Page 20 of A Collier First Christmas
“Thomas Collier after seven children and several grandchildren I assure you I know how to warm a bottle.”
I put my hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay. I’m going to my office to finish up a few things before Luke arrives then. Holler if you need anything. And you be good for grandma,” I told Cammie before kissing her head and then my mother’s cheek. “Thanks Mom.”
Something told me that this small gift of time with Cammie was the greatest Christmas present I could possibly give my mother.
Walking away from them even just down the hall to the other side of the house was far more difficult than I imagined it would be. Cammie was in the best hands possible, I knew that, but Lily had entrusted her with me and somehow I felt guilty for leaving her.
I was still battling that sense of guilt when Luke arrived at my office.
“You okay?” he asked, taking the seat across from my desk.
“Yeah. Do you ever feel guilty for leaving Hunter?”
He gave me an odd look. “Not really.”
I could feel my face drop.
Luke chuckled. “I mean not anymore. Sure, it wasn’t easy at first. I didn’t want to miss a single second of his life.”
“Exactly. Lily left the baby with me today.”
“Well, that’s progress, right?”
“I left her with Mom.”
“And Lily’s okay with that?”
“Yeah, I think she is.”
“Then that’s great. What’s the problem?”
“I don’t know.” And the truth was, I didn’t. I brushed it off and decided to get down to work. “Anything new to report within the Pack?”
“Not really. I mean I assume you’re already aware of the Christmas tree lighting this weekend and the decorations are on steroids from what I’ve seen around town. It’s kind of nice. I’m told there are big plans for the Christmas Eve pack run too.”
“Lily’s told me some of her plans. Nothing too concerning, right?”
“I think Syd’s keeping her in check.”
“Good. I owe her for that. I know how my mate can get, well, overzealous when she really puts her heart into something.”
Lily
Chapter 11
Everyone in town was decking the halls for Christmas. I had tears in my eyes as I watched it all unfold. On top of the light pole decorations the Pack always put up, people had donated all sorts of things and we were trying hard to put everything to use.
“But what about the tree?” Sydney asked for the hundredth time.
There was a small roundabout in the middle of Collier Street. I walked over to it and looked around.
“How about we put the tree here?”
Sydney checked out the area and nodded. “I love it. I think it’s the perfect place for a tree.”
“Now, we just need a tree.”
“We can go out to the next town over and pick one up. Unless you plan on going out and chopping down your own it’s the best place around for real trees.”
