Page 16 of Hot Mess Christmas Express

“One what?” he asked.

“Gift.”

He took the envelope from her, turning to Sienna again. His face was scrunched in confusion, searching hers like she magically had some answer.

“Don’t look at me. Must have been Santa,” she offered.

He pursed his lips at her, like he didn’t believe what she’d told him, as he slipped his finger under the flap, pulling out the piece of paper inside. Sienna leaned over him, trying to read what was scrawled on the Somerset Island Golf Club letterhead.

“Good for one round of golf for four, cart, and balls, per Kip Lansbury. No expiration,” Caleb read out loud. “Holy…”

“We made the assumption that you golf,” Clark said. “So, if we got that wrong, I’m sorry.”

“No, no, I do. Not well, but I do golf,” Caleb answered. “Thank you so much. Really, you didn’t have to—”

“Nonsense! It’s Christmas!” Laura added.

Sienna bit her lip, trying to force back the tears that were welling up in her. The smile on Caleb’s face was huge, and the softness in his eyes shot straight to her heart. A heart that was beating faster the longer she looked at him. A heart that she was pretty sure was beating only for him.

“Thank you,” he mouthed to her. She shook her head—she had nothing to do with this. This was all her family, whom she could feel looking at the two of them. Caleb leaned in, placing a soft kiss on her forehead, and Sienna’s stomach did somersaults. She hadn’t been ready for this swell of emotion.

No, that wasn’t right. She’d been feeling this all morning. What she hadn’t been ready for was the realization of what it was. Love. Or at least the start of it.

You don’t love him; it’s been three days…

Except it hadn’t only been three days. It had been two years. She let out a sigh, her mind running through it all. She’d started falling for him that night at the ENT conference. She could deny it all she wanted, but she knew it was the truth. Two years of pushing it out of her head and telling herself he was a monster didn’t change that.

“Merry Christmas, Caleb,” she whispered, managing to hold back the tears. It was the only thing she could say right now, afraid anything more would betray her.

“Merry Christmas, Sienna.”