Page 84 of A Very Naughty Christmas

The old woman’s eyes turned wet as Kyle helped her unwrap it. “I have the perfect place for it in my bedroom.” Her gaze swept the room and stopped on her daughter. “You know the one, Caro, over the table near the French doors.”

“The lighting will set if off beautifully, Mama.” His mother then sent a warm smile her way. “You are very talented, Dixie.”

Miss Emmaline was genuinely touched and dabbing at tears on her cheeks. “Thank you so much, my dear. I will treasure it.”

Dixie got a bit misty too, squeezing her dear friend’s hand. “It makes me happy to give it to someone who will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed painting it.”

“Let’s not all cry,” she whispered, as she waved for Kyle to set it aside, watching like a mother hen over one of her precious chicks so he didn’t mar it. When it was safely away, she pulled out a long box and passed it to Dixie. “This is for you.”

She accepted the unusually shaped gift box and rested it on her lap. As she untied the bow, Dixie peeked up at Kyle in question. He seemed at as much of a loss and shrugged his ignorance. With the wrapping off, she lifted the lid and pushed the tissue aside. Then she laughed.

There was a chorus of “what is it” with one of the young cousins insisting that she hold it up. Reaching inside, she lifted the taupe and black lace umbrella from the box. Having admired it for so long as it hung forgotten—or so she thought—on the coatrack at Pete’s, she could honestly say, “It’s just what I wanted.”

The three of them grinned at the secret meaning while the others looked at one another, completely baffled by the significance. Emmaline didn’t elaborate, choosing to keep the tale amongst the three of them, and directed the next in line to open a present.

As she ran her fingers over the lace, she felt the cushions shift as Kyle settled beside her.

“Aren’t you glad you came?” he murmured for her ears only.

“Yes,” she replied, leaning into his chest. “Your family is wonderful. And I have been a judgmental fool.”

“Don’t dwell on that, I told you I’d help you grow out of it.” His arm around her shoulders hugged her close. She twisted around to face him, looking up into the beautiful primrose shade of blue, which had recently become her favorite color, and basked in the warmth of his gaze. Someone called his name, and when his attention shifted away, her eyes lingered on his cherished face with its classically handsome profile for another moment, before it was drawn to the doorway nearby.

And there, with the magical mistletoe adorning the entrance to Miss Emmaline’s welcoming and quite lovely home, the hallway beyond graced with the stunning portrait of his beloved grandparents, she curled into Kyle’s side, daydreaming of a lifetime of more Christmases surrounded by family, happiness, and laughter, and more love than Dixie ever imagined possible.

Chapter Eleven

Lowering her head, Dixie rested her nose against warm, soft skin and inhaled deeply, breathing in the sweetest smell on God’s green earth. Clean and sweet, the scent was positively addictive. As a little sigh brushed her ear, she raised her head and smiled down into the perfect face of her beautiful baby boy. Only a few hours old, Wyatt Kyle Prescott slept peacefully in the cradle of her arms.

“He’s perfect, Dixie,” Kyle murmured as his hand cupped the back of his son’s knit cap-covered head.

Blinking back tears, she bit her trembling bottom lip to keep from blubbering once again. “I’m so happy,” she said while gazing up at him and returning his smile with a watery one of her own.

“Me too, darlin’.”

“I’m going to be weepy again, honey. Be prepared.”

“Cry all you want, baby. I’ll kiss away your tears.”

“I love you, Kyle.”

“And I adore you, Dixie.” He was leaning in to claim her mouth when the door opened.

“Where is my newest great-grandchild?” Miss Emmaline called as she came into the room. As lively as ever, she carried a cane, but rarely used it, like now when she practically bounded in with ageless excitement. Coming up on the opposite side of the bed from Kyle, she reached across and covered his strong hand with her slender, frailer one as she gazed upon the new arrival.

“He’s precious,” she uttered softly, aiming a joyful smile Dixie’s way. “You two do excellent work, as I always predicted you would.”

“Taking credit so soon?” her mother-in-law asked as she walked in with Joel, baby Wyatt’s beaming grandfather. Between them stood a wide-eyed Emma, the new big sister clasping her Nana and Papaw’s hands in a death grip.

“My blood flows through young Wyatt’s veins,” Emmaline answered, “so of course, I’m taking credit where credit is due.”

Kyle and Dixie shared a look, her grinning and him chuckling, neither weighing in on the same discussion that had taken place almost six years ago when their daughter was born.

“Come and see your new brother, Em,” Kyle urged as he held out his arm to her.

Eager to do almost anything her adored daddy asked, the little girl ran to him, giggling as he swooped her up onto his lap. As if on cue, the baby stirred, then stretched andyawned before promptly going back to sleep, in complete disregard of his audience.

“He’s like my baby doll, Daddy.”

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