“What did Mason want?”
“He said there’s a delivery for us.”
“Who delivers on Christmas?” I ask as Hunter helps me to my feet.
“Uh… Santa.” I roll my eyes. “Well, he does.” His hands grip my waist. “Just look at what he brought me for being such a good boy.” Hunter winks at me before kissing the tip of my nose.
“Seriously, though.”
He shrugs. “Guess we should go find out.”
We toss on some clothes before heading to check the door. When we step out of the bedroom, the stockings are still hung by the chimney with care, but it’s not Saint Nicholas standing there. It’s Mason and Avery, Hunter’s parents, and Hudson and Hayley.
“What are you guys doing here?” I ask excitedly before turning to Hunter. “Did you do this?”
“No, but whoever did is lucky we got dressed before we came out here,” Hunter says.
“Hey,” Mason interjects. “He’s not the only one with connections.” A proud smile covers his face. “This was all me.”
“It included a lot of phone calls and a very scary plane ride,” Avery adds. “But it was so worth it.”
Avery wraps her arms around me in a hug, and I never want to let her go. I’m so beside myself with joy, I don’t know what to do except let shine the one emotion I try not to experience. I cry. Big crocodile tears stream down my face as I make my way through the room, hugging the only family I’ve ever had and the only one I’d ever want.
“Looks like you two made the most of things,” Hunter’s mom says as she looks around our home at the scattered Christmas decorations, the tree, and the packages beneath the tree.
“It was all Hunter.”
“I had some help,” he admits.
“You can say that again,” Ashton boasts when he enters the room, Claire following behind.
“The gang’s all here,” I shout excitedly.
“Where’s my gift?” Mason asks, looking point-blank at Hunter. “I let you date my sister. You better have gotten me something good.”
Like two kids, Hunter and Mason fall to the ground and wrestle. I shake my head at the scene, but I love every minute.
The Christmas I thought was destroyed turned out to be more than I ever could have imagined.
Later that night, after all is said and done, Hunter joins me out on the patio.
“Penny for your thoughts,” he says as he hands me a glass of champagne.
“I am just thinking about how perfect today was. Heck, how perfect my life is. And it’s all because of you.”
“I can’t take all the credit. You make things pretty incredible around here.” He lets out a small laugh. “Sometimes, I think about where we were a year ago.”
“Separate towns?”
“Separate lives. When I really think about it, I can’t even picture it. I can’t envision a life without you, Quinn.”
“Lucky for you, you don’t have to. I’m not going anywhere. Not now. Not ever.”
“Merry Christmas, Quinn.”
“Merry Christmas, Hunter.”
He raises his glass and clinks it against mine.