Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 113617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 568(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 568(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
“What I’m saying is, this isn’t about forgiveness. This is about giving him the last things he wanted before he died. And at least for that, I’m glad I got the opportunity to give that to him.”
Hale stared into his eyes before he turned his attention to Gen.
“Do you forgive him?” he asked.
“Yes,” she answered.
“Of course you do,” he muttered, and looked toward the stables.
“So we’ll give it time,” Duncan repeated.
Hale looked back to him. “At this very instant, he’s very dead, and he’s still playing you.”
“Some games you don’t wanna play. But still, it’s important you play and do it to win,” Duncan returned.
“Christ, too bad I hadn’t heard that, or I’d have been in on the coffee mug gig.”
Everyone, but Hale and Tom, had a new coffee mug with some saying on it they’d spouted to Sully or Gage.
And Tom and Hale had mugs too. Tom’s said, I’m Tom Pierce, and I Got A Hella Backstroke and Hale’s said, Be Good, Or I’m Inviting You to Camp.
Chloe was drinking her hot buttered rum right then from a red mug with black words on it that said I’m Going to Have to Get You in Hand.
The boys gave joint gifts, always had, and this didn’t have to do with the fact that the only money they had they got from their dad.
They were always in cahoots about “the perfect gift.”
And this year, even with more people to come up with ideas for, they hadn’t disappointed.
“Just not now, all right? It’s Christmas,” Hale gave in, somewhat.
“You leave tomorrow, darling,” Gen pointed out.
“Just not now, Genny, okay?” he asked.
She thought about it for a moment and nodded.
“I need more rum,” Hale muttered. “Excuse me.”
Duncan moved out of the way, and Hale went into the house.
Sasha fell on him almost instantly.
But sweet, savvy Coco…
Her eyes were narrowed out the window at them.
And then she started to make her way to Hale.
“That went as expected,” Tom said.
“I worry he thinks he can delay until we give up,” Genny noted.
“In the end, it’s his call if he wants it or not, honey,” Duncan replied.
They all fell into unhappy silence.
Tom broke it, saying, “I need more rum too.”
He touched Gen’s arm, gave Duncan a chin lift and went inside.
Duncan moved to his woman.
“We shouldn’t have done it on Christmas,” she fretted.
“Stop worrying, baby. We had this window, and if he’d opened up, on Christmas, he’d have learned that his dad was more than he thought he was. He didn’t and now he’s in there with Sash and Coco and he’ll be fine. We’ll get another shot.”
“Yes,” she murmured, gazing into the house and slumping into his side.
Duncan pulled her close.
“Good call, building this huge log cabin,” she said.
He turned his attention through the windows into his house and studied the goings-on.
Tons of presents, unwrapped, sitting in individually designated piles under the big, real tree.
Real garlands that made the place smell like a forest were swagged everywhere, fit with red and silver baubles, pinecones and bright red velvet ribbons.
Dogs and cats and a rabbit snoozing or mixing.
Chloe, Sash, Tom, and Hale in the kitchen, talking about something.
Matt and Duncan’s mom playing some card game on the coffee table in the living room.
The fire was crackling.
Christmas music had been playing all day.
And his sons would be home soon.
Yeah, he’d rambled around that house alone whenever the boys were with their mom, and then after Gage went to school, and there were times, too many of them, that it wasn’t fun.
But now, Gen was with him more than they were in Phoenix.
The girls came up whenever they wanted, like they were going to the mall and it wasn’t a two-hour trek.
And every day he’d gone to work since she’d come back into his life, Genny had been home when he’d walked through the door.
Shooting for her new show started in February, so that would end soon.
But it didn’t matter.
His boys’ crystal ball may have broken, but his hadn’t.
He’d built that house for his family and for Genny.
And that was who was enjoying it.
And he knew that was the best present he’d ever get every day for the rest of his life.
“Have I told you I love you today?” Gen asked, and he looked down at her.
And another present.
“You told me after I had Christmas breakfast, before I had the Christmas breakfast that involved food,” he reminded her.
Her face grew soft and sexy with memories of her orgasm before she said, “Well, it bears repeating. I love you, Duncan William Holloway.”
“And I love you too, Imogen Sarah Swan. And just so you know, that thing you opened this morning was a place keeper. Your real gift is up in our bedroom.”
Her chin shifted back.
And then she stated, “First, I do not consider a Van Cleef and Arpels Alhambra pendant a place keeper.”