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“You know I’m going to keep looking at you that way for the rest of our lives.” He swept her brown curls out of the way and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Come back to bed.”
“I'm not sleepy. I know Brian will do everything he can to keep Hayley safe, but Jay Turner has been so devious so far. What if he tracks down the safehouse?”
“He won't. Only Ryan and Brady know where they are for that very reason. I know it’s hard but try to have faith. Xavier has the entire police department looking for them, and you know he won't stop until Jay Turner is in prison and Hayley is safe.”
That was true.
Xavier Montague had been a colleague and friend of hers since he transferred to work out of the same precinct she and Ryan worked out of twenty-five years ago. He had been partners with Ryan’s brother Jack, and the four of them had worked several cases together. Even after retiring she had remained close friends with Xavier. His wife Annabelle worked at the center for abused women and children that she and her friends ran together, and she loved Xavier’s kids, fourteen-year-old twins JP and Katie, eight-year-old Andy, and seven-year-old Oscar, who they had adopted when he was two.
“I know that Xavier is doing everything he can to keep Hayley safe, and I know Adam and Jessica are working this case as hard as they can, but …” she trailed off.
“But it’s not the same as having her safe and sound and at home with us,” her husband finished for her.
“Right.” Her gaze drifted back to the photo Elias still held of their first Christmas as a family. “How are we going to celebrate Christmas without Hayley?”
“Because we have to. Because Ari is coming home tomorrow, and the rest of our family and friends want to celebrate with us.”
“It won't feel like Christmas without Hayley here with us.”
“No, it won't. But if she’s not home in time for Christmas, then when this is over, we’ll celebrate Christmas again.”
It wouldn’t be the same though.
Even after Hayley went off to college, they had spent every single Christmas together, and it just wouldn’t feel right to be celebrating without her oldest daughter.
“Come to bed now, please?” Elias said.
Christmas wouldn’t be the same without Hayley. Still, her husband was right, Arianna was coming all the way home to spend the holidays with them, and her parents and Elias’ were getting older. Each holiday they celebrated could be the last they celebrated with them. Plus, there were their siblings, niece, nephews, and friends that she loved every bit as much as her family who would all be excited to spend Christmas together.
Hayley was safe and with the man she loved, she would be okay even if she missed them. Although it might not be Christmas morning when they exchanged gifts the enjoyment of seeing her daughter’s face when she opened her presents would still be the same, and they would still stuff themselves full of more food than anyone should eat in one sitting.
It might not be perfect, but the most important thing was that Hayley was safe.
“Okay, we can go back to bed,” she agreed.
“Good, it’s cold down here.” Elias set the photo back on the mantle, took her hand, and led her back upstairs and down the hall to their bedroom.
The doors to Arianna’s room and Hayley’s old room stood open, and she remembered when she and Elias used to creep down the hall to close them after the girls went to sleep so that they could have a little adult time. Now they didn't have to worry about kids walking in and seeing things they shouldn’t.
“I hope you’re not too tired.” She wriggled her eyebrows at her husband.
“You have something in mind?” He grinned down at her. His hair might be growing gray, and there might be little wrinkles around his eyes, but he was just as handsome as the day they had met.
“Oh, yeah.”
“I’m never too tired for that.”
Neither was she. She really was pretty lucky, a husband she still adored after almost thirty years of marriage, two gorgeous daughters, a job she loved, and maybe grandkids in the not too distant future.
