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He stops and turns to me in confusion. “I’m returning the flag,” he says.
“Oh, no, you don’t. We aren’t finished,” I quip.
He furrows his brows. “We aren’t?”
“No, sir. I want a tree for my bedroom and one for your bedroom and one for the dining room, oh, and one for the porch,” I say, ticking each one off on my fingers.
“Are you serious? Four more trees?” he asks as his eyes snap to Graham’s.
Graham shrugs. “I guess you’d better get to looking, but no more sixteen-footers. Let’s keep these to about six feet.”
Caleb lets out an excited yell, and he and Tucker run off among the trees.
Langford looks at Isley. “You’re gonna make me cut down five trees now, too, aren’t you?”
Her mouth curls up on one end.
“Shit, I should have brought the big truck,” he says before stomping off after the boys.
Isley follows as I wait in line with Graham.
Once the beast of a tree is netted, he helps one of the farmers carry it to our truck.
As he lowers the tailgate and they secure it to the bed, I know we have found the perfect Christmas tree, one that will be the centerpiece of our holiday celebrations as a new family.
I stop and take in the moment of pure magic.
“You okay?” Graham asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
I smile up at him. “Better than okay. I’m so happy; I could burst. This is going to be the best Christmas ever,” I whisper.
He wraps an arm around my shoulders and kisses the top of my head. “Good. That’s what I was shooting for. Now, let’s go find the kiddos and get these additional trees picked out so we can get home.”
I can’t wrap my head around how much life has changed in these past few years. I could be back in Illinois, sitting on the country club’s planning committee, arguing over what theme this year’s holiday ball should reflect. Dieting so I’d fit perfectly into an extravagant cocktail dress while secretly wishing I could eat all the Christmas cookies. Acting surprised when I opened yet another ridiculously expensive, impersonal piece of jewelry Damon had had his secretary pick out and wrap for me to make up for his absence and lack of cheer and avoiding my mother’s call that would inevitably fill me with guilt.
I used to dread the season. Now, I can’t wait to celebrate with my big, beautiful, new family and friends.
Bringing Caleb to Balsam Ridge was the best decision I’ve ever made.
Life after failing as a wife the first time sure is sweet.
Graham
We compromised. One large tree for the living room, one six-footer for the deck, and two three-footers for the bedrooms. And those barely fit in the back of the pickup. Langford laughed as he helped me load them, but I got the last laugh as Tucker and Isley chose four massive trees of their own.
“What the hell do we need all those for? We aren’t even gonna be at the house on Christmas morning. We’ll all be at the resort,” he asks me as we watch our wives and sons fawn over the evergreens.
I shrug. “If it makes them that happy, I’ll put a tree in every open space of the house,” I muse.
His eyes slide to me. “Yeah, me too. Crazy women.”
The boys get in line for the sleigh ride through the pines.
I smile to myself as I watch them chatting animatedly, clutching the Styrofoam cups of chocolaty goodness, with the other waiting kids. Mom and Pop brought my brothers and me here to pick out a tree every year. We’d ride the sleigh and sing carols, drink cider, and eat cookies.
“How cool is it, watching our kids experience the same things we did, growing up?” I ask Langford.
“Pretty fucking awesome,” he agrees.
