Christmas morning dawned with an intensely blue sky and brilliant sunshine that turned the ranch into a sparkling wonderland of glittering snow and diamond-like icicles hanging from the eaves and every tree branch.
Last year, Christmas had been quiet, with just Jess and Betty sharing gifts and having Christmas dinner together.
This year was so much more—the house filled with so much laughter and joy that Jess felt as if his heart could burst. He’d finished his morning chores early, and after the Christmas Day church service, everyone returned to the ranch, where Betty, Darla and Abby all pitched in to prepare dinner while Jess and Don played board games with the girls on the floor in front of the crackling fire in the fireplace.
The puppy, with a big red bow around his neck, romped across the board scattering the pieces, and so they started once again, but this time on the coffee table. With soft instrumental Christmas music playing and the towering Christmas tree sparkling with its thousand little lights, Jess sat back and just drew it all in. Was it even possible to feel this much love?
How things had changed...with the arrival of the twins, with Don and Darla now a part of the family. And Abby.
Especially Abby.
“Play, Uncle Jess,” Bella chirped. “It’s your turn.”
He eyed the board, deciding on a play that wouldn’t jeopardize either of the girl’s tokens, then made his move.
Poofy raced up to the coffee table, jumped on top and skidded across the playing board, landing in Jess’s lap, his wagging tail a blur of motion. “You rascal,” Jess said sternly, trying not to laugh as he hugged the pup and set him down again.
“He wants to play, too.” Sophie giggled. “But he’s a wigglepuss.”
“That he is,” Don said with a grin. “Which means he’s perfect for two little girls.”
Abby, Betty and Darla joined them in the living room, each wearing a bright red apron with twinkling Christmas trees over their church clothes.
“Dinner is ready,” Abby announced, as she untied her apron. “But first I’d like to take pictures of everyone in front of the fireplace. This is a very, very special day.”
She lifted an eyebrow and looked at Jess, and he nodded.
“I need to ask the girls a question,” he said. “But first I have one more present for Abby. If she’ll back up just a couple feet.”
He waited until she stood beneath the archway leading into the kitchen, grinned and pointed up at the mistletoe. “I want to see if that will work a second time. What do you think, Bella and Sophie—will it?”
They giggled and clapped their hands. “Try, Uncle Jess!” they shouted in unison.
He went to stand in front of her and withdrew a small white box from his pocket. He opened it in front of her, revealing a three-quarter-carat solitaire glittering on a slender gold band.
Abby gasped. “It’s...it’s beautiful!”
“It was my mother’s engagement ring,” he said quietly. “My dad always said that his oldest son should use it.”
She gingerly lifted the ring from the velvet lining. With a bit of pressure, it slid onto her finger. “Oh, Jess,” she breathed. “I never expected this today. Or ever.”
“I just wish I could have given it to you twelve years ago.” He cleared his throat. “You can have it resized and reset in another style, if you want.”
She shook her head and looked up at him with shining eyes. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Amid clapping and shouts of congratulations, he pulled her into a long, sweet kiss, then glanced over at the twins. “How about that—the mistletoe still works!”
Laughing, the girls ran to him and hugged them both, their eyes shining.
He exchanged glances with Abby, knelt down and pulled the girls into his arms, and chose his words carefully. “You’ve been with us at the ranch for a long time, and we all love you very, very much. Well, we got a call last night, and now I need to ask you something.”
Sophie’s eyes filled with fear and sudden tears, and he wondered just how much she remembered of her life before coming to Montana. “We hafta leave? I don’t want to,” she whispered.
“You’re sending us away?” Bella’s lower lip trembled. “What about Poofy and Lollipops and Gramma? And you, Uncle Jess? And Abby?”
“What would you think about staying here forever and ever?”
Sophie launched into his embrace and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, sobbing.
Bella hung back, her eyes wide. “Did our momma die?”
“No, sweetheart. But she brought you here because she knew she couldn’t take care of you, and she wants you to have a forever home here, where you can have ponies and puppies and even more people to love you.”
“W-will we ever see her again?”
“She will always be welcome here. Always. Maybe next summer she’ll come for a visit, and next Christmas, too.”
Bella nodded, a smile lighting up her face, and she threw her arms around him. When he rose, Betty kissed him, too, with tears streaming down her face.
And then Abby stepped into his arms once again for another sweet kiss.
“A Christmas to remember,” she whispered as they walked to the dining room for dinner. “And the start of many, many more.”
* * * * *
If you loved this story,
be sure to check out the miniseries
Aspen Creek Crossroads:
Winter Reunion
Second Chance Dad
The Single Dad’s Redemption
An Aspen Creek Christmas
Falling for the Rancher
from bestselling author Roxanne Rustand.
Available now from Love Inspired!
Find more great reads at www.LoveInspired.com
Keep reading for an excerpt from Lone Star Christmas by Jolene Navarro.
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