Texas Christmas Twins

by Deb Kastner

  “You are amazing,” he whispered into her ear. “I thought my world had ended tonight. How did you do this?”

  “With a lot of help from our friends,” she said, gesturing around the room at the kids gathered in social circles.

  “Oh, stop it, you two,” Blanche said feistily. “You’ll set a bad example for the teenagers.”

  “Speaking of which,” Miranda said, “it’s time for me to gather them all up and get to church. I don’t like leaving your house such a mess, though. I promise I’ll come over tomorrow and clean it all up.”

  “No, you absolutely will not. It’s Christmas morning. You are going to spend Christmas at home with the twins.”

  “We’re celebrating at Mason and Charlotte’s house. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if you came, as well. There’s bound to be plenty of food,” she said hopefully.

  “I would, but I’m afraid I have plans of my own.”

  “Oh.” She hadn’t expected that answer, and she didn’t know how to respond, so she turned to the teenagers and flickered the lights to get their attention.

  “It’s time for us to go to the midnight service,” she announced. “But before you leave, I would just like to thank you for all your help tonight. Thanks to you, we got every dog back where they belong.”

  The teenagers clapped and hooted.

  “That said, I would like to organize one more service project. I think you’ll all agree that today was pretty chaotic.”

  There were many nods and murmurs.

  “So, to make up for it, tomorrow morning, you all are going to gather in the same groups as you did this evening and make some special deliveries. Since you like being sneaky so much—now you’re going to do it for a good cause.”

  The teenagers cheered and started gathering their coats.

  The youths who were holding Hudson and Harper handed them to Miranda and Simon, and everyone dispersed.

  Owen approached, looking ashamed of himself.

  “I just want to say again how sorry I am,” he said to Simon. “I was the last one out of the gate, and I should have double-checked that it was closed properly. I would have felt really bad if you hadn’t gotten all your dogs back.”

  Simon clapped the youth on the shoulder. “But we did. It’s forgiven and forgotten, son. Now get yourself to church.”

  “I do have one more question,” Miranda said before the black-haired young man turned away. “Owen, what’s with the tag?”

  “Tag?” he asked, his confused gaze sweeping from Miranda to Simon and back again.

  Miranda’s gaze met Simon’s and they both burst into laughter.

  Simon had been thinking the pranks might be gang activity, and Owen, who appeared to be one of the youth group leaders, didn’t even know what a tag was.

  “The brand,” she clarified. “Triple H.”

  Owen grinned. “I’m surprised more people haven’t figured it out by now, seeing as it’s Christmas and all.”

  He paused and bobbed his dark eyebrows. “Ho, Ho, Ho. Triple H.”

  Miranda laughed so hard she snorted.

  “Clever,” Simon said, having a difficult time controlling his own laughter. “Miranda’s right. Y’all are very artistic.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “Now, get on your way. We’ve got to get the twins bundled up. It’s time for us to head for church.”

  Miranda turned to Simon, her mouth agape.

  “Us?”

  “Do you have a problem with that?” he asked, grinning.

  “No, of course not. It’s just surprising, is all.”

  He kissed her cheek.

  “Isn’t that what Christmas is all about? Surprises?”

  She pressed a hand to her cheek where he’d kissed her and nodded.

  “Then Merry Christmas, darlin’.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  After the chaos and confusion of yesterday evening, Simon was glad he’d still been able to surprise Miranda by accompanying her to church. Her look of sheer delight was worth every time he had to bite his tongue not to give away his secret earlier.

  Mason and Charlotte were pretty stoked to see him darken the door of the church, as well. They introduced him to everyone he didn’t know and many whom he did, they were so happy he was with them.

  If he’d surprised Miranda, she wasn’t half as astonished as he’d been by his first real church experience—how welcomed he felt by the parishioners, and most especially how wonderful it was to worship God with them and sing Christmas hymns loud and strong, if a little off-key. He was sorry he’d missed out all these years, but now he’d come home.

  Speaking of home, he had a lot to do this morning. He had tagged—laughing at his own pun as he did it—each of the adopted dogs, and the teenagers had arrived to make their special deliveries. He enjoyed watching the excitement in their eyes at the prospect and realized some of them might appreciate volunteering for the shelter.

  He’d always been a one-man band, depending only on himself to do all the work, but now he was beginning to realize that being all alone wasn’t necessarily best. He couldn’t imagine his life without Miranda and the twins. And now he’d have extra help from the teenagers who’d agreed to assist him in grooming and training the rescue dogs. The kids would be doing something both useful and fun, and that felt good, too.

  After making sure all of the dogs got where they were supposed to go, with each teenager checking in by text when their present was delivered, he showered and dressed in jeans and his newest red chambray shirt. He wanted to look his very best today, so he’d picked a festive color that went along with the Christmas season, knowing Miranda would appreciate it even if this was all new territory for him. He’d never before in his life thought about what he was wearing. Any shirt and jeans would do.

  But not today.

  That was what having a wonderful woman in his life did to a man. She made him a better person, inside and out.

  Complicated? Yes. But worth every crazy moment.

  Combing his hair in the mirror, he rehearsed what he was going to say. He’d actually taken the time to write his speech down and memorize it. He intended to do this only once, and he didn’t want to mess it up.

  That was going to be the hardest part of the day—speaking his heart. But this day wasn’t very well going to go the way he wanted it to if he couldn’t get the words out of his mouth. He ran a hand across his jaw and nodded.

  If ever there was a time for a man to speak up, this was it.

  He was fairly certain Miranda had no idea what was coming. She’d looked a little stunned when he said he had other plans for Christmas morning, and he hadn’t been able to tell her otherwise.

  He hadn’t wanted to hurt her feelings, and he knew he had. He felt sorry about that. But he did have other plans, and hopefully, by the end of the day, any sorrow she had felt by his supposed rejection would turn to joy.

  * * *

  Miranda sat in front of the Christmas tree with Hudson on one knee and Harper on the other. They were tearing into their presents like nobody’s business. Somehow even at nine months they seemed to grasp the gift-getting idea, although Hudson was more fascinated with the wrapping paper and the boxes than he was most of the presents she’d given him.

  Harper liked the toys, especially the ones with lights and noises.

  “You probably thought that baby drum set sounded like a good idea at the time,” Charlotte said with a laugh, “but mark my words, you’re going to be regretting that purchase in less than a day.”

  “Don’t worry,” Mason said with a shrug. “Hudson will break it in a week. That’s how it goes during these first few years.”

  “I’m going to enjoy every second,” Miranda assured them. “This is the best Christmas I’ve ever ha
d. It’s so much fun with children.”

  “Isn’t it, though?” Charlotte agreed, pulling her own toddler into her lap.

  Miranda sighed happily and leaned back on her hands. With all the presents open, she could just sit back and enjoy her twins. She wished Simon were here, though. He would have liked watching Hudson and Harper open their gifts. And he would have laughed when Hudson tried to stuff a wad of wrapping paper into his mouth.

  She couldn’t imagine where Simon could be on this Christmas morning, now that the youth group was delivering his dogs, but he’d said he had other plans. More likely he just wanted to spend a nice, quiet holiday alone, without all the fuss children would make. He loved the twins to death, but she suspected he’d had way more celebrating already this year than he was used to.

  “I think there’s one more present for the twins to open,” Mason said, looking mysteriously around the room, “but I’ve forgotten where I put it. Hold on just a second. If I’m not mistaken, I think I left it in the spare room.”

  “Did you hear that, my sweethearts?” she asked the twins. “There’s one more present for you. Yay!”

  Miranda clapped, and Harper clapped with her. Hudson picked up the excitement, pumping his chubby arms and babbling eagerly.

  “This is heavier than it looks.”

  A jolt of adrenaline shot through Miranda and her pulse leaped into overtime.

  That wasn’t Mason’s voice coming from behind her—it was Simon’s.

  “Simon,” she exclaimed, peeking over her shoulder to smile at him. “I thought you weren’t going to make it.”

  “Yeah, well, I have a very special delivery to make. You didn’t think I’d forget the twins, did you?”

  He hefted a large foil-wrapped box onto the floor in front of Hudson and Harper.

  “Here you go, kiddos. Rip off the paper to your heart’s content.”

  “You were watching?”

  Simon grinned.

  “The whole thing. I’ve been standing in the hallway for near on an hour now. I about lost it when Hudson crammed the paper in his mouth.”

  “Why didn’t you come on in here and join us?” Miranda asked, wondering why Mason and Charlotte hadn’t considered the same thing. She felt like she was missing something.

  Mason’s face gave away nothing, but Charlotte’s eyes were sparkling.

  Simon crouched by the box, waiting for the big reveal.

  “This is why I didn’t bring their gift out until now,” he said cryptically, his killer half smile making Miranda’s stomach flip over.

  The box was rocking back and forth so hard Miranda was afraid it might tip over onto its side.

  “Hudson, go easy on the present. It might be breakable.”

  But Hudson wasn’t pushing on the box. Neither was Harper.

  “Simon?” she queried.

  “Wait for it.” He held up a hand. “Wait for it.”

  A moment later Zig and Zag came tumbling out of the box, a big green bow on Zig and a matching red one on Zag. The twins squealed in delight.

  So did Miranda.

  “I thought you said you’d adopted these two out,” she said. “A special, private adoption, as I recall. Did the family back out on you?”

  “The family,” he said with a smile, “is sitting right here in this room.”

  “You kept them for us?”

  “Now, before you say anything, I know you said you didn’t want to have dogs in the house, but—”

  Miranda leaped forward and flung herself into Simon’s arms, bowling him over and knocking both of them to the floor.

  “Easy, there, sweetheart,” he said, his blue eyes glowing with affection.

  “I’m just so happy. I had decided to ask you if we could adopt Zig and Zag, since the twins love them so much, but before I had the opportunity, you said they weren’t available. I was so disappointed.”

  “I’m glad you like them.”

  “Like them? I love them.”

  And I love you, she wanted to say. But Mason and Charlotte were in the room, and Simon was a very private person.

  Today, though. Sometime. Maybe after dinner. She’d pull him aside and tell him how she felt about him. It was frightening, putting herself out there, but love was worth the possibility of being rejected.

  And if he didn’t feel the same way?

  Well, she wouldn’t make the relationship between them awkward, no matter what. He was Hudson and Harper’s godfather, and the very best male role model they would ever have. She’d never take that away from him, or the twins.

  But she hoped beyond hope that he would say he loved her, too.

  She stood and stretched. Her legs had gone to sleep holding both babies on them simultaneously.

  “Shall I set the table for dinner?” she asked Charlotte, who was laughing at one of her own children’s antics as they all gathered around the overexcited Westies, who were wagging their tails so hard their entire back ends were moving.

  “What? Oh, well, of course, later. But...I think there’s another present that hasn’t been opened yet.”

  Another one?

  Nothing could possibly top Zig and Zag. They were the highlight of Christmas morning, one she would remember for the rest of her life. She hoped Charlotte wouldn’t be too disappointed if the twins didn’t show much interest in whatever new gift was about to be presented to them. She doubted they’d be interested in much of anything besides the dogs for the rest of the week, at least.

  And then they’d grow up together. Hudson and Zig. Harper and Zag.

  She reached down and scratched Zig’s ear and he nuzzled her hand.

  Cute little thing. She couldn’t imagine how she ever thought she wasn’t a dog person.

  “I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to—”

  She had been going to say she realized that she was indeed a dog person and couldn’t imagine why she hadn’t had a pet before now, but when she turned, it was to find Simon on one knee, a red velvet box in his hand.

  And in the box...

  She never finished that sentence about the dogs.

  “Simon?”

  Yes. Her answer was yes. He didn’t even have to ask her the question.

  But when she held her left hand out to him, he shook his head.

  “Not yet. I’ve got this speech I wrote and memorized and I’m going to say it before I lose my nerve.”

  He’d written a speech for her?

  And even more surprising, he was going to give it to her in front of Mason and Charlotte and all the kids?

  She knew what it took for him to do that. And yet for her, he was pulling out all the stops, getting out of his comfort zone to impress her. The warmth in her heart was the most wonderful feeling she had ever experienced.

  “Okay,” she said, dropping her arm to her side. “Continue.”

  He cleared his throat.

  “As you know, I’ve spent most of my life alone, living what was basically a completely solitary existence, with the exception of my dogs. And I was fine with that, up until the day I walked into a room and saw the most beautiful woman in the world stretched out underneath a made-up sheet tent, reading a fairy tale to my two favorite godchildren, loudly sipping a box of juice through a straw and munching on a cheese stick.”

  “Your only godchildren, I think,” Mason said with a laugh.

  “Hush, you,” Charlotte warned. “This is so romantic. Don’t ruin it. You’ve never written me a speech.”

  Mason snorted.

  Simon was still gazing up at Miranda, his face turning as red as his shirt.

  “I think we ought to let him finish,” she suggested. If he felt anything like she did, breathing was an issue right now.

  “I was really ha
rd on you when you first came to town. But it didn’t take me long to realize how dedicated you are to Hudson and Harper, how much you love them, and how much they love you. And along the way somewhere, I realized—”

  He stopped and forced himself to breathe evenly a few times, inhale and exhale. Miranda was breathing right along with him, afraid if she didn’t, she might pass out from the sheer excitement of it all.

  A speech was great and all, especially from a man who usually never put more than two words together, but she was anxious to get to the part about the ring.

  “I—I realized—”

  He stopped again.

  “I love you,” she blurted, letting him off the hook. “I’ve never known a man with as much loyalty and honor as you have. And I so admire how much you love Hudson and Harper. I feel like I should pinch myself to make sure I’m really here and not just dreaming this.”

  Simon cringed. “Please don’t do that.”

  He stood and reached for her left hand, slipping the diamond solitaire on her finger. It glinted in the light as she showed it off to Charlotte. She couldn’t wait to take some pictures of it. Simon would have to deal with having her joy posted on social media, just this once.

  “I forgot the rest of my speech.”

  She framed his face in her hands, relishing the feel of the shadow of his beard under her palms.

  “You don’t need a speech. I only want to hear three little words from you.”

  “Marry me, please?”

  She laughed and kissed him.

  “That wasn’t quite what I had in mind.”

  “I’ll try it again, then.” He placed his hands over hers and brushed his lips over her mouth.

  “I love you.”

  “That works for me.”

  “I love you.”

  “You said that already.”

  “I love you. And I’m just getting started here. I love you.” He chuckled. “You’re going to hear that every day for the rest of your life, probably several times a day, now that I’ve got the hang of it. I’m going to do everything in my power to be the best husband to you and the best father to the twins that I can be, with the Lord as my guide.”