“Merry Christmas, darling.” In the labor and delivery suite at the hospital, Brett leaned over and kissed Laurel’s forehead. “I love you.”
Her heart swelled with joy. “I love you, too.”
Holding their daughter in his arms, he kissed her tiny, knitted-cap-covered head and caressed her cheek with his fingertip. “Merry Christmas, my little Noelle.”
Laurel had never been happier or felt more content seeing her wonderful husband and perfectly healthy baby. Yes, she was sore from the delivery, but sacrifices had to be made for the birth of their baby daughter in the wee hours of Christmas morning. Seeing Noelle cradled in Brett’s arms was worth ever contraction and push.
A beautiful mix of love and life filled his gaze. “She’s almost asleep.”
“She’s had a busy day.”
“You have as well.” He laid the baby in the bassinet, picked up the snow globe, and turned the small knob. The “Wedding March” played. “This will lull her to sleep.”
Now she knew why Brett had been so insistent they pack the snow globe in her hospital bag. “The ‘Wedding March’? Wouldn’t ‘Brahms’s Lullaby’ be more appropriate?”
“Let’s call it the wedding lullaby.” His affectionate smile filled her with a warm glow. “Noelle will never know the difference.”
As the door to her hospital room opened, bells sounded. Jingle bells, to be exact.
“Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas,” a cheery voice called out. Santa Claus—wearing a red velvet suit, black leather belt, boots, and white beard—entered the room with a cloth sack slung over his back. “I was checking my list, and saw I missed a brand-new baby girl who hasn’t had the chance to be anything but nice.”
As soon as Santa saw the baby, the bag on his shoulder fell to the ground. He froze, jingle bells included. “Is that her?”
Laurel nodded. “Would you like to hold your goddaughter, Uncle Henry?”
Wide-eyed, Henry stared at Noelle. “I don’t want to wake her.”
“It’s okay,” Brett said.
Henry removed his fake beard and then picked up Noelle as if she were a fragile Faberge egg.
“Make sure you support her head,” Brett said.
“You don’t need to tell me what to do.” Henry rubbed his fingertip along Noelle’s chin. “I took a class on caring for newborns.”
Laurel exchanged a surprised look with Brett.
“Someone has to babysit her, and you’ll leave her with a stranger over my dead body.” Henry rocked Noelle in his arms. “You’re the most beautiful baby in the entire world.”
Brett smiled. “She takes after her mother.”
“She does. Your mommy and daddy did well, my little princess.” Henry grinned. “They did so well.”
Happy to have her family together, Laurel sighed. Henry made a coochie-coochie-coo sound. “You’re going to have so much fun with your uncle Henry. I’ll put Auntie Mame to shame. Wait until your first trip to New York. We can go shopping at Tiffany’s, visit the American Girl Store, and have tea at the Plaza.”
Brett’s forehead wrinkled. “Let’s not—”
Laurel squeezed his hand. This wasn’t the time for him to be an overprotective father. “Noelle is lucky to have you in her life, Henry.”
Tears glimmered in Henry’s eyes. He blinked, and they disappeared.
“Noelle.” His smile widened. “What a perfect name for a Christmas baby. I told your mommy you had to be born on December twenty-fifth, and I was right. Uncle Henry is always right.”
“Uncle Henry is sometimes right,” Brett corrected with a grin.
“We’ll discuss that later.” Henry laid Noelle back in her bassinet. “Santa asked me to do him a favor. He was busy last night.”
From his sack, he pulled out brightly wrapped packages with gold bows and handed them to Laurel and Brett. Next came a giant teddy bear with a red satin ribbon tied around its neck.
“This is for Noelle, as well as something else that is very special.” Henry emptied a purple velvet drawstring pouch into his palm. “These are yours, Noelle, when you’re old enough to know not to swallow them.”
Laurel tried to see what he held in his hand but couldn’t.
Brett laughed. “I don’t believe it.”
Earrings, a ring, some other piece of jewelry? Knowing Henry, the gift would be something outrageous and expensive.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Gold-plated dice,” Brett said.
Laurel didn’t get it. “Dice?”
“Not just any dice,” Henry declared. “One day, my princess, when you’re old enough to understand, Uncle Henry will explain how a roll of these dice brought your parents together.”
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
If you’d like read book concierge Cara O’Neal’s story, click here. If you missed Book 1 featuring Cassie and Troy in Fiancé for the Night, click here. Books 3 and 4 are also available, click here.
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