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“And the best ones go on Uncle Vince’s wall.” Will clapped him on the shoulder. “Come on. Time to claim your place in Carson history.”
Tad groaned and protested, but West was already dragging him to the stage.
“C’mon, Dad, get in!”
Tad squeezed into the front row between West and Sarah. Will and Suzanna flanked them on either side, their twin tie-dye sweaters so loud it hurt. The rest of the family pressed in from all sides, and Uncle Vince set the timer and scrambled into line.
“On three, Ugly Christmas! One…two…”
“Ugly Christmas!”
The camera flashed. It caught Sarah’s laughter and Tad’s awkward blink, West making bunny ears behind Amy’s head. A kid on the far left was picking his nose. Uncle Vince turned the camera to show off the preview.
“I’m cross-eyed,” groaned Will.
“You got the back of my head.” Aunt Nancy tapped the screen. “Not that I have any bad angles, but you could’ve got my face.”
“So, prime wall material.” Uncle Vince spun the camera out of Aunt Nancy’s reach. She grabbed for it, shrieking, but Uncle Vince was gone.
“I’ll want a copy of that,” said Tad. “My first Carson Christmas.”
“Your first of many.” Sarah took his hand. “Though, how we’ll top this year, I can’t imagine.”
“We’ll come up with something. You can count on that.”
Sarah’s heart soared. She believed him, and she couldn’t wait—not just for next Christmas, but for everything that was ahead of them. Their next dance. Their next date. Christmas morning with West, only two sleeps away. So many nexts, and so many firsts, so much to look forward to, and it all felt right.
EPILOGUE
“Ithink that’s everything,” said Tad. He sank into the couch, let the cushions swallow him up. Sarah plopped down next to him and laid her head on his shoulder.
“Presents, check. Lights, check. Snacks, decorations…why does it still feel like something’s missing?”
“What could be missing?” Tad surveyed the room, a bright Christmas fairy tale dreamed up and brought to life. Swags of holly and ivy hung from the rafters. A battalion of toy soldiers marched down the window ledge. Colored lights twinkled in the doorframes and on the mantel. One more strand of tinsel, and it’d all be too much.
“I think we’re good,” he said, and leaned in for a kiss. “Why don’t we grab some breakfast, and then we’ll wake—”
“Stockings!” Sarah leaped up, nearly tripped. Her hair flew about her in an unruly cloud. “We forgot West’s stocking.”
Tad’s stomach sank as he realized she was right. He thumped his head on the cushions. “How’d we dothat?”
“I don’t know, but we did.” Sarah dug through the presents under the tree. “Come on. Help me find it.”
“It’s not under there.” Tad heaved himself upright. “It’s in the kitchen, remember? So Santa wouldn’t—”
“Get tangled up in it when he came down the chimney.” Sarah did a facepalm. “You should go stuff it,” she said. “But no socks, okay? You know that’s just silly, socks inside socks.”
“Why don’t you do it?”
Sarah hesitated. “Are you sure?”
“You bought all that candy.” Tad stood and joined her, slid his arms around her waist. Sarah craned to meet his eye.
“I don’t want to overstep,” she said.
“You wouldn’t be.” Tad smoothed her hair back from her face. “We’re having Christmas in your house, presents under your tree. Your his ‘Aunt Sarah,’ and we’re—we’re family now, right?”
Sarah glowed at that, lighting up from within. “Let’s do it together,” she said. “I know you got some stuff too.”
