WHEN MA DIXIE brought out the Thanksgiving turkey, Liam couldn’t believe the size of it. But it made sense, given that half of Safe Haven’s population seemed to be here.
The little cottage on the bayou couldn’t hold everyone, so they set up a long plank table outside. It was midafternoon, high sixties, sunny.
Liam had so much to be thankful for. He reached over and tugged Yasmin a little closer, still unable to believe that she was his for keeps. That after all, they’d be making a home together, a home where visitors could stay, big enough for Josiah as long as he wanted to live with them, probably big enough for them to foster some kids and maybe, one day, adopt a baby.
He and his brothers had been those kids who needed homes, had benefitted from the system. He wanted to give back, and Yasmin was totally on board with that.
He heard a muffled exclamation from the corner of the living room. “I should have seen that,” Pudge said. He and Josiah were leaning over a chessboard, and Josiah wore a small smile. “You son of a gun, you’re going to beat me, ain’t you?”
“Joe looks happy,” Liam said to Yasmin.
She smiled. “He’s doing really well on the new medication. That once-a-month injection has smoothed the ups and downs a lot. But speaking of happy, look at Anna.”
Liam looked over at his sister-in-law. Sean had his arm protectively around her, and their twins, Hope and Hayley, were nudging their way into the love seat, piling on top of Anna.
“Careful,” Sean said, and whispered something to the girls.
Hope clapped a hand over her mouth, and Hayley smiled and put an ear to Anna’s stomach.
They were a picture of family joy, and... “Wait. Is Anna expecting?”
Yasmin lifted an eyebrow, a smile tugging at her mouth. “If I were a betting woman, I’d say yes.”
He studied her face. Did she feel jealous, when she’d decided not to have children due to the family genetic heritage? Would it be hard for her to celebrate with Anna?
But her eyes were clear and serene. “I’m happy for her, don’t worry,” she said, reading his mind, and reached up to give him a quick kiss that shot warmth straight through him.
Their Christmastime wedding couldn’t come soon enough.
The door opened again, this time bringing Rita and Jimmy, loaded down with food. He and Yasmin hurried over to help them carry in four pies and a giant tray of mac and cheese. “Are any of those pecan?” Liam asked.
“Two,” Rita said, “and two peach.” She gave him an easy side hug. “And just in case anybody doesn’t like my cooking, we brought a box of Jean Carol’s cinnamon rolls.”
“Smart. Let me help you.” He took a couple of pies out of her hands and headed toward the kitchen. They weren’t exactly comfortable as mother and son yet, but they were both trying. And Liam was glad Rita had Jimmy at her side. They didn’t seem in a hurry to make a long-term commitment, but from the way they looked at each other and the fact that they were almost always together, it seemed like they were a solid and very happy couple.
Norma, coming in behind them, did not sound happy. “You invited him? Seriously?” She was nudging Rita and nodding sideways at a tall, silver-haired man who was leaning over the chess table behind Pudge.
Rita lifted her hands, palms up. “It’s not my party, it’s Ma’s,” she said, her eyes wide and innocent. “You don’t like the guest list, you’ll have to take it up with her.”
Norma snorted and turned in the opposite direction from the silver-haired man. Then she did a double take and touched Yasmin’s arm. “Your mom’s here?”
Yasmin lifted her eyebrows and nodded. “She really wanted to come down, and Ma Dixie said she always has room for one more. So far, so good.”
“I’ll go talk to her,” Norma said, and headed over.
“Your mom seems like she’s doing okay,” Liam said to Yasmin. “And Josiah doesn’t look like her presence is bothering him.”
“He’ll have fun with Hayley and Hope. And Rocky,” she added as the teenager emerged from the back of the house. He and his mother were living here for the time being. Lorraine was helping with the house and yardwork, and Rocky and Pudge had bonded over their mutual interest in dog training. Several people from Safe Haven had brought their unruly animals out here for lessons.
Their moment of glory had come when Mitch Mitchell had brought his shih tzu, Daisy, for training. Rocky was too diplomatic, or too good of a businessman, to gloat publicly, but he’d certainly crowed to Liam and Yasmin about it.
The living arrangement was good for everyone. Lorraine seemed calmer, maybe benefitting from being in the presence of Ma and Pudge’s healthy, happy relationship. She’d been through a lot, losing her abusive husband and getting under Buck’s influence, but she was the type who’d always bounce back.
And Rocky was thrilled to be living with his mom again. It was like Cash had said: no matter what your mother did or didn’t do, you loved her.
“When’s Cash going to find the right woman?” Yasmin asked. “He looks lonely.”
Sure enough, Cash stood off from the group, gazing out over the bayou, a pensive expression on his face. Liam knew that expression, because he’d worn it himself, plenty of times. His stomach tightened in sympathy.
“It’s hard for him to see Sean and me so happy,” he said. “I mean, he’s happy for us, but he doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to settle down with anyone.”
“You O’Dwyer men don’t make it easy,” Yasmin said, standing on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “But it’s definitely worth it.”
“You’re worth it.” He pulled her close, and even though they were surrounded by the buzz of family and friends, the singing of crickets and the laughter of children, she was the whole world to him. “I love you,” he murmured in her ear, and drew her toward him for a lingering kiss.
Keep reading for a sneak peek at the next
heartwarming book in the Safe Haven series,
Low Country Christmas,
from Lee Tobin McClain!