wrapped an arm about Melanie’s waist. She moved closer to him and even grinned when Brendan clutched his heart as if wounded.
“It’s either a scarf, gloves, mittens or hats,” Cameron said softly.
Adeline handed out the presents with a large smile on her face.
Moments later, Sebastian Sr. exclaimed, “What a lovely hat, Addy.” Followed by Cait with, “Oh, me love, these mittens are beautiful.” Followed by less than enthusiastic chimes from Brendan and Aiden, “Our hats are nice, Addy.” Cameron opened his present last, and Melanie might have laughed if he wasn’t trying so hard not to. “How did you know I wanted a scarf for Christmas, Addy?”
Happy that everyone seemed pleased with her presents, Adeline took a seat on the carpet before the tree and began trying on her new shoes.
At that time, Sebastian Sr. and Cait handed out Christmas cards to their sons. From the way Brendan’s eyes lit up, Melanie knew that they were “special” cards, of the cash or check variety. When hugs were exchanged after those, Cait stood and walked over to the tree. A lone present was off to the back, and she lifted it and walked over to Cameron.
“Merry Christmas, Melanie,” Cait said softly, handing over the present. A card with her name lay atop it.
“Thank you.” Melanie was shocked. She hadn’t expected anything.
Cait remained where she was standing and nodded encouragement to Melanie to open the gift. When Cameron tried to help, his mother swatted his hand away.
“It’s the lass’s present, not yours,” she chided like a mother hen, which she was.
Brendan guffawed, and Cameron reached behind her to playfully shove his brother.
The wrapping paper came off to reveal a large bath set, complete with two towels, body washes, body oils, lotions, soaps, and even exfoliating beads.
“Pretty,” Brendan murmured, leaning closer to her. Cameron shoved him away again, but he came back just as quickly, pointing out, “There’s a card as well.”
With slightly shaky fingers, she opened the card, which had a simple “Merry Christmas” in gold on a red background.
“Here’s a small gift, from our family to you.
Thank you for spending Christmas with us.
Merry Christmas,
—the Mackintoshes.”
Melanie handed the gift to Sebastian and stood. Unsure of how the woman would react, she stepped forward and hugged her.
“Thank you,” she murmured softly.
“Oh lassie, you’re more than welcome. We didna know what you’d like, so we chose the bath set. It’s lavender.”
She laughed softly as she pulled away from Cameron’s mother and looked around the room. They were all staring at her.
“Thank you for allowing me to spend Christmas with you.”
“You’re very welcome,” Adeline chimed in from next to the tree.
“Yea, I like you—” Brendan began only to stop short after looking at Cameron. He added slowly, “—in a strictly platonic way. My brother’s a right jealous basta— ow !”
She looked back to find Brendan shaking his hand quickly, as if someone had done something to it. When she turned her attention to Cameron, he was grinning from ear to ear. When she looked up, Sebastian Sr. was standing before her, blue eyes dancing merrily. He pulled her into a bear hug while wishing her a Merry Christmas and saying something about how she was a “right pretty lass.” She laughed.
When Aiden stepped up, intent on getting his hug in, Cameron stood. With a grin, Aiden took a seat.
Cameron kissed the side of her neck and wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Lunch is at two o’clock sharp,” Cait said, turning to look directly at Brendan and then Aiden. “Do ye hear me, lads? Two o’clock sharp, so wherever ye scurvies need to go, go now.”
Brendan nodded and gave his mother a quick grin. “Yes, ma’am.”
Aiden pressed a kiss to her cheek and answered the same.
Her eyes narrowed on them before they landed on Melanie and softened. “Ye can go see yer family in the meantime,
“It’s either a scarf, gloves, mittens or hats,” Cameron said softly.
Adeline handed out the presents with a large smile on her face.
Moments later, Sebastian Sr. exclaimed, “What a lovely hat, Addy.” Followed by Cait with, “Oh, me love, these mittens are beautiful.” Followed by less than enthusiastic chimes from Brendan and Aiden, “Our hats are nice, Addy.” Cameron opened his present last, and Melanie might have laughed if he wasn’t trying so hard not to. “How did you know I wanted a scarf for Christmas, Addy?”
Happy that everyone seemed pleased with her presents, Adeline took a seat on the carpet before the tree and began trying on her new shoes.
At that time, Sebastian Sr. and Cait handed out Christmas cards to their sons. From the way Brendan’s eyes lit up, Melanie knew that they were “special” cards, of the cash or check variety. When hugs were exchanged after those, Cait stood and walked over to the tree. A lone present was off to the back, and she lifted it and walked over to Cameron.
“Merry Christmas, Melanie,” Cait said softly, handing over the present. A card with her name lay atop it.
“Thank you.” Melanie was shocked. She hadn’t expected anything.
Cait remained where she was standing and nodded encouragement to Melanie to open the gift. When Cameron tried to help, his mother swatted his hand away.
“It’s the lass’s present, not yours,” she chided like a mother hen, which she was.
Brendan guffawed, and Cameron reached behind her to playfully shove his brother.
The wrapping paper came off to reveal a large bath set, complete with two towels, body washes, body oils, lotions, soaps, and even exfoliating beads.
“Pretty,” Brendan murmured, leaning closer to her. Cameron shoved him away again, but he came back just as quickly, pointing out, “There’s a card as well.”
With slightly shaky fingers, she opened the card, which had a simple “Merry Christmas” in gold on a red background.
“Here’s a small gift, from our family to you.
Thank you for spending Christmas with us.
Merry Christmas,
—the Mackintoshes.”
Melanie handed the gift to Sebastian and stood. Unsure of how the woman would react, she stepped forward and hugged her.
“Thank you,” she murmured softly.
“Oh lassie, you’re more than welcome. We didna know what you’d like, so we chose the bath set. It’s lavender.”
She laughed softly as she pulled away from Cameron’s mother and looked around the room. They were all staring at her.
“Thank you for allowing me to spend Christmas with you.”
“You’re very welcome,” Adeline chimed in from next to the tree.
“Yea, I like you—” Brendan began only to stop short after looking at Cameron. He added slowly, “—in a strictly platonic way. My brother’s a right jealous basta— ow !”
She looked back to find Brendan shaking his hand quickly, as if someone had done something to it. When she turned her attention to Cameron, he was grinning from ear to ear. When she looked up, Sebastian Sr. was standing before her, blue eyes dancing merrily. He pulled her into a bear hug while wishing her a Merry Christmas and saying something about how she was a “right pretty lass.” She laughed.
When Aiden stepped up, intent on getting his hug in, Cameron stood. With a grin, Aiden took a seat.
Cameron kissed the side of her neck and wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Lunch is at two o’clock sharp,” Cait said, turning to look directly at Brendan and then Aiden. “Do ye hear me, lads? Two o’clock sharp, so wherever ye scurvies need to go, go now.”
Brendan nodded and gave his mother a quick grin. “Yes, ma’am.”
Aiden pressed a kiss to her cheek and answered the same.
Her eyes narrowed on them before they landed on Melanie and softened. “Ye can go see yer family in the meantime,
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