over toward Brad.
Shelly and I enjoyed the view of the ocean as
we ran in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that stared
out over the scene. We put in a good thirty minutes before the guys
were done, and then we all headed back up to the room together.
The four of us got showered and dressed
before we met back in the kitchen. We had decided to make up some
more goodies before the coven was supposed to arrive today.
As it turned out we had piles of brownies,
crispy rice treats, chocolate chip cookies, and coconut macaroons
by the time my mom, dad, and grandma walked in.
“Everything looks so great and smells so
good!” my mom exclaimed as she rushed up to give me a hug.
“Merry Christmas, Mom.” I laughed as I
wrapped my arms tightly around her.
“Hey, pumpkin!” Dad said, coming forward to
give me a hug also, wrapping his arms so tightly around me I could
barely breathe.
We were soon all chatting loudly together as
the family toured the condo. They commented on everything, loving
all that they saw. When we stepped out onto the balcony, they raved
over the beautiful scene in front of us.
“Would you look at that view!” Dad exclaimed
as he leaned over the railing. “This is gorgeous!” he added as he
turned and pulled Mom into his arms.
“It really is pretty!” Mom agreed, as she
leaned her head back against him.
“Shelly and I thought you two could take the
master bedroom,” I said to my parents. “We’ll move into Brad’s
room, and he can share with Vance.”
“Nonsense!” Mom replied. “We booked the room
right next door. The rest of the coven members have their own rooms
all over the hotel. We figured your condo could be our home base,
since it’s the largest.”
“All right,” I said smiling.
“Pumpkin, these brownies are divine!” Dad
said through a mouthful. “I’ve been starving for some good
Christmas goodies!”
“Did you make all this stuff?” Grandma asked
as she too bit into one of her own.
“Yes, Shelly and I did. And it was
old-fashioned style, you know … no magic,” I replied, with a grin,
knowing it would please my mother.
“The boys didn’t help out?” Grandma
prodded.
“Of course we did! We were the official taste
testers,” Vance said with a little laugh.
“Ah! I see,” she said, patting him on the
shoulder. “So how’s everything else going? Any news?”
“No, No!” my dad said, stepping between them
and waving a finger at Grandma. “There’ll be no talking about that
tonight. Tonight we celebrate the holiday!”
Chapter 8
Christmas morning dawned clear and
beautiful.
My family, Brad, Shelly, and the rest of the
coven gathered together at the base of the tree to open the few
presents we all had for each other. The wrapping paper was soon
piled up around us, as we laughed and smiled over each other’s
gifts.
Vance seemed to really enjoy the pullover
sweater I had bought for him, though I felt completely cheap when
he surprised me with a diamond tennis bracelet.
“You really shouldn’t have,” I said to him,
as we had a private moment together.
“Why not?” he asked as he smiled softly at
me. “I love you, and I enjoy showering you with beautiful
things.”
“Yes, but all I got you was a sweater,” I
complained, feeling badly.
“That was exactly what I needed,” he said. “I
love it! It’s perfect!” He grinned brightly at me.
“Whatever,” I mumbled as I turned away from
him.
“Hey,” he said, as he reached out to turn me
back to him so he could look deep into my eyes. “I have never
received a bad gift from you. I absolutely treasure everything
you’ve ever given me, whether it’s a physical gift or an emotional
one.” He lifted my hand and ran his finger over the diamond ring
there.
“You agreeing to marry me was the one thing I
really wanted,” he said smiling. “Nothing I could give you could
ever trump that,” he added as he reached out to stroke a hand over
my hair. “I love you,
Shelly and I enjoyed the view of the ocean as
we ran in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that stared
out over the scene. We put in a good thirty minutes before the guys
were done, and then we all headed back up to the room together.
The four of us got showered and dressed
before we met back in the kitchen. We had decided to make up some
more goodies before the coven was supposed to arrive today.
As it turned out we had piles of brownies,
crispy rice treats, chocolate chip cookies, and coconut macaroons
by the time my mom, dad, and grandma walked in.
“Everything looks so great and smells so
good!” my mom exclaimed as she rushed up to give me a hug.
“Merry Christmas, Mom.” I laughed as I
wrapped my arms tightly around her.
“Hey, pumpkin!” Dad said, coming forward to
give me a hug also, wrapping his arms so tightly around me I could
barely breathe.
We were soon all chatting loudly together as
the family toured the condo. They commented on everything, loving
all that they saw. When we stepped out onto the balcony, they raved
over the beautiful scene in front of us.
“Would you look at that view!” Dad exclaimed
as he leaned over the railing. “This is gorgeous!” he added as he
turned and pulled Mom into his arms.
“It really is pretty!” Mom agreed, as she
leaned her head back against him.
“Shelly and I thought you two could take the
master bedroom,” I said to my parents. “We’ll move into Brad’s
room, and he can share with Vance.”
“Nonsense!” Mom replied. “We booked the room
right next door. The rest of the coven members have their own rooms
all over the hotel. We figured your condo could be our home base,
since it’s the largest.”
“All right,” I said smiling.
“Pumpkin, these brownies are divine!” Dad
said through a mouthful. “I’ve been starving for some good
Christmas goodies!”
“Did you make all this stuff?” Grandma asked
as she too bit into one of her own.
“Yes, Shelly and I did. And it was
old-fashioned style, you know … no magic,” I replied, with a grin,
knowing it would please my mother.
“The boys didn’t help out?” Grandma
prodded.
“Of course we did! We were the official taste
testers,” Vance said with a little laugh.
“Ah! I see,” she said, patting him on the
shoulder. “So how’s everything else going? Any news?”
“No, No!” my dad said, stepping between them
and waving a finger at Grandma. “There’ll be no talking about that
tonight. Tonight we celebrate the holiday!”
Chapter 8
Christmas morning dawned clear and
beautiful.
My family, Brad, Shelly, and the rest of the
coven gathered together at the base of the tree to open the few
presents we all had for each other. The wrapping paper was soon
piled up around us, as we laughed and smiled over each other’s
gifts.
Vance seemed to really enjoy the pullover
sweater I had bought for him, though I felt completely cheap when
he surprised me with a diamond tennis bracelet.
“You really shouldn’t have,” I said to him,
as we had a private moment together.
“Why not?” he asked as he smiled softly at
me. “I love you, and I enjoy showering you with beautiful
things.”
“Yes, but all I got you was a sweater,” I
complained, feeling badly.
“That was exactly what I needed,” he said. “I
love it! It’s perfect!” He grinned brightly at me.
“Whatever,” I mumbled as I turned away from
him.
“Hey,” he said, as he reached out to turn me
back to him so he could look deep into my eyes. “I have never
received a bad gift from you. I absolutely treasure everything
you’ve ever given me, whether it’s a physical gift or an emotional
one.” He lifted my hand and ran his finger over the diamond ring
there.
“You agreeing to marry me was the one thing I
really wanted,” he said smiling. “Nothing I could give you could
ever trump that,” he added as he reached out to stroke a hand over
my hair. “I love you,
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