Dove would remember long after she forgot whether she got a certain book or toy.
“But we don’t all have each other, not Dalton,” Dove said sadly. “He might not live here forever. Mama said so.”
Ella bit her lip. Shehadgiven Dove that warning, back before she and Dalton were together. She wanted to be honest with her daughter, always, and prepare her for what she thought was Dalton’s eventual departure.
“And you want him to live here forever?” Dad asked Dove gently.
“Yes,” Dove said.
“Well,” her grandfather replied. “I think there’s someone even better than Santa that you can talk to about that. You can tell Dalton himself. He likes you a lot, Dove, and I’ll bet he’d give it serious thought if you asked him.”
“Okay,” she said, sounding happier.
“Merry Christmas,” Ella said loudly as she came down the rest of the stairs.
