by Zoe Ann Wood
“Iris, it’s so good to see you,” Finn’s mom exclaimed and rushed over to hug her.
Iris let out a surprised laugh and hugged her back, meeting Finn’s gaze over his mom’s shoulder.
“Thanks, Mrs. Thornton,” she said.
“Oh, it’s Martha, please. And Thomas.” His mom jerked her thumb toward his dad, who stood at the door to the kitchen.
“Mom, Dad,” Finn began, then stepped closer to Iris and took her hand. Without ceremony, he added, “We’re getting married.”
His mom squeaked, then hugged Iris again and sobbed into her hair. “Oh, darling, I’m so happy!”
Finn’s dad still had a kitchen towel draped over his shoulder as he came to Finn. “Good job, Finn.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Finn said and accepted a hug from his father.
They toasted with champagne, and then Finn’s mom led them all into the dining room. The meal was loud and accompanied by laugher while everyone shared their favorite stories from Christmas family gatherings.
At the end, when they’d cleared away the serving dishes and brought in the honey cake and the chocolate silk pie that Iris and Violet had baked, their grandfather struggled to his feet.
“I’d like to propose a toast,” he announced and raised his glass of lemonade.
Nobody had drunk much after the champagne, though they were all buzzing with good food and holiday cheer. Finn glanced at his dad, who winked at him and served himself another thick wedge of Iris’ cake.
“Hear, hear,” Chavvi said and lifted her own glass.
“Thank you, dear. Iris and Finn, I wish you well.” Iris’ grandpa inclined his head to both of them. “It’s been a long time coming, and I’m very happy the two of you found each other again.”
Iris’ eyes were suspiciously shiny, so Finn caught her hand under the table and squeezed her fingers.
“I hope that with one granddaughter married and one engaged,” the old man continued, “I’ll get to see some great-grandchildren before I die!”
Finn’s mother laughed and cheered, and everyone raised their glasses in a toast. Iris’ cheeks flushed an adorable shade of pink at this, but Finn made a mental note to discuss the option of producing those great-grandchildren as soon as possible.
Then Violet cleared her throat. “Well, actually…”
She trailed off and glanced at Chavvi, who smiled and nodded at her.
“What?” Iris exclaimed. “Are you serious?”
Violet’s happy grin moved something in Finn’s chest.
She looked at her grandpa and said, “I’m about four months pregnant. We’re expecting a baby boy in May, Grandpa.”
Finn suspected everyone cried a little after that. His throat was tight as he watched Iris and her family embrace Violet and Chavvi. Samantha’s mascara was smeared under her eyes, but she giggled with Iris while they planned the baby shower.
Soon, everyone would become a big, strange family—his family.
They moved to the living room for coffee and cookies, and they opened the small gifts they’d managed to put together with so little time to prepare. Finn took the chance to slip away to the kitchen, where he put the first load of plates and cutlery into the dishwasher so his parents wouldn’t have to.
His mother found him ten minutes later as she brought in the honey Iris had gifted her. She came over to him, and he wrapped his arms around her thin shoulders. She suddenly seemed so frail to him, and despite all the cheer of the day, a cold fist squeezed around his heart.
After a moment, his mother stepped away from him. “I can’t tell you how happy I am for you,” she said.
“Thanks, Mom.” Finn smiled, but he couldn’t quite pull it off.
His mother studied him closely. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Finn turned back to the sink to scrub a pot. Maybe if he distracted himself with chores, she wouldn’t press the issue.
He should have known better.
“Hey.” His mother’s voice was soft and gentle. “Is this about that toast? The ‘before I die’ part?”
Finn put down the dish soap and braced his hands against the sink. “Yeah. It just…hit me. That you might never…” He couldn’t say the words. It didn’t matter how old he was, or how successful, losing his mother was going to be terrible.
His mom placed a hand on his shoulder. “Finn, look at me.”
He glanced up, into the brown eyes the exact same color as his. She was smiling at him, but that smile had a steely edge to it.
“I’m sorry I probably won’t ever see my grandkids,” she said. “It hurts so much.” She placed her palm on her chest. “But I got to see you grow up, Finn. I have all the beautiful memories, and you were such a gorgeous child. That’s enough for me.”
Finn nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
His mother’s eyes were very bright as she added, “And I’m so grateful that I got to see you happy again. That right there?” She raised her eyebrows and jerked her thumb toward the living room. “That’s a family. They’ll take care of you and your dad after I’m gone, I know it.”
“Okay.” Finn hugged her again and exhaled. “And I promise we’ll be fine.”
“Oh, I know you will, honey,” she murmured, patting him on the back.
It was much later in the evening when Iris and her family got ready to leave. Her grandpa had dozed off on the couch at some point, oblivious to the chatter around him, and now stood blinking sleepily while Violet helped him with his coat.
Iris hugged his mother and father and promised to return for a more relaxed family dinner soon. As everyone waved and called greetings, she slipped her arms around Finn’s waist and hugged him tight.
“Thank you for the lovely dinner,” she said.
Finn glanced over his shoulder, then pulled her back into the living room, away from their families. Then took her gently in his arms and kissed her, showing her with slow caresses how much he wanted her.
Iris wrapped herself around him and returned every sigh, every touch, until he broke the kiss and put a foot of space between them.
“Are you sure you can’t stay the night?” he whispered in her ear.
She shivered, and Finn grinned. He loved how responsive she was, how attuned they were to each other.
“I wish,” she replied in an intimate, low voice. “Soon.”
He kissed her once more. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” She sighed. “Just so you know, we’re getting married tomorrow.”
Finn raised his eyebrows.
Iris clicked her tongue. “Okay, maybe not tomorrow, but you know what I mean.” She poked his chest, then pressed a kiss on the spot. “I don’t want to wait.”
Neither did he. “I’ll see what I can do,” he said, grinning.
With a wink, she was gone, running out the door and into the waiting car. Finn stood on the porch, watching the taillights disappear in the cold night.
His father, who remained beside him, clapped him on the back. “What a Christmas, huh?”
Finn grinned at him. “The best.”
Epilogue
Iris
Cambridge, Massachusetts, a year later, Christmas Day
Iris parked her Volvo in front of the house and jumped out, hitting the ground running.
“I’ve got it!” she yelled the moment she opened the front door of her and Finn’s new house.
Cheers erupted from the dining room table, and Finn stood to take the carton of heavy cream from her.
He pecked her on the lips and smiled at her. “Here, let me. I’ll get this whipped in no time.”
He disappeared into the kitchen while Iris shed her coat and removed her boots.
Violet walked up to her, baby Oliver bouncing on her hip. “I’m really sorry I forgot to bring the cream,” she said.
Iris pecked Oliver on the cheek and grinned as he gurgled at her. “That’s okay. You’ve got mama brain, it’s normal.”
Violet cocked her head to t
he side. “Speaking of mama brain…”
Iris fought hard not to blush. “What?”
Her sister fixed her with a knowing stare. “You haven’t had a drop of alcohol all week, and if I’m not mistaken, I heard you throwing up this morning.”
Violet, Chavvi, and Oliver were staying with her and Finn for the holidays. The house Finn had bought in Cambridge was certainly big enough for all of them.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Iris said and stepped to the side. “And that wasn’t me puking, it was…Finn. He had indigestion.”
She felt a twinge of guilt at the lie, but she and Finn had agreed to wait until they announced her pregnancy. They’d only found out about it three weeks ago, and with the holidays, Iris hadn’t been to her doctor yet.
Violet grinned, though. “Okay.”
Iris escaped to the kitchen to help Finn bring out the desserts.
Their loved ones gathered at the dining table and fell on the cakes as though they hadn’t just eaten a Christmas Day feast. Iris passed Samantha a plate; at a loud squeal, they both looked at Oliver, who sat in his highchair and smeared pumpkin pie filling on his plate, apparently delighted with the texture.
Then Finn’s father stood, and they all looked at him. A hush fell at the table.
“I’d like to thank Iris and Finn for having us all here for the holidays,” he began.
Iris took Finn’s hand under the table and cherished the deep sense of peace this scene brought.
“This last year has been hard,” Finn’s dad continued. “And I want to remember Martha. She would have loved to be here with us.”
They all bowed their heads in a moment of silence. They’d lost Finn’s mother in the spring, and they were still grieving. It was why she and Finn had only gotten married in a small family ceremony in August. Finn’s retreat from the business world had also allowed them to spend three glorious weeks traveling around Italy for their honeymoon.
Thomas cleared his throat. “But she’d also tell me to stop being such a sap,” he added, smiling wryly.
Finn laughed. “That’s true. You’re doing great, Dad.”
“Iris, I’m glad our two families became one this year,” his father continued. “Everything is easier to bear, knowing I have you all to keep me company.”
“True!” Iris’ grandpa exclaimed and lifted his coffee cup in a toast.
He and Finn’s dad had discovered a shared love of chess, and now Finn’s father often visited him at the nursing home. Thomas was saying he might sell the too-large house in Providence and move closer to Finn and Iris. He’d also become an honorary grandpa to Oliver, who was the happiest baby Iris had ever seen.
Her and Violet’s parents were absent from the table. Iris felt a twinge of sadness when she remembered them, but they hadn’t changed one bit. At first, she’d refrained from using the information Finn had presented her with, even though her father had sent her several emails in which he insisted she invite them over. But she changed her mind one April afternoon. She’d returned home from work early and caught her mother poking around her back garden. The blatant disrespect of her wishes had forced her to act; she didn’t issue any threats, merely sent them both a page from Finn’s report. There hadn’t been any incidents since.
But seated at this large dining table was her family: the people who stood by her no matter what. Iris sniffed and blinked at the ceiling to keep the tears from falling. She loved them so much. Her baby would receive pure, unconditional love—the best gift any child could get.
She couldn’t wait to tell them all about their exciting news. But she also wanted to keep that warm nugget of information between her and Finn for a while longer. If the past weeks were any indication, she was going to be completely spoiled by the end of her pregnancy. Finn had made it his personal mission to anticipate her every need.
“I just wanted you all to know that I’m grateful,” Finn’s dad finished. “And Merry Christmas.”
Their family cheered, and Oliver, sensing the excitement, shrieked happily and waved his chubby little arms. Pie filling went flying, and the touching moment was gone in a flurry of cleanup, but Iris wouldn’t change it for the world.
That evening, she was brushing her teeth before bed when Finn stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. With care, he lifted the hem of her pajama top and exposed a sliver of her skin. Watching their reflection in the big mirror, Iris followed his fingers as he traced a circle around her belly button.
She leaned over the sink to spit out the foam, then straightened again. “I think that bump is there because I ate too much cake.”
Finn huffed out a laugh, his breath tickling her neck. “How long before you’re showing for real?” he asked.
Iris settled back against his strong chest. “Three or four months, probably.”
They expected the due date to be sometime in August—a late summer baby. Iris couldn’t wait to go shopping for tiny clothes, though she suspected she would have to keep Finn from buying out the entire baby store. The day after she’d told him about the pregnancy test result, he’d returned from his trip downtown with four pregnancy guides and a giant sleeping pillow for Iris that she didn’t even need yet.
Now, he squeezed her close until she squeaked in protest. “Ugh, why do babies take so long to grow?” he complained. “I want to meet the little one now.”
Iris rinsed her mouth, then turned around in his arms and put her hands on his cheeks. “I love you, you know that, right?” she replied. “But if you keep asking me that, I will go crazy.”
“But…” he started to complain.
Iris kissed him. Their lips met in a brushing caress at first, a quick, familiar peck. Then Finn’s arms tightened around her, and he pulled her in, deepening the kiss. She loved how well he knew her. Their bodies pressed together as they shared their breaths.
“I love you,” he murmured, peppering small, maddening kisses along her neck. “So much.”
“I’m so glad you came for me,” she whispered back.
Finn straightened and blinked at her, his gaze slightly unfocused. “Hmm?”
Iris grinned at him, her arms still wrapped around his neck. “Last year, I meant. In Switzerland?”
Finn dropped his forehead to hers. “Oh, you meant the time I scared you so much, you leaped three feet in the air and broke your laptop?”
She lowered one hand and poked him in the chest. “Well, that part wasn’t my favorite. But thank you for…” She searched for the right words. “For fighting for me.”
Her husband, the love of her life. Iris gazed up at him and wondered whether it was possible for her love to grow every day.
He shook his head and cupped her face with one hand. “I would have followed you anywhere. Thank you for giving me another chance.”
Iris nodded, her throat too tight for words. She let him gather her close and held on to him with all her strength.
Finn put his chin on her head and sighed. “So…I’ve been thinking. We have maybe five months until you’re banned from flying, right? Three, to be safe.”
Iris leaned back in his arms and narrowed her eyes at him. “To be safe?”
“Indulge me.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Anyway, you’re also finished with all your teaching for this semester, right? You were only going to do research work in the spring?”
She nodded. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have to work, Finn. I’m not giving up…”
He raised his eyebrows, and Iris fell silent, embarrassed.
“Iris, I know you’re not giving up your career. I’d never ask you to do that.” He swept a thumb over her cheekbone. “I meant to ask something else.”
“Sorry,” she said to his chest. “You know how I get about my bees.”
Their house had a large, beautiful garden. Finn had helped her set up her hives as soon as they’d moved in. Iris’ research team had gotten enough funding to carry out their project on bee conservation over the su
mmer, and she’d never been happier at work.
“Since the bees are hibernating right now,” Finn said, “would it be possible for you to work…remotely?”
She blinked. “How remotely?”
“From Switzerland.”
Iris thought about it for a moment. “I suppose…”
“Okay, because I may have bought that shack we stayed in last Christmas,” Finn said quickly.
She gaped at him. “You what?”
Finn avoided her gaze. “I had it torn down and built a new cabin in its place. As an investment, of course,” he explained.
“Uh-huh.” Iris knew him so well, she knew there was more to the story. “Tell me everything.”
Finn grinned down at her. “Well, I bought the entire hotel. We’ve renovated it completely.”
“You’re mad, you know that?” She was smiling, too, caught by his enthusiasm.
“I wanted to surprise you with a trip for the New Year, but now that we have something more important to think about…” He touched his palm to her belly.
Iris took a deep breath. “Let’s do it.”
Finn stared at her for a second, then whooped and lifted her off her feet. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” She’d fly to the ends of the earth with him. What was Switzerland compared to that? “It’ll be the best year ever.”
Thank you so much for reading Give Me a Christmas. If you liked Iris and Finn’s story, check out Give Me a Day, a swoony, sweet romance set in Vienna, Austria!
Have a lovely day!
Zoe Ann Wood
Acknowledgments
Ahh, Christmas. It’s a family holiday I’ve learned to love in the recent years, because my two little boys enjoy it so much - and I rediscovered the magic of it. I adore the anticipation, the cozy vibes, the excitement lighting up the kids’ faces when they realize there are presents under the tree.
I hope I managed to capture a tiny sliver of that magic in this little book. It wouldn’t be the same without my wonderful writing friends and team: Elle and Jolie, my critique partners and the best writing friends one could hope for, Betti, my sprinting buddy and mentor, as well as Emmy and Lori, who polish my words to a high shine. Thank you for all the strength and support.
