Page 2 of Under the Mistletoe
Devin ended the call and stepped out onto the wide, covered porch of the Victorian rental house as she tapped the link. According to Apple Maps, Benton Harbor was two hours and five minutes south of Heritage.
She paused at the top of her porch steps.
The town square was even more beautiful from here. From the silver bells on the light to the garland and red ribbon trimming along the old one-room schoolhouse and gazebo, Heritage appeared Hallmark Christmas–movie worthy. It really was the perfect little town. And maybe that was why, when she’d had the opportunity to move here, she’d jumped on it.
Not for the decorations, but because she’d spent her entire childhood wanting to climb inside her TV and have a beautiful family Christmas. She had to figure out how to convince the board this place was worth the investment.
“Devin!”
Devin hurried down the few steps and then squatted down as her neighbor Roman ran toward her full steam along the freshly shoveled sidewalk. His red coat was unzipped, one mitten in place, and a blue hat was pulled down so far that only a hint of his red hair peeked out. She caught him mid-run and struggled to keep her balance as she scooped up the four-year-old in her arms.
His green eyes lit up and his smile stretched full across his freckled face. He was missing one eye-tooth because of a playground incident, not Mother Nature.
“Happy Turkey Day!” He wiggled his finger below his chin. “Gobble, gobble.”
“And happy Turkey Day to you!” She mimicked his gobbler motion. “Where is everyone else?”
“They’re slow.” He pointed to where Luke walked toward them down the sidewalk, Roman’s missing mitten in hand. Luke was just over six feet and had a head of dark hair with a bit of wild curl to it. The guy looked so much like his half brother Liam, her friend from college, that even after six months of living two houses away, she still did a mental double take every time she saw him.
Liam and his fraternal twin brother Logan were off living their best life and rarely checked in with the friend group or their family, from what she gathered—which was crazy. She’d give anything for a family like this.
Although, she wasn’t sure what she’d do if the twins did visit more. She and Liam were still friends. Logan and her? She wasn’t so sure. Then again, she’d never really seen him as a friend. And after their last encounter, he definitely didn’t see her as one.
Roman slid to the ground and claimed his mitten from Luke. “We’re gonna go watch the parade at my grandma and grandpa’s house.”
Devin’s ears snagged on the use ofgrandmaandgrandpa, and her eyes darted to Luke’s.
He nodded in confirmation. “It’s official. Or it will be after the court date in January.”
“Yup. I’m a Taylor.” Roman jumped with the words, a smile stretching across his face again. Even at just four years old, after two years in the foster care system, he got it. People who wanted you around were not to be taken for granted.
She pushed down the building pressure in her chest and concentrated on Roman again. “You’ll have to tell me tomorrow about your favorite balloon from the parade.”
The screen door squeaked open and smacked shut again as six-year-old Joseph and ten-year-old Asher exited their house and started walking toward them. Joseph was practically a clone of his father, and Asher was a spitting image of his uncle Thomas with his strawberry-blond hair and wide grin, even though he too was adopted about a year ago.
“You should come with us.” Roman grabbed her hand and tugged it. “My grandma makes great pies. She lives on Carter Road. You know where that is?”
“I do. But you can’t invite me to someone else’s house.” She bopped him on the nose as the other two boys joined them.
“Grandma says there is always room at the table for one more. Right, Dad?” Roman smiled up at Luke. “She calls it table math.”
“I told her that table math doesn’t math,” Asher interjected. “If there’s always room for one more, that could never end.”
“I think that was her point.” Luke ruffled his hair. “You are definitely welcome, but you look like you’re on your way out.”
And for the smallest fraction of a second she wanted to deny it. Agree to join them. Because as much as she wanted to see her parents, it wouldn’t be this. There would be no warmth, few smiles, and definitely no conversations about parades or pies. They would talk about work and how she had the opportunity to do more with her life, then hang out with kids.
She shoved away the thoughts because they may not be perfect, but her parents were all she had. “I’m meeting my parents in Benton Harbor.”
“Is that where you’s from?” Roman worked unsuccessfully at his zipper.
“Nope.” She squatted down and helped him with his coat. “I grew up in Chicago. But they have to work tomorrow and so do I, so we’re meeting halfway for dinner.”
“You don’t work tomorrow. We have the race.” Roman’s face twisted in confusion.
“Thatisher work, dodo head.” Joseph nudged Roman’s shoulder.
“No name-calling.” Hannah walked up, carrying a casserole dish and joined them, with her long dark hair flowing over her shoulders. She was followed by their oldest, Jimmy, who was carrying a Tupperware container of cookies. At fourteen, he was the typical quiet teen boy, but he nodded.
