Her little blue eyes lit up, and I couldn’t wait to see her face when she opened it.
“It does?” she asked. Her voice full of wonder.
Steed handed his daughter the box and sat next to Paxton. Gage was in a chair that had a bunch of toys hanging down from it, keeping him entertained.
Ripping open the package, Chloe took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she pulled the lid off, she pulled a toy horse out of the box.
“Hmm, I think I better communicate with Santa a little better next year,” Chloe said as she stared at the toy. Everyone laughed.
Steed’s phone rang and he answered. “Oh, hey, Trevor. What did you find? No way! Okay, we’re heading that way now.”
“Trevor said he found another present when he went to the barn to check on something.”
I’d never seen Chloe jump up so fast. “What is it?”
“I don’t know, pumpkin. He said to go out front, so let’s go.”
Chloe raced to the door as we all piled out to follow her.
“She’s going to be so excited,” Melanie said as she and John walked hand-in-hand behind Paxton and Steed. Waylynn scooped up Gage and was holding him as we watched the scene unfold.
Standing on the porch, Chloe looked back at her father. “Uncle Trevor’s not out here, Daddy.”
Just then, Trevor came walking around the corner holding a lead rope with a beautiful brown and white tobiano-patterned horse on the end. He was stunning.
What happened next I don’t think anyone saw coming. Chloe burst into tears and ran up to the horse screaming, “THANK YOU, SANTA CLAUS!” My heart felt like it was going to explode, especially when I turned to see Steed wiping away his tears.
“Daddy! Mommy! He’s beautiful!”
Paxton was crying as she watched the gelding lower his head for Chloe to wrap her arms around him. When he lifted her slightly off the ground, I lost my battle.
“Jonathon Turner, are you crying?” Waylynn asked.
I wiped my face. “No, it’s dusty out here.”
Cord stood on the other side of me. “Fuck that. I’m man enough to admit that that shit got to me right here.” He slapped his chest a few times while shaking his head.
Even Trevor was attempting not to let a tear fall as he dabbed at the corners of his eyes and said, “Cedar must be makin’ an appearance and blooming early.”
John chuckled. “Man up to it, son. Just man up to it.”
“I love him so much!” Chloe shouted. “I will forever take care of Rip!”
“Rip?” everyone asked, while Waylynn busted out laughing.
Facing everyone, Chloe wore a huge smile. “Rip Turner has moved to my number one position as my future husband because he’s so handsome, and if he looks like his brother…” She pointed to me. “When he grows up, he’s going to be beautiful. Like my new horse. So, I have to name him Rip!”
She walked around the horse, running her hand along him. I guessed she was copying either her father or one of the other guys when they looked over the horses.
“I can’t wait to ride, Rip!”
“Why does that comment make me sick to my stomach?” Steed groaned as Paxton smacked him.
I rubbed the back of my neck. “I’m going to have to have a long talk with my baby brother,” I mumbled as Wade laughed next to me.
Wade glanced at Steed. “Look at it this way, Steed. She’s long forgotten about me.”
“I’d rather her have a crush on you than a boy her own age! She named the horse after him, for Christ’s sake! Hell, I need a drink. Turner, come on. We have some talking to do.”
“Me? Why me?”
“It’s your brother my daughter just named her horse after. Arrangements for her to go to an all-girl private school must start now…and I’m thinking you have to foot half the bill.”
“Steed Parker, you stop that!” Paxton cried out as she giggled.
“Come on y’all! It’s time for Christmas breakfast!” Melanie called out.
* * *
Waylynn and I were finally back at her place, and I couldn’t wait to get into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Melanie must have made us pose for over an hour for family photos.
“It was a good call on my part to wear the flats. I knew my mother was going to have us walking all over the damn countryside for the perfect photo.”
I chuckled. “I can’t believe we ended up back at the barn where we started.”
Slipping her skirt off, she sighed. “I can. When Melanie Parker gets an idea in her head, you might as well call it a day.”
My eyes traveled over her perfect legs to her white lace boy shorts. “Huh. That sounds familiar.”
“Ha ha.”
“I’m just sayin’, the apple don’t fall far from the tree, sweetheart.”
Waylynn pulled her shirt off to reveal a white lace bra that showed an insane amount of cleavage. “Do we have time to play?” she asked.