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“That long already?” He stepped up close to her, placing his hands on her waist. “It’s only the first of many anniversaries.”
“Do you know how nice that sounds?”
He leaned down, placing his lips on hers. She immediately leaned into his embrace. It didn’t matter how many times he kissed her, it still felt like the first. Her heart pitter-pattered as desire pumped through her veins.
“Hey, you two newlyweds, aren’t we supposed to be getting ready for a party?”
Alina immediately jumped but Graham refused to let her go. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to his side. Prince scampered over to hide behind them.
“Hello, Mother,” Graham said. “We didn’t hear you arrive.”
“Obviously.” His mother smiled. “You two look good together. Any news about grandchildren?”
“Mother.” Graham frowned at her. “Stop pushing.”
“Who’s pushing? With the way you two look at each other, it’s a safe bet.”
Alina smiled. She enjoyed seeing Graham reconnecting with his mother. It was long overdue. She moved out of her husband’s hold and went to greet her mother-in-law. Sharon Toliver was tall and slender, her dark hair the same shade as her son’s. When Sharon smiled, it lit up her brown eyes. Alina realized that Graham may have inherited his father’s business acumen but he’d also inherited his mother’s warmth.
Alina reached out and hugged Sharon. “Welcome.”
As Alina took Sharon’s coat, his mother looked around. “This place is beautiful. Not like that stone-and-granite mausoleum that Graham stayed in at the office building. This place has warmth. It looks like a home, not a showpiece. Alina, you have done a marvelous job.”
“Thank you. But we—” she motioned to Graham, who was now standing beside her “—did it together.”
“You are good for my son.”
“And he’s good for me,” Alina quickly added, meaning it wholeheartedly.
Sharon’s gaze moved to the collection of tables. “My, you’re expecting a lot of guests. People from the office?”
“Just family,” Alina said.
Ding-dong.
Prince dashed back to the bedroom. Alina smiled and shook her head. He might be bossy with her and Graham, but when it came to strangers, he made like a ghost and disappeared.
“And there are our guests now.” Alina moved to the door, anxious to see her family all together again.
And this would be just the first of many such occasions because Graham had invited all willing Stirling residents to move into the top two floors of the newly finished Toliver Tower. They were a family once more.
Alina swung the double doors wide open and there stood her family in their Christmas sweaters, Santa hats and smiles. In the front stood Merryweather, carrying a bottle of wine with a red bow on it as he held the leash to his sweet rescue dog, Bentley. Her heart swelled with love for both of them.
“You all came,” she said.
“Of course we did,” Merryweather said. “Where else would we be on Christmas Eve but with family?”
Alina turned back to her mother-in-law. “Sharon, do you remember my family from the wedding?”
“Yes, I do.” Sharon smiled as she moved to Alina’s side to greet everyone.
After everyone arrived, Alina stepped back, taking in the happy scene. For a moment, she watched as the people interacted. It was then she admitted that she’d been wrong. Having a new building hadn’t changed anything. They were still the people she loved. And she was blessed enough to be loved back.
Just then Graham moved up beside her and slipped his arm around her waist. “Something on your mind?”
“How did I get to be so lucky? Our family isn’t bound by bloodlines. It’s made up of the people of our hearts.”
He turned to her. He pointed up. She lifted her head, finding that they were standing under the mistletoe. A smile pulled at her lips. She lifted up on her tiptoes. “I love you.”
