by MacKay, Sue
‘I went home, spent two days with Mum and Dad. We talked a lot about Alison and the accident. I guess we had the conversations we should’ve had twelve months ago.’
‘It would’ve been harder back then. You’ve had time to come to terms with your loss, as have your parents.’
Her smile softened. ‘They were great. I told them all about you and the boys. They can’t wait to meet you.’
‘Hang on.’ Cam looked at her more closely. ‘Were you intending to come and see us? I didn’t need to email you?’
Her laugh scared the sparrows off the lawn, where the boys were feeding them chips. ‘Don’t think you could get off that lightly. But, seriously…’ Her laughter quietened. ‘Putting things into perspective with Mum and Dad made me think about you and me. I flew back yesterday and immediately went to see Angus, who put me in contact with the head of the ED at Wairau.’
Cam held his breath. This was happening too fast. The fact she’d come back to him had only just started sinking in and she was talking about the hospital.
Running the back of her hand down his cheek, she said, ‘Starting the first of February I’m working three days a week in the ED. I turned down full-time hours. I want to be a part of your lives, not living on the perimeter—which means there’ll be cooking lessons, a house to run and three demanding males to keep in order. I think my life’s going to be quite hectic.’
That emotion backing up finally spilled over. Tears rolled down his cheeks, laughter bubbled over his lips. ‘Welcome home.’
*
Home. One tiny word that filled Jenny with warmth and love. She looked around the yard and sighed. One day soon she’d begin digging a garden and planting her favourite flowers so there’d always be colour out here.
Home. Who’d have thought she’d end her travels in Havelock? ‘What do you reckon, Alison? Have I done the right thing or what?’ Alison would be happy for her. She knew that bone deep. All either of them had wanted was for the other to find love and be happy.
‘Here, get your lips around this.’ Cam handed her a glass of bubbles. ‘We’re celebrating.’
She laughed. ‘I’m glad this is a celebration.’
‘Jenny, have you seen our tree?’
‘Dad took us to the forest and cut a big pine.’
‘We decorated it today.’
‘Come and see it.’
She tapped the rim of her glass against Cam’s. ‘I know an order when I hear one.’
Cam took her hand and walked inside. ‘Boys, quieten down a bit, will you?’
Jenny stopped in front of the tree. ‘Wow, look at that. You’ve both done a fabulous job of decorating it. I’ve never seen so many decorations in my life.’
‘We are allowed to buy three new ones each every year.’
‘We haven’t got them this year yet.’
She blinked. Where would they put them? ‘When are you going shopping?’
‘Tomorrow.’
‘Can we, Dad?’
‘I can’t see why not.’ Cam looked at her. ‘Up for a bout in the shops?’
‘Absolutely. I can’t wait.’
‘You have no idea what you’re letting yourself in for.’ His grin was wicked.
She nodded. ‘Yes, I have. I’m going with my favourite males to load up on presents. What more could a woman want?’ It would be like a family outing. Warmth flooded her. How had she thought she could walk away? This past week had been hell, and here she was, back where she now knew she belonged.
‘Dad, we’re going to be late for the carols.’
Cam’s eyes widened and he tapped his forehead. ‘Blame Jenny. She sidetracked me.’
‘Carols? As in singing and holding candles?’ When was the last time she’d done that?
‘Yep, down at the marina. Coming with us?’ Cam seemed to be holding his breath.
‘Be warned, if I sing everyone will leave.’
‘We’ll take that chance. It would mean we can come home earlier anyway.’
If she’d thought he’d looked wicked before she’d been wrong. Now he looked very wicked. Her stomach flipped at the thought of what they might be doing after they came home. After they’d packed the boys off to bed, of course.
The marina was crowded. Everyone in Havelock and from the outlying bays must have come. The boys bounced around with excitement. Then they found Amanda’s kids and dragged Cam and Jenny across to join them all.
Amanda gave her a hug. ‘Glad you’re home.’
‘Was I the only one not to realise this is where I belong?’ She hugged her friend back.
‘I wouldn’t have taken you for a slow learner but that goes to show how little I know.’
‘It means you’ve got a cookery pupil for quite some time.’
Amanda chuckled. ‘Guess I’ll cope. We’ll start with fruit mince tarts this week.’
‘Perfect.’
‘Here, better be lighting our candles.’ Cam handed her and the boys a candle each then lit them. ‘Marcus, Andrew, be careful with these. I don’t want anybody getting burnt.’
‘Yes, Dad.’
‘Yes, Dad.’
Jenny laughed. Wasn’t she doing a lot of that today? ‘Yes, Cam.’ She loved it when the boys looked so solemn. It wouldn’t last. Any moment now they’d be joining in the singing and would forget every word Cam had said, but that was okay, because she’d be right here keeping an eye on them, along with their dad.
Cam leaned close, his breath warm on her cheek. ‘I love Christmas mince tarts.’
‘Yeah, but will the boys? Amanda? Can I get a recipe off you? I’ve got an idea.’
‘As long as you promise not to tell everyone you got it from me.’ Her friend grinned.
‘Make it a very simple recipe, Amanda. Something with no more than two ingredients.’ Cam added his two cents’ worth.
‘I’ll surprise the lot of you.’ She pulled a face at them both. ‘You’ll see.’
*
Cam handed Jenny another present to place under the tree, and told her, ‘When I was the boys’ age I used to get up early every morning and check out the presents under the tree, counting how many were for me then shaking and squeezing them trying to figure out what they were.’
Yeah, she had those memories, too. ‘Whenever Mum was out Alison and I used to search under the window seat for parcels that could be our presents. It never spoilt the fun of opening them on Christmas morning, did it?’ She began emptying the carton of neatly wrapped presents she’d bought in Blenheim yesterday. She’d spent hours trawling through shops, trying to decide on gifts for the most important males in her life.
‘Hell, no. It was part of the ritual. Drove Mum crazy. I think she expected me to break something.’
‘One year Mum wrapped up books, loads of them, and put them under the tree. We really believed that was what we were getting—books.’ Mum. She’d have these same memories, too.
Cam must’ve heard her sigh because his arm wound around her shoulders and tugged her close to his strong body. ‘It’s not too late to ask your parents to join my family at the farm for Christmas.’
Twisting awkwardly, she stared up into the face she loved. ‘Really? Would your mother mind? She already has a house full coming that day.’
He squeezed her gently. ‘She’d love it. So would Dad. They can’t wait to meet you, by the way.’ He’d phoned them earlier in the day and she’d heard him laughing and chatting so easily. Seemed he had a great relationship with his family.
As did she, Jenny acknowledged. When she’d arrived at home last week they’d opened their arms and hugged her like it had been only the day before she’d left Dunedin. ‘I’ll phone them now.’
‘Don’t talk all night. I’m looking forward to going to bed.’
The last time this gorgeous man had mentioned going to bed she’d imagined what it might be like. Now, after their lovemaking in Kahurangi and over the last two nights, she had a few clues. ‘Maybe I’m worth waiting for.’ She grinned
.
‘Lady, I waited a whole week to make love to you again. That was more than enough.’
Thank goodness Dad answered her call. He disliked talking on the phone so the conversation was brief and successful. ‘Dad will email me flight details tomorrow.’ Jenny dropped her phone on the table and took Cam’s hand. ‘Come on. What are you sitting around here for?’
Cam stood up and reached for her. When his lips brushed her mouth she all but melted. ‘Bedroom. Fast.’
*
The next morning she was woken by the twins bringing her a cup of tea. ‘Thanks, Andrew, Marcus.’ She stretched her toes towards the end of the king-size bed. ‘I definitely could get used to this,’ she said, repeating what she’d said the first morning she’d woken up in this house. Though that had been in the bedroom down the hall.
‘Have you seen all the presents under the tree?’ Andrew asked.
‘There are lots and lots and lots.’ Marcus grinned.
‘It’s exciting, isn’t it?’ She grinned back. ‘Where’s your dad?’
‘Getting breakfast.’
‘We’re having a barbecue.’
‘Bacon and eggs.’
‘And hash browns and mushrooms.’
Jenny’s head was spinning as the boys gabbled at her. ‘I’d better get up, then. I don’t want to miss out.’
‘Finish your tea first.’ Cam stood in the doorway, looking at her with love in his eyes. ‘We’ve got all morning.’
She shook her head at him. ‘I’ve got to go to the grocery store later. We’re going to make double chocolate chip Santa biscuits this morning.’
*
The kitchen turned into a familiar mess as Jenny supervised the mixing of the biscuit batter. ‘How does flour spread so far?’ she mock growled at the boys.
‘Something to do with the way you shake the packet as you’re filling the measuring cup,’ Cam said. ‘I’ve never seen anyone create flour clouds before.’
‘Hey!’ Jenny caught Marcus’s hand before it reached his mouth. ‘Don’t eat all those chocolate buttons. We need some for the cookies.’
Andrew quickly shovelled a handful into his mouth and began chewing hard. His eyes bulged as he tried not to laugh.
‘Not fair,’ Marcus grumped.
Jenny let go his hand and reached into the shopping bag. ‘Just as well I bought double the quantity needed.’
‘You’re spoiling them.’ Cam helped himself to a few buttons. Then he picked up some more and began feeding her one by one.
Her tongue grazed his fingertips and she saw the jolt of hot need zipping through his eyes, felt the reciprocal desire heat her body.
In the background she thought she heard ‘Yuck’ and ‘Gross’ but she couldn’t be sure and she wasn’t stopping to ask the boys what they’d said. Then reality slipped into the heat haze that was her mind right now. The boys. They weren’t alone. She pulled away.
‘Welcome to the real world,’ Cam whispered.
Funny how that only made her feel happier. ‘Better get these cookies in the oven. Marcus, can you cut the Santa shapes while, Andrew, you can put the liquorice on their chins.’
Cam shook his head. ‘Talk about left-field Santas.’
The boys hurried through their tasks and then went over to the tree to rustle amongst the parcels.
‘Hey, guys, leave those for Christmas Day.’ Cam spoke firmly.
‘We’re giving Jenny ours now.’
‘Are you sure you don’t want to wait?’ Cam wore a frown.
‘She needs it as soon as possible.’
What’s going on? Jenny looked from Cam to his sons and back. ‘I can wait.’
‘No, you can’t,’ Andrew informed her, as he lifted a square parcel from the back of all the presents.
‘We want you to have this.’ Marcus took a corner of the present.
Together the boys handed it over to her. ‘We made it.’
Jenny took the proffered gift. ‘Thank you, Andrew. Thank you, Marcus.’ She dropped a kiss on each forehead before glancing up at Cam to see him swallowing hard. What was this?
It felt hard and flat-sided, and she very carefully unwrapped the parcel. As the red and green paper fell aside she found a wooden box with a tiny bronze lock and key and it was painted bright green. ‘You made this?’ she asked around the tears in her throat. ‘For me? It’s beautiful.’
‘It’s to put your mojo in.’
‘We don’t want you to lose it again.’
The floor pushed up at the bottoms of her feet. She grabbed the counter to remain upright, holding on until the dizziness abated. ‘Thank you,’ she managed to whisper, before the floodgates opened and the tears became a torrent. Running a hand over the box, she twisted the key and lifted the lid. ‘Thank you,’ she repeated.
Cam’s hand was warm on her shoulder. ‘You okay?’
‘More than okay. You have the world’s best two boys.’
‘I reckon.’
Marcus said, ‘We’re glad we found you in the shop.’
‘Jenny,’ Andrew said. ‘Are you going to the farm with us for Christmas?’
‘Yes. Your dad asked me last night.’ Between kisses.
‘Are you staying for ever?’
Jenny raised her gaze to Cam’s, gave him a watery smile. ‘I hope so.’
One of the boys—she wasn’t sure which for all the hammering of her heart echoing in her head—asked, ‘Can we have a wedding? Like Toby Sorenson’s parents did? That was cool.’
Cam grinned. ‘That’s meant to be my line, guys.’
Jenny was speechless. Her eyes took in Cam and Marcus and Andrew all staring at her, waiting for something from her. Her mouth dropped open but no words came out. Deep inside the final knot in her stomach unravelled, spreading warmth and love through her. Her chest rose as she drew in a breath. ‘Yes, let’s have a wedding.’
‘Cool.’
‘Cool.’
Cam said, ‘I love you.’
‘And I love the three of you.’ Another flood of tears began. Talk about getting all her Christmases in one year.
Impervious to the tears, Cam reached for her and kissed her, long and lovingly. ‘I love you,’ he whispered again, and went back to kissing her.
And for once the boys refrained from saying a word. Jenny knew that thankfully it was only a respite, not a permanent change. She loved her family just the way they were.
*
As Cam finally lifted his mouth from those delectable lips he smiled like the cat with the cream.
Note to self: never let a day go by without remembering how much you love this woman.
*
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ISBN-13: 9781460344347
A Family This Christmas
Copyright © 2014 by Sue MacKay
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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