Jessy just smiled. “More unfinished business for later.”
“Definitely, darlin’.” Michael framed her face in his hands, gently stroking her hair away from her eyes, and gazed at her for a few moments. And for Jessy, the rest of the world—the rising sun, the knocking at the door—faded away.
“I love you,” he said simply, brushing his lips against hers in a brief, sweet kiss.
Jessy nodded, her eyes shining with tears. “I love you, too,” she managed to whisper.
Smiling, he kissed her again, making this one last, and Jessy surrendered to him, melting into him as he enveloped her in his arms. It felt unbelievably good to be so close to him. For the first time in her life, she felt cherished, adored, loved.
Unconditionally, unquestionably, loved.
For propriety’s sake, Jessy waited a while to leave Michael’s bedroom, making sure the coast was clear before scooting down the hall to her own room. She felt giddy and excited and so alive that the entire world seemed to have been remade just for her. She even sang as she took a shower, belting out every Christmas carol and show tune that she could remember. All of the romance novels she’d ever read could never have prepared her for the stunning reality of actually being in love.
It was more than she’d ever dreamed possible for herself. Much, much more.
By the time Jessy had dressed and followed her nose downstairs to the kitchen, the family reunion was already in full swing. Frank sat at the breakfast nook, Ben and Marie on his lap, laughing with Lyssa and Libby as Michael busily scrambled eggs and made toast.
“Morning, Sunshine,” Michael said as Jessy entered the kitchen, flopping a dishtowel over one shoulder as he spooned eggs onto plates. Grinning, he stopped to plant a kiss on Jessy’s lips before carrying the plates to the table. Jessy felt herself blushing, feeling as if everyone in the room knew what they had been up to last night.
Jessy joined Lyssa and Frank at the table. “So when’s your new book coming out, sweetie?” Lyssa asked, pouring Frank a fresh cup of coffee.
Frank shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. I haven’t exactly been in the ‘romance writer’ mindset lately.”
Jessy slowly smiled. “You write romances?”
“Yup. Hot, sweaty, sticky ones.” Frank grinned as Lyssa and Jessy laughed. “My pen name is Janessa DeFleur.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.” Frank sipped at his coffee and grimaced. “Good God, Mike—did you boil a boot in the coffee or something?”
“Bite me, Sheriff Lobo.” Michael sought out Jessy’s gaze and smiled, saying everything by saying nothing at all.
And for the first time in years, Jessy finally felt as if she were a part of something bigger than herself. She had found her family.
That feeling grew stronger throughout the day, as she caught quick glimpses of Michael doing his chores, as she helped Lyssa and the kids prepare Christmas cookies in anticipation of the big Christmas party that night, as she fielded excited questions from Ben and Marie about Santa Claus and his elves. She remembered all the Christmas Eves of her childhood, and how that one day seemed to last a million years, and wondered at how quickly this magical day seemed to pass.
The house seemed even more alive than before. Christmas music filled every room, and the scent of freshly baked cookies and homemade fudge drifted throughout the house. To Jessy, it felt as though she had stepped into a dream: Everyone laughed and hugged and smiled, happy to be reunited if only for a while.
It was a perfect day, filled with laughter and joy and longing gazes from Michael, but it wasn’t until the family began to decorate the Christmas tree that Jessy realized that for the first time in so very long, her heart felt absolutely at peace. She paused as she hung a small Santa ornament on a branch, taking a moment to look around her, capturing memories like snapshots.
There was Frank lifting Marie high overhead as she hung a blue glass ornament on the upper branches of the tree—
And Frank’s daughter, Claire, and Ben, sitting on the floor around the coffee table, decorating Christmas cookies almost as quickly as they could eat them, laughing as they dotted frosting on each other’s faces—
And Lyssa and Libby, singing along with the Christmas carols, warbling “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” as loudly and as off-key as they could as they hung tinsel and stockings on the fireplace mantle.
And always, there was Michael, who stood in the doorway with a soft smile on his face, watching her as she helped decorate the tree. She hadn’t known he was there, but at the sight of him, tears filled her eyes. For a moment, she felt almost overwhelmed by the sheer joy of it all. The lights of the tree shimmered in her vision, blurred by her tears. As she stood there, surrounded by the love and laughter of Michael’s family, she understood that Michael had given her far more than his love. He had given her hope.
She knew that no matter what else she experienced in her life, that this moment—this perfect, peaceful moment—would live in her heart forever.
Michael seemed to sense her fragile state and joined her at the tree, slipping his arms around her waist as he pulled her close to his chest. For a few moments, Jessy had to close her eyes to stem the flow of tears. Michael turned her in his arms and tipped her face up to his, smiling as he gently wiped her tears away with soft strokes of his thumb. In the uproar of the room, he silently mouthed “I love you” and kissed her forehead.
For Jessy, there was no more precious gift than that.
Michael rested his forehead against hers for a moment longer, his smile widening. Then, with a wink, he slipped away from her, sneaking out of the room without drawing attention to himself. Puzzled at first, Jessy watched him go as Marie tugged at her sleeve.
“Jessy? Where’s Daddy going?”
Jessy realized that whatever he was doing, it was to be a secret from the kids. “Um—I think he had to go out to check on the animals,” she said and smiled. “They get special attention on Christmas Eve, too.”
“Oh, okay.” Curiosity satisfied, Marie went back to the box of ornaments, rummaging through until she found a snowman. Jessy, more than a little curious herself, made her way over to Lyssa, who sat on the couch sipping eggnog and smiling brilliantly at the sight of all the happy activity. Lyssa looked up to Jessy and patted the spot beside her.
“Are you having a good time?” Lyssa asked, taking Jessy’s hand. Her skin felt as smooth as the finest parchment paper, soft despite the years of hard work, and the warmth in her smile, in her touch, made Jessy feel as though she had been part of the family all her life.
“Oh yes,” Jessy finally managed to say, her smile faltering as she took a deep breath and looked around the living room. “O, Holy Night” played softly in the background, and for the first time in years Jessy felt in her soul the true meaning of the lyrics: forgiveness, love, hope. At that moment she knew in her heart that miracles could happen, did happen, every day—and that she was experiencing the most wonderful miracle of all right now.
“Honey, are you okay?” Lyssa touched Jessy’s cheek, gently smoothing away an errant tear. Jessy looked back to her, smiling even as she took a shuddery breath and helpless, happy tears trickled over her cheeks.
“I’m just so glad to be here with you all,” she said softly. “Thank you so much—for everything.”
“Oh, sweetheart—” Lyssa pulled Jessy into her embrace, accepting her as a daughter, filling the emptiness that she had known for so long. Jessy squeezed her eyes tightly, trying desperately not to cry again, but couldn’t help it. It felt too good to be held, to be comforted. It felt too wonderful not to be alone anymore.
The sudden jingle-jangle of sleigh bells echoed from outside and Ben and Marie were instantly on their feet and running for the front door. Jessy wiped at her eyes and stood, smiling at their sudden excitement as she and Lyssa followed them to the door.
And there in the driveway, in a horse-drawn sleigh, was Santa Claus himself.
Santa leapt nimb
ly from the carriage with a huge bag slung over one shoulder. Ben and Marie gasped in awe, watching with wide eyes as Santa trudged through the snow and joined them on the porch, his huge belly shaking in a jubilant “Ho-ho-ho!”
The kids were on him in a heartbeat, hugging his legs and chattering excitedly with questions about Rudolph and the other reindeer and the elves.
Santa laughed again. “One at a time, kids!” he boomed, a smile in his voice. “Let’s get old Santa inside where it’s warm. I’m freezing my jingle bells off.”
Jessy had to bite back a laugh as Santa’s eyes met hers. She’d know those crinkles anywhere.
They followed Santa into the house, laughing as he tried to walk with both Marie and Ben clinging to his legs. He slung his canvas bag onto a chair and rooted around inside it, making a fuss as he hemmed and hawed and shook his head.
“I know I have your presents in here,” he said to himself. Ben and Marie were beside themselves with excitement, as Claire and Libby watched with indulgent smiles. “I don’t think the elves would let me forget you guys—”
“We were real good this year!” Ben said. “Weren’t we, Gramma?”
“Perfect angels, Santa.” Lyssa said as she gave Ben a quick squeeze. “We’re real glad you could stop by this year.”
Santa smiled through his beard. “Well, it’s my pleasure, Mrs. Forrester.”
“Are you really Santa?” Marie asked, gaze narrowing as she scrutinized him. “Jessy told us that sometimes the elves take his place.”
“And Jessy is absolutely right,” Santa said, turning to flash a quick wink in Jessy’s direction. “But I can assure you, Marie, that I am the real, grade-A, no-substitutions Santa Claus. How else would I know that you made straight-As on your report card this year? Or that when you found a five dollar bill on the playground, you were honest and took it to your teacher?”
Marie’s eyes widened as she gasped and turned to Jessy. “He is Santa!”
“Where’s Rudolph and the reindeer?” Ben asked. “I thought they pulled your sled for you.”
Santa straightened up from the bag, an elaborately wrapped gift in each hand. “They do—but I haven’t started making my rounds yet. This is a special stop, because you guys have been so good this year.”
Ben beamed at Jessy. “I knew he’d come to see us!”
Jessy watched, unable to stop smiling, as Santa handed out gifts to everyone, taking a moment to give Frank a playful cuff to the back of the head. He kissed Lyssa’s cheek as Claire snapped photos with her new camera, and danced with a happily embarrassed Libby when “Jingle Bell Rock” played on the stereo. And finally, when Ben and Marie could stand it no more, Santa reached deep into the bag and pulled out their presents. They thanked him with eager politeness and then tore into the wrappings.
Santa watched them for a few moments, smiling beneath his thick white beard, and laughed as they shrieked with delight when their toys were unveiled. Ben and Libby jumped onto his lap, hugging him fiercely, then scrambled down to play with their toys.
Jessy was watching everyone unwrap their gifts, smiling at their happiness, when Santa gently touched her hand. Startled, Jessy turned to him, her smile slanting slightly when she met his eyes.
“Now,” Santa announced, giving Jessy a wink as he stood. “I’d better get back to the North Pole so I can get started this evening. I’ve got a lot of little boys and girls to see to before morning.”
Ben and Marie rushed to his side to give him one last hug, and Jessy could see the pure joy in Michael’s eyes as he held them tightly.
He headed for the door, the now empty bag slung over his shoulder, and suddenly stopped at the front porch, turning back to them.
“Why, I almost forgot,” he said, voice rumbling with laughter. “I need to borrow someone to help me sort through some presents. Miss? What about you?”
Before Jessy could answer, Lyssa was helping her into a heavy parka and gently pushing her onto the porch. “We’ll leave a light on for you,” she said and smiled. “And Santa, if you see that wayward son of mine, tell him to get his behind home.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Michael said, grinning behind the beard as he took Jessy’s hand and led her out to the sleigh. He helped her climb aboard, taking a moment to tuck a heavy flannel blanket over her legs, then jumped in beside her. With one last wave to his family as they stood on the porch and watched, Michael turned the sleigh around and headed down the driveway. Jessy half-expected it to take flight and zoom them into the stratosphere.
“Where are we going, Mr. Claus?” she asked, snuggling in close to Michael as he slipped his arm around her shoulders.
“Call me Santa, baby,” Michael said in a playfully seductive voice, able to maintain a straight face for approximately two seconds before bursting into laughter with Jessy. “And we’re going for a sleigh ride.”
“As in, ‘Oh, what fun it is to ride—’?”
“Exactly.” Michael leaned over and kissed her quickly, tickling her with the beard and mustache.
He guided the two horses drawing the sleigh around the house, heading back to the barns. Jessy leaned against his shoulder and gazed up to the starry sky, looking for the Christmas Star. The contentment she felt just being with him at that moment was almost frightening in its intensity. Everything was just too good, too perfect.
Michael finally stopped the sleigh at the frozen pond, releasing the bridles as he leaned back on the bench and smiled at Jessy. The glow of the moon gave his face a bluish cast, but his eyes sparkled like diamonds as he gazed at her.
“That was wonderful, what you did for the kids.” Jessy took his cold hand and held it to her lips, pressing a warm kiss against his palm.
“My dad always used to play Santa for us. Every year.” Michael tugged off the hat and beard and scratched at his chin. “Itches like you wouldn’t believe.”
Jessy laughed and stroked his cheek, guiding him close for a quick kiss. “I missed being alone with you today,” she said softly.
“I don’t know if I could’ve been trusted alone with you,” Michael said with a devilish smile. “We wouldn’t have gotten a single thing done.”
Jessy smiled and nuzzled up to his throat. “And that would be a bad thing?”
“Lord help me,” Michael said softly, giving in to her soft, sweet kisses. “I have created a monster.”
“Shut up and kiss me, Santa.”
“Whatever you want, babydoll.” Grinning, Michael settled in closer to Jessy, wrapping them both in the blanket. They kissed as if it had been months instead of hours since they were last together.
“I didn’t forget your gift, Jessy,” Michael finally whispered, pulling away from Jessy long enough to reach behind the seat and withdraw a large, beautifully wrapped box. “Merry Christmas, baby.”
Jessy smiled as she held the present on her lap, looking up to Michael and seeing the anticipation in his eyes. “Michael—you didn’t have to—”
“I know. But I wanted to. Open it.”
Jessy undid the ribbons and bows, tearing the paper carefully to reveal a plain white box. With a quick glance up at Michael, she lifted the lid.
It was a collection of “Bridal Tree” ornaments, each one cradled in a nest of tissue paper. And in the center, a small velvet box.
Jessy’s breath caught for a moment, her heart hammering in her chest as she looked up to Michael’s eyes again.
“I realize that we haven’t known each other for years,” Michael said softly, gazing at Jessy with a tenderness that made her feel almost dizzy, “but I love you so much—and I honestly don’t know what I would do without you in my life.”
“Oh, Michael—” Jessy’s voice trailed away as tears raced hotly down her cheeks. She didn’t even bother to try to stop them.
Michael’s smile slanted slightly as he gazed at Jessy, his own eyes shining in the moonlight. “I want you to stay here, with me and the kids, forever.” He touched her cheek, still smiling. “And if you’ll have me,
I promise I’ll never stop trying to make you happy.” He paused a moment, gaze never wavering from hers. “Will you marry me, Jess?”
Jessy couldn’t find her voice for a moment. She nodded sharply, smiling and laughing and crying all at once. “Yes,” she finally managed to whisper.
“Open the box,” Michael whispered, and Jessy managed, with trembling hands, to raise the lid of the tiny velvet box. Tucked within the folds of velvet was the most beautiful ring Jessy had ever seen: a gold band with a small diamond and pearl setting.
Michael held her trembling hand in his, gently slipping the ring on her finger, then turning her hand to press a soft kiss against her palm. She met his gaze again, saw the tears shimmering in his eyes, and knew that wishes could come true. Miracles could happen.
“So how do you feel about kids?” he asked, surprising her into a laugh. “I say we have at least five more, give or take.”
Jessy grinned and snuggled in closer to him, pulling his arm around her shoulders so that she could gaze at their intertwined hands, at the ring sparkling on her finger. “And how many of these kids will you be carrying?”
Michael grinned. “Heck, I’ll carry all of ’em—it’s just the delivery part that makes me nervous.”
Jessy craned her head back to look up at him. “I can see the next fifty years with you are going to be fun.”
“Lady—” Michael waggled his eyebrows and grinned devilishly. “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”
“Good,” Jessy murmured, managing a quick smile before Michael kissed her again, cradling her in his arms as he pulled the blanket up to their shoulders and they shared the silence of the starry night.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
An hour later they returned to the house to find that Lyssa had dinner on the table, waiting for them. The scent of baked ham and fresh bread filled the room, the table laden with even more food than there had been for Thanksgiving.
“It’s about time you two got back for dinner,” Lyssa said as she entered the dining room. “I thought I’d have to send Frank out to track you down.”
The Giving Season Page 22