Page 121 of When You Were Mine

He kissed her. “And I got the girl.”

She climbed onto his lap and clasped her hands behind his neck. “I only have one minute to say this before we get home and have to start getting ready, but Trevor Montgomery, you’re the love of my life, the other half of my soul, and while I can be happy without you, I’m not complete. I love you, my sweet, dirty-mouthed outlaw.” She kissed him, scraping her hands through his hair.

He started to tumble her onto the seat when the car lurched to a stop outside their home.

“Hm, the party can wait.” She kept her mouth close to his. “We have more important things to do. Things that involve licking. And sucking.”

“That sounds good, but we might want to hold off till later.”

“Since when don’t you want some good lovin’?”

“When our children, grandchildren, sisters, brothers-in-law, nieces, and nephews are watching.” He hit the button to lower her tinted window.

She whipped around to find her house lit up and the entire clan standing out front. It took her a moment to make sense of what she was seeing. They’d been gone a week, so she’d expected a dark house and a cold kitchen.

And what wasthat? “Is that a horse and carriage?”

“Yep.”

“What in the world?” She gaped at the display of lights in the pine trees and a giant blow-up Santa on the front lawn. “You rented kiosks?”

“Yep. One for hot cocoa and the other for crepes.”

She burst out laughing. “Look at you, making the magic for me.” But before she could properly thank him, everyone descended on the car. Lars opened her door, and the moment she got out, her family surrounded her with hugs and kisses.

It was perfect. Everything she’d ever wanted. She reached for Trevor’s hand, and amid all the love, chatter, and hugs, they shared a moment of understanding.

We did it.

We got here.

Two kids from a farm town made all their dreams come true.

In the great room of his ranch house, Trevor had two kids on his lap and both his and Elzy’s combined families surrounding him. He couldn’t have been happier.

A total of twenty-three stockings hung off the mantle, and a twelve-foot Douglas fir took up one corner of the large room. Strings of white lights shone off the pretty glass ornaments, and prettily wrapped presents were piled underneath.

His wife—hang on, let me say it again: my wife, my beautiful bride—and no, he’d never get tired of saying it—came out from the kitchen (with its slate-blue cabinets) carrying a giant cocoa board. It had everything from peppermint sticks and marshmallows to whipped cream and sprinkles to adorn mugs of cocoa (bought piping hot from Coco’s Chocolates in town).

The kids scrambled off him to gather around the low table, and everyone got busy pouring, dunking, and drinking.

But one child was missing. Paisley, his pensive, watchful, smart granddaughter.

Even though she’d been with the Montgomery family for four years, she still held back just a little. Not in a way that others might notice. But enough that it caught the attention of her parents.

Quietly, he left the room. Maybe the chaos was too much for her. He’d see if she wanted to bake cookies with him. She’d like that.

In contemplating their custom home’s design, Elzy wanted to include a ridiculous number of guest bedrooms so each of their grandkids, nephews, and nieces all had rooms of their own.

The quiet hallway was lined on one side with windows overlooking the Teton Range. Moonlight made the snow glitter. Man, he loved this house.

He found Paisley’s door ajar, so he knocked lightly to let her know he was there.

She jolted, shoving something under her pillow.

Huh. What was that about? Ten seemed young for secrets. “Hey. How’s it going? Mind if I hang out with you for a minute?”

She nodded, but her features darkened with guilt.

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