Marc, Mari, Riley and Ryan Itani had arrived on Sycamore Avenue fifteen minutes ago, giving the gathered family a wonderful Christmas surprise. Brigit had been visibly moved by the news that her eldest daughter had decided to join the family for the first time in years.
Nick thought he’d been just as affected by the news, even if he hadn’t showed it like Brigit had.
He’d reluctantly agreed to come to Brigit’s for Christmas Eve when she’d called, but now he was having serious doubts. He had no reason to believe Deidre would be happy about his unexpected presence at a family gathering.
“I’m worried about those reporters I’ve been giving the slip,” he said quietly to Brigit “They’ve gotten wind of the fact that a big story is about to break at DuBois Enterprises. So far they don’t seem to be attaching any significance to Deidre, but I wouldn’t be surprised at anything at this point,” he added under his breath, thinking of John Kellerman. It’d undoubtedly been Kellerman who had leaked the story about Nick being in Harbor Town, trying to put pressure on Nick to make a final decision in regard to the will and possibly to embarrass Nick by putting his and Deidre’s relationship in the limelight.
“I’m sure she’ll be fine. Marc was just telling me Deidre might arrive a little later than them. She wanted to stop somewhere first, but Marc didn’t say—”
Everyone in the crowded living room glanced toward the foyer when they heard the front door opening. Nick instinctively took a step toward the hallway, but forced himself to pause when he recalled that Deidre wouldn’t be thrilled at all to see him at a homecoming that was already bound to be emotionally trying for her.
Colleen ducked out of the room to meet her sister. A moment later, Deidre appeared in the opened French doors, her face alight as she gazed at her family members assembled in the large, festively decorated living room.
Her gaze landed on Nick and stuck.
A few seconds stretched. He’d never seen anything so amazing in his life as the sight of Deidre standing there in a regal red dress, all vestiges of the defiant, fierce waif gone, in their place a poised, stunning woman. But no—it wasn’t the dress that had made the change. It was the light of hope and forgiveness in her eyes as she stared at him.
Time unstuck. Brigit rushed toward her daughter. Deidre’s hug seemed every bit as loving as her mother’s. Nick remained standing between the Christmas tree and fireplace, watching as Deidre exclaimed in excitement upon seeing Natalie and Liam—both of them tanned from their honeymoon and grinning from ear to ear—and hugged them enthusiastically. She hugged Brendan and Jenny next, her eyes going wide as though she’d remembered something at the sight of the children. She left the living room and returned a moment later with a large bag filled with Christmas gifts.
?
??Will you put these under the tree?” she asked the children, smiling.
Brendan gladly relieved her of her burden while Brigit bustled into the kitchen to get Deidre some hot cider. Deidre straightened and smoothed her dress, her gaze immediately finding Nick’s. Her sloping shoulders gleamed in the luminescent Christmas lights as she came toward him. He experienced a strong urge to feel the heat from her smooth, flushed cheeks beneath his fingertips.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Colleen, who had walked up to her sister to talk, glanced over to where Deidre stared at him fixedly and turned away, unnoticed by Deidre.
“Hi,” Deidre said, her lips trembling slightly.
“Hi. Merry Christmas,” Nick said.
“Merry Christmas.”
Her eyes shone like beacons. He opened his mouth to speak, and so did she, but Brigit chose that moment to come toward them with a cup of steaming hot cider.
“I’ve laid dinner out on the sideboard, buffet-style,” Brigit told Deidre.
“Just like when we were kids,” Deidre murmured, taking a sip of her cider.
“Come on, you must be starved,” Brigit urged, taking her hand.
Nick was heartened to see Deidre hesitate and glance back at him.
“Your mother has already fed me. I’ll wait for you here,” he said, damning the crowd of people and surrounding festivities, but glad to see Deidre’s hand entwined with her mother’s.
“Okay,” Deidre replied, granting him that small smile that always pierced straight through him to someplace deep.
He inhaled slowly and reminded himself to be patient. This was an important night in Deidre’s life, and he couldn’t be selfish and whisk her aside to assure himself that was truly forgiveness he saw shining in her lovely eyes.
Even if that’s precisely what he wanted to do.
* * *
A half an hour later, Deidre stood next to Nick by the Christmas tree. He’d asked her if she’d wanted to sit down when she’d returned from eating, but Deidre had shaken her head. Her heart felt full. She was content just to stand next to Nick, watching her entire family as they chatted and joked and ate cake while Christmas music played in the background. She was happy to see that Ryan Itani seemed comfortable enough, chatting with Eric, Brendan and Colleen. Even Nick and he had spoken for a spell about their common experience as ex–air force pilots.
She stepped closer to the silent, somber man who stood next to her, her shoulder brushing against his upper arm. Her heart hitched when he put his arm around her waist.
They looked at one another, and it was as if they shared a mutual, unspoken message.