Hometown Christmas

by A. M. Williams

  She’d made a breakfast casserole plus biscuits and gravy for breakfast. After they ate, they would move to the living room to open gifts. She couldn’t wait.

  David and Ford came into the kitchen. David quickly snagged his mug and joined his father at the table while Ford lingered, leaning down to kiss her on the lips.

  “Merry Christmas,” he whispered as he pulled back.

  “Merry Christmas.”

  “No kissy face!” David called. “Bring food!”

  “Then get off your ass and come get it!” she hollered back, breaking into laughter by the end.

  Ford shook his head and chuckled.

  A few moments later, they were seated and digging into the warm food. For the first time in a long time, Kat felt complete, and she had a feeling it was because of the small family gathered around the table right then.

  Once they finished eating, and they cleared the table, they made their way into the living room for presents.

  The next few minutes was filled with gifts being passed out and people opening them. Once all the presents were opened, she leaned back against the chair Ford was sitting in and sighed. Everything felt perfect right now.

  “We have one more gift,” her dad said, standing up and leaving the room.

  She glanced at David, who just shrugged before turning his attention back to the book she’d gotten him.

  A few moments later, her dad reentered the room with an envelope and handed it to her.

  “What’s this?” she asked, taking it from him.

  “Guess you’ll have to open to find out.”

  She pursed her lips as she looked at it, trying to figure out what it could hold. It held some papers, but she couldn’t think of anything that her dad could give her that involved paperwork.

  “Are you going to look or not?” David asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

  She blew out a breath as she opened the envelope and pulled the bundle of papers out.

  She unfolded them and started reading.

  As she processed the words, she was sure her heart stopped beating. She went back to the top of the page and read it again, going slower this time to make sure she had it right.

  “Daddy?” she asked, looking up at him. “Is this what I think it is?”

  Her hands were shaking as she waited for his answer.

  “It is. You have the deed to the house, which I’ve signed over to you, and the incorporation paperwork for you to take over sole ownership of the business.”

  Kat didn’t know what to say. This was huge. She darted her glance back to her dad. “What about David?”

  “What about me?” he asked.

  She cut her eyes to him and saw him lounging on the couch with little concerning him. “I have no desire to take over the business or live in this house. It’s your home.”

  Kat felt tears gathering in her eyes and she struggled to keep them at bay. She had no words to express how excited and happy she was with this gift.

  She pushed herself up and walked over to her dad, wrapping her arms around him. “Thank you,” she whispered into his ear, hugging him tight.

  “No need to thank me. You were born for this, baby girl.”

  She squeezed him tighter.

  When she let him go, she walked back over to Ford, who pulled her into his lap. “Does this mean I’m your boss and landlord now?” she asked her dad, grinning.

  He laughed. “In a way. I’ve found a small house that I’ve bought and I’ll be moving into after the new year. But, you’re definitely the boss with the business.”

  “You’re moving out?”

  More tears gathered in her eyes, but for a different reason.

  Her dad sighed. “Yeah, I am. I think it’s time. Besides, you’re moving on with your life and having your old man around will cramp your style.”

  Her dad’s gaze slipped to Ford sitting behind her and her face heated as she considered his words. Seemed her dad thought that her relationship with Ford was serious too.

  “Besides,” he continued, “the stairs are getting to be tough. I want something that’s a single story that I can easily walk through without worrying about cramping.”

  Kat nodded. It made sense, but that didn’t mean she was happy about it, that was for sure.

  “What do you say we put a movie on and relax for the rest of the day?”

  Everyone nodded and quickly cleaned the living room up from the wrapping paper and topping off their coffee before returning. A movie was already paused on the screen.

  Ford tugged her back into his lap and she cuddled up with him, enjoying the simplicity of just sitting with him with her brother and father.

  It was weird to think that after only a few weeks of knowing him she was pretty sure he was it for her. She hadn’t told him she loved him yet because she still wasn’t sure, but she was pretty damn sure that was where she was heading.

  For the first time in a long time she would start a new year with someone besides her sibling and dad by her side.

  It terrified her, but in a good way.

  “You’re not paying attention,” Ford whispered.

  She sighed and angled her head so she could whisper in his ear. “I can’t help that I’m distracted.”

  Ford groaned low in his throat and shifted under her. She was pleased to know that simple words were enough to impact him like that.

  “Maybe later we can sneak off and make out in my room,” she said a few moments later.

  “Playing with fire,” Ford breathed.

  Kat giggled. “I’m okay with that.”

  Ford’s arms tightened around her, but he said nothing. That was fine. She could feel how effected he was by her words. He’d have to wait a little while longer though.

  That was also fine because soon enough, they would be alone in the house and she wouldn’t have to worry about sneaking around anymore.

  Thirty-Two

  Ford

  Chapter Thirty Two-Ford

  After his divorce from Alexis, Ford never thought he’d find love or happiness again. Actually, he hadn’t wanted to find it again. She’d wrecked him in more ways than one and broken his trust in females.

  Then he met Kat. And she was everything he didn’t realize he needed.

  She was kind and beautiful while also loving many of the same things that he did.

  He knew it was quick, but he was in love with her.

  It might be sappy, but he was planning to tell her New Year’s Eve once they got back to her place. Her dad moved out right after Christmas, leaving her alone.

  He would have loved to be out there each night with her or have her with him at his own house, but it wasn’t feasible. Not only had they just started dating, but they each had responsibilities.

  Tonight was the first night he’d be spending with her since that first night he stayed over.

  He was more than ready for it too.

  First, he had to get through the town-wide New Year’s Eve party. Thankfully, it happened earlier in the day and they did a mini ball drop around eight at night so kids could stay up and take part.

  It was already seven, so he was in the home stretch. He just wished time was moving faster.

  They were in the pub off Main Street with David, Denise, and a few other people until a little while before they would get into place for the ball drop.

  Ford was sipping a lukewarm beer with an arm wrapped around Kat’s waist while he listened to her laugh at something Denise said.

  No doubt about it. He was a goner.

  “Stop looking at my sister like you want to devour her,” David said from his left.

  He looked that way and smirked at the slightly queasy look on his face. “Sorry, can’t do that.”

  David shook his head. “At least try to control yourself around me. After walking into your office to find the two of your making out last week, I’ve met my quota.”

  Ford chuckled. All three of them were mortified when David walked into Ford’s off
ice and found Ford laying practically on top of Kat on top of Ford’s desk. David was the most embarrassed because Kat’s shirt was half off and he never thought he’d walk in on something like that.

  “Karma,” Ford muttered before pressing a kiss to Kat’s exposed neck.

  “What’s karma?” she asked, turning in his arm.

  “Nothing,” David muttered, walking away.

  “He was talking about last week again, wasn’t he?”

  Ford nodded. “I don’t think he’ll get over that for a while.”

  Kat shrugged. “It’s like you said…”

  Their eyes met, and they said in unison, “Karma.”

  Ford wrapped a hand around her throat and pulled her down so he could press a kiss to her lips. “How long till we can leave?”

  Kat checked the time and said, “Thirty minutes. Want to head out and get a good spot?”

  Ford nodded and quickly drained the rest of his beer while Kat did the same to her own.

  They said their goodbyes and Ford ignored Denise’s wiggling eyebrows. He was then tugging her through the crowd inside to the even bigger crowd outside.

  People were everywhere and Ford still couldn’t get over how packed Main Street got with every holiday. He thought it was busy with the Christmas Parade and Christmas Eve festivities, but neither of those had anything on the New Year’s Eve celebration.

  “Come on,” Kat said, tugging on his hand.

  He followed behind her as she wound through the crowd, waving to people as she went.

  Ford nodded to the few people he recognized, pleased to realize he recognized more people than he thought he would. He’d only been in town just over a month, so that was good progress.

  “Here,” she said, pausing on the corner down from the vet clinic.

  There weren’t too many people around them, so he looked at her with an arched brow. “I thought for sure you’d want to be closer to the ball.”

  The ball was in the middle of the town on Main Street a block up the street.

  Kat shrugged. “I normally would, but I think I want to get home more than I want to watch the ball this year.”

  She shot him a devious smile and walked her fingers up his jacket, curling them around the collar of it and tugging until he leaned down.

  She pressed her lips against his and he groaned low in his throat. He would give nothing else to miss out on the ball drop himself. But he knew Kat liked the small traditions that Haven Falls did and he was excited about experiencing another thing that made the town feel a little more like home.

  She pulled back and blew out a long breath, fogging up the air between them.

  “Want to cut out early?” she asked, her gloved hand cupping his raging erection.

  He made a noise low in his throat as he thrust his hips forward. “I’d love to, but they’re starting.”

  Kat dropped her hand and whirled around to see that he was right. A large screen had lit up with a countdown showing they were a minute from the drop.

  They could hear the dull roar of the crowd clustered around the ball and Ford smiled. He wrapped his arms around Kat’s waist again, tugging her until she was leaning back into him.

  They watched the countdown and once it ended and the fireworks lit up the night sky, he put a finger under her chin and tilted her head back so he could see her face.

  “I was going to do this later, but I had to tell you know. I love you.”

  Kat smiled and turned in his arms, never taking her eyes off of him.

  “I was going to tell you that later! Stealing my thunder…” she grumbled, shooting him a mock angry look. “I love you too. I know it’s fast…”

  “But it feels right, doesn’t it?” he asked.

  She nodded and smiled. “It does.”

  Ford looked back toward the crowd and saw that it was dispersing. “What do you say we head back to your house and ring in the new year with some sex? Supposedly whatever you’re doing when the clock strikes midnight is what you’ll be doing for the coming year.”

  Kat threw her head back and laughed. “If that’s your logic, I can’t fault it. I would love to join you for some sex.”

  He couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled out of his throat. When she put it like that, it sounded ridiculous, but it didn’t make him want to do it any less.

  “What are we waiting for then?”

  He tugged on her hand, dragging her behind him toward his truck. They had a new year to ring in.

  Epilogue

  Kat

  One year later…

  Kat blew out a breath and tried to work quickly through the last of the feeding for the day. It was Christmas Eve and everyone was coming to their house for dinner. Ford had already finished with the horses and was inside checking the turkey in the oven.

  She thought she’d be done by now, but the dog food was out when she opened the barrel and she had to quickly refill it before she could feed.

  Add in a frozen spigot and things hadn’t gone at all how she wanted them to.

  She was just locking up the feed shed when she heard crunching gravel and she groaned.

  “Why are they here so early?” she grumbled as she strode toward the house, bypassing the porch and walking around the side.

  She drew up short when she saw a truck she didn’t recognize in the driveway.

  She heard the door open behind her and glanced over her shoulder to see Ford standing there, waving to the driver who waved back.

  “Who the fuck is that?” she asked.

  She sounded more irritable than she should, but today wasn’t a day for surprises. This was the first holiday dinner she and Ford were hosting and she wanted it to go off without a hitch.

  “That’s Earl.”

  She looked at Ford and opened her mouth, but nothing came out. He said it so nonchalantly that she didn’t even know what to say.

  She was frozen for long enough that Ford walked off to meet Earl—whoever the fuck he was—at the back of the truck. She watched the two of them laugh while Earl climbed into the truck bed to retrieve something.

  A few moments later, Ford placed whatever it was by his feet and shook Earl’s hand before bending down and picking it up.

  When he came around the back of the truck, her eyes widened as she took in the dog kennel.

  “We’re getting a dog today?”

  Her mind went into overdrive. They had the space, but they didn’t just take dogs on without vetting them. She wanted to make sure they were the best fit.

  “We are, but not what you’re thinking. Let’s go in.”

  Ford started for the house and Kat stared after him. “Why aren’t we putting him outside?” she asked stupidly.

  Ford chuckled. “He’s not an outside dog.”

  Kat was frozen on her spot and watched as Ford walked up the steps and back into the house. She stood there for several moments more before shaking herself loose and following him inside.

  If the dog wasn’t an outside dog, maybe that meant he was finally caving on them getting an inside dog. She’d wanted one for a while, but Ford and her dad told her to hold off until after the holidays and Ford was fully settled in the house.

  He’d only just moved in the week prior, so while she’d grumbled about it, she’d waited.

  She quickly shed her outerwear and followed the sounds of a yipping dog into the living room.

  Her heart melted as she took in the scene she walked in to. A chocolate lab puppy was in Ford’s lap with a large red bow tied around his neck.

  “Oh, my gosh! Look at him!”

  She dropped to her knees and crawled closer to her, holding her hand out for him to sniff once she was close enough.

  His tail wagged back and forth before a whole body wiggle started. “What’s his name?”

  Ford shifted, and she looked up at his face, noticing his discomfort.

  “Well, what is it?”

  Ford coughed before saying, “Well, we can change it if you don’t lik
e it. But I tried to follow the pattern you use for the outside dogs when I registered his name.”

  Kat’s brow rose. “Okay, you’re not instilling me with any sort of comfort.”

  Ford reached for the paper sitting next to him and handed it to her.

  She looked at him with a questioning look, but he just nodded to the paper.

  She looked down and saw that it was a standard registration form for a pure-bred animal, nothing different.

  The dog was registered in her name. She scanned the document, noting the dog’s birth date and that he was up to date on shots.

  Then she noticed the official registered name: Haven Falls Engagement.

  She blinked, wondering if she was reading it wrong.

  “Haven Falls Engagement?” she asked, looking up at Ford.

  Instead of answering, he plucked the paper from her hand and pushed the dog into it instead.

  She wrapped her arms around the puppy and froze when she felt something else she hadn’t noticed earlier.

  She swallowed thickly as her fingers explored the cold metallic thing they’d found.

  Ford blew out a shaky breath, pulling her attention to him. He reached forward and fiddled with something on the front of the bow, holding it up for her to see.

  In the soft lighting of the living room, the diamond he was holding sparkled in his fingers.

  Her mouth dropped open as her gaze flickered between what he was holding and his face.

  “Are you sure?” she blurted out, not sure what else to say.

  Ford laughed. “Yeah, I am. I wouldn’t have named that dog what I did without some certainty.”

  “What are we going to call him?”

  “Haven. Or whatever you want. The official name was the only thing I put some thought into.”

  Kat nodded and tried to swallow, realizing her throat was dry suddenly.

  “Kathleen Phelps,” Ford said, his voice cracking as he finished saying her name. She noticed his hand was shaking and knew that he was just as nervous as she was. “I never thought I’d find someone else I wanted to spend my life with. Then I met you. And you blew me away. Will you do me the honor of—“