‘No... Why?’
‘I reckon that snowman is about finished out there. He needs a nose.’
‘I gave you my last ones yesterday, so you could put them out for the reindeer, remember? You’ll have to make do with a parsnip. Here...’ Muriel chose the largest of the vegetables waiting their turn to be peeled. ‘And I’ll be shooing any bairns out my kitchen when they come in. If I don’t get these veggies in the oven along with that turkey, it’ll be bedtime before we get to eat our lunch.’
Emma laughed. ‘You always say that, Mum.’ But she paused as she turned. ‘It’s a bit much, us coming out here for Christmas Day now, isn’t it? We’re bursting at the seams. We could do Christmas at our place next year, if you like.’
Their place. The huge, rambling, two-storeyed stone house in Dumbarton, with its big, high-ceilinged rooms and a huge garden, that had been home for nearly four years now. Halfway between Achadunan and the Eastern Infirmary. Not too far to drive to work. Not too far for Muriel to drive in to help with childcare.
But Muriel shook her head. ‘We have Christmas here,’ she said. ‘It’s what we do and you know why as well as I do. I like it that we’re bursting at the seams.’ Her glance slid down from Emma’s face and her smile became tender. ‘You’re just about bursting at your seams. Don’t you go having that baby today, will you?’
‘No chance. We don’t do hospitals at Christmastime anymore. It’s a rule.’
Emma’s smile was just as tender as her mother’s as she headed for the back door, parsnip in hand. It wasn’t a rule, exactly, but it had definitely been a promise. One of the many promises she and Jack had made in those quiet hours, so long ago, as he’d slowly but completely recovered from his injuries and his surgery.
Like the promise to always be there to hold each other’s hands that they’d written into their wedding vows. Nobody else present had known the private significance of those words. That had been exchanged silently, as they’d held each other’s gaze and uttered the promise that no hole would ever be too deep to reach into. That they could survive anything by being brave enough to love...
Misty-eyed, Emma stepped into sunshine and noise. The dogs were barking and the children shouting and laughing.
Gorgeous Lily, six and a half years old now, with her big, brown eyes and long, dark braids—threaded with tinsel today—and her gentle nature. The perfect big sister for her twin brothers, Andrew and Jamie, who would be turning four in a couple of months.
Fate had given their lives a very unexpected twist in giving them twin boys. Initially such a poignant surprise, it had been a complete joy ever since. A chance to rewrite a little bit of history, even, and give these twin brothers the kind of life that their father and uncle had been denied.
Not that these two looked anything like Jack and Ben. Or Lily, for that matter. No... The Matthews genes had declared their dominance on that occasion and these happy, boisterous little boys had curly red hair and freckles. But they were Reynolds through and through as well. You only had to look at those amazing, dark brown eyes to see that.
An exact match of the pair that had spotted her arrival into the chaos of the small garden and were telling her that life had just become that much better thanks to her presence. For a moment, just before any of the children saw her, Emma could bask in that gaze and send her own message back.
Life’s good, isn’t it? Love you so much...
‘Mumma!’ Two small bodies hurtled towards her. Four small arms wrapped themselves around her legs. ‘Kisses,’ they chorused. ‘Kisses for Kissmas.’
It was getting increasingly hard to bend over so Emma just ruffled curly heads and blew kisses.
‘Look, Mumma...we made a snowman.’
‘You did. He’s a fantastic snowman.’ She could feel cold little ears beneath her fingers. ‘Where are your hats?’
‘I’ve got them.’ Lily had a woollen hat in each hand. ‘They won’t keep them on. Andy... Jamie... Come here...’
But the twins had other ideas. They were taking off their parkas now.
‘A snowman,’ Jamie shouted, gleefully. ‘Just like ours.’
While Lily had chosen a Christmas sweater with an angel on the front this year, the twins had chosen identical versions that had cheerful-looking snowmen with carrot noses on a blue background.
‘Just the same,’ their father agreed, but he flashed a wink at Emma. Their rather short creation only had one ball for its body, the head was at a distinctly odd angle and the stones that had been found for its eyes were on very different levels.
‘It’s a wonderful snowman,’ Emma said. ‘Here’s a carrot for the nose.’
The boys stared at her offering.
‘It’s a funny colour,’ Andrew said. ‘I don’t like it.’
‘Maybe the snowman has caught a cold,’ Emma suggested. ‘That can make your nose a funny colour. Who wants to put it on?’
‘Me!’ the boys shouted in unison.
‘I’ll do it,’ Lily announced. ‘Because I’m the oldest. And you did the eyes.’
Jamie scowled up at his sister. ‘Not fair. You got to do the angels on the top of the Christmas tree.’
‘That’s because they’re my angels. My angel Mummy and Daddy.’
The parsnip nose had been forgotten. ‘I want an angel Mummy and Daddy too,’ Andrew said.
‘You’ve got a real Mummy and Daddy.’ Lily took the parsnip from Emma’s hand.
‘So do you.’ Muriel had come outside, too. ‘And you boys have got an angel uncle and auntie.’
‘And a nana,’ Jamie said. ‘Because we’ve got you...’
It was Muriel’s turn to have her legs encased by small arms and she was smiling. She stooped to kiss each boy in turn.
‘Kisses,’ she said.
‘For Kissmas,’ they chorused.
The adults shared a fond glance that included Lily. She was the one who had invented this tradition and it was one they would always happily maintain.
‘You’re going to come inside with Nana now,’ Muriel told the twins, ‘because I’m going to read you a story. Mummy and Daddy and Lily have somewhere to go before lunch. Before it starts snowing again.’ She handed two leads to Jack. ‘Take the dogs with you. Sarah would love that.’ She took a small, tissue-wrapped item from the pocket of her apron. ‘And here’s the shortbread. I didn’t forget.’
‘I’ll get the bag from the car,’ Jack said. ‘You ready, Lily?’
The parsnip was in place and Lily’s nod was solemn. ‘I’m ready.’
* * *
They had to walk more slowly this year so Lily was well ahead of them, a dog trotting on either side, as they reached the quiet cemetery.
‘I’m waddling, aren’t I?’ Emma sighed. ‘I might not even fit through that gate.’
‘As if...’ Jack’s hold on her hand tightened and Emma had to stop. Not that she ever minded being pulled into her husband’s arms like this.
Being kissed like this...
‘I love you,’ Jack whispered against her lips. ‘Even when you waddle. Especially when you waddle.’
Emma tilted her head back so that she could see Jack’s eyes.
‘I love you, too. Always have. Always will...’ She smiled. ‘And I love kisses for Kissmas, too.’
The kiss was even more tender this time. It acknowledged the unbreakable bond that was the foundation of this growing family. Maybe it was because this bond had been forged by the fires of shared agony that it was strong and fierce enough now to produce such incredible tenderness.
Jack’s arms tightened around Emma but it was harder to get close enough at the moment. The baby between them moved as it was pressed into the hug and they could both feel it. They drew apart far enough to share another glance—one that shone with the wonder that came from creating a new life together
, in more ways than one.
‘Mummy? Daddy?’ Lily’s call was faint. ‘Are you coming?’
‘Coming, sweetheart.’ Jack took Emma’s hand again and held it firmly as he made sure she didn’t stumble on any hidden dips in the snow-covered path.
The ritual stayed the same every year but there were always changes, too, because that was life. Some things stayed the same but some things always changed. And some of those changes were so good it was always worth getting through the rest.
The plastic mistletoe would last forever, but there was no need of a photograph of Lily anymore because she was here in person. She had made a special Christmas card at school and Emma had had it laminated so it wouldn’t be ruined by any rain. The shortbread was still star-shaped but the decorations were different because the children had helped their nana with the baking. This one had a wobbly smiley face.
And it seemed that there was another change this year. With an expression that Emma couldn’t read, Jack opened the fastenings on his parka.
It was Emma who had a wobbly smiley face now.
‘What’s funny?’
‘Nothing. I just love it that you’re wearing a Christmas sweater.’
It was green and it had a huge plum pudding as its motif, with a sprig of holly on top.
‘Hey...I love Christmas now...’
Emma blinked back sudden tears. ‘I know...’
‘Thanks to you. Which was why I went looking for this. I was thinking about that first time we came here.’
He was reaching inside his parka. Lily was staring at the small, black circle he produced.
‘What is it?’
‘It’s a record. A vinyl record like they had in the old days. This one’s small, because it’s a single.’
‘A single what?’
‘A single song. Well, it has one on the other side, too, but only one that’s special.’
Lily was trying to read the paper disc around the hole. ‘What is it? A Christmas carol?’
‘No.’ Emma’s voice felt thick, as if it was having trouble getting around the lump in her throat. ‘It’s a song by a very famous group called the Rolling Stones.’
‘It’s called “Satisfaction”,’ Jack added.
Lily’s nose wrinkled. ‘That’s a really weird name for a song. What’s satisfaction?’
‘It means that you have something that makes you very happy,’ Emma explained. ‘Something that means you don’t want anything else.’
She was talking to their daughter, but her gaze locked with Jack’s as he straightened from placing his contribution to the memories. Her heart was being squeezed, so hard it was almost painful, by an image of two teenage boys playing air guitar on a long-ago Christmas Day.
‘I have so much satisfaction,’ she said softly. ‘Thanks to you, my love. I will never, ever want anything else.’
Jack’s gaze was suspiciously bright. And then she couldn’t see it anymore because she was once again in the arms of the man she loved so much.
‘Same,’ he murmured against her ear. ‘Let’s go home...’
* * * * *
EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT
Paramedic Holly Jacobs knows that her night of scorching passion with Dr Daniel Chandler meant more than just lust. Playboy doc Daniel has sworn off love – but he can’t resist Holly! By the time they get snowed in on Christmas Eve Daniel finds himself asking if Holly is for life, not just for Christmas!
Read on for a sneak preview of
PLAYBOY ON HER CHRISTMAS LIST
by Carol Marinelli
Holly wanted a kiss, Daniel knew, but he was also rather certain she wanted a whole lot more than that. Not just sex, but the part of himself he refused to give.
‘What?’ he said again, and then his face broke into a smile, as, very unexpectedly, Holly, sweet Holly, showed another side of her.
‘Are you going to make me invite you in?’
‘Yes.’
‘You’re not even going to try and persuade me with a kiss?’ Holly checked.
‘You want me or you don’t.’ Daniel shrugged. ‘There’s no question that I want you. But, Holly, do you get that—?’
She knew what was coming and she didn’t need the warning—he had made his position perfectly clear—so she interrupted him. ‘I don’t need the speech.’
She just needed this.
Holly had thought his hand was moving to open the door but instead it came out of the window and to her head and pulled her face down to his.
He kissed her hard, even though she was the one standing. The stubble of his unshaven jaw was rough on her face and his tongue was straight in.
He pulled her in tight so that her upper abdomen hurt from the pressure of the open window and it was a warning, she knew, of the passion to come.
Even now she could pull back and straighten, say goodnight and walk off, but Holly was through with being cautious.
Her bag dropped to the pavement and he then released her.
Holly stared back at him, breathless, her lipstick smeared across her face, and all it made him want to do was to kiss her again.
But this was a street.
Holly bent and retrieved her bag and then walked off towards her flat. There was a roaring sound in her ears and her heart seemed to be leaping up near her throat.
Daniel closed up the car and was soon following her to the flats.
She turned the key in the main door to the flats and clipped up the concrete steps.
She could hear his heavy footsteps coming up the steps behind her as she turned and Holly almost broke into a run.
Daniel actually did!
He had thought her cute, sweet and gorgeous these past months and had done all he could not to think of her outright as sexy.
Except she was, and seriously so.
Don’t miss
PLAYBOY ON HER CHRISTMAS LIST by Carol Marinelli
Available December 2016
PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY
www.millsandboon.co.uk
Copyright ©2016 by Carol Marinelli
ISBN: 978-1-474-03771-6
THEIR FIRST FAMILY CHRISTMAS
© 2016 Alison Roberts
Published in Great Britain 2016
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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Alison Roberts, Their First Family Christmas
Their First Family Christmas Page 15
