Page 208 of The Holiday Clause

“With those you love,” Greyson finished, pulling her closer to his side.

Once her boys had permission to feel all the emotions they were warned never to express, they could grasp the true meaning of Christmas. Beyond the commercialism and chaos, was the truth. One day a year, everything paused so that feelings could mend. Families came together to prove, despite the ups and downs, love endures all.

Wren smiled. “We have one hell of a Christmas story.”

Greyson laughed. “Too bad we all tell it differently. Maybe one day we’ll get it right so we can tell the kids.”

“What’s left to tell?” Logan asked. “Boy meets girl. Boys fight over girl. Girl chooses boy. Boy and girl get married and live happily ever after.”

“You’re forgetting the best part,” Soren protested.

“Which is?”

“Middle son and favorite future uncle becomes financial giant and global sensation among the ladies.”

They all burst into laughter.

“No.”

“Yeah, right!”

“More like the total opposite.”

“You know what,” Soren snapped. “Screw all of you.”

Wren’s smile lingered as she looked up at Greyson, her heart full to bursting with everything they’d built together. “Is this your happy ending, Mr. Hawthorne?”

“No. This is my beginning,” he whispered, kissing her nose.

“Get a room!”

“Boo…”

The more his brothers grumbled the more he made a spectacle of kissing her. Wren didn’t mind, because she’d waited a lifetime for his kisses and had a lifetime ahead of her to enjoy them. And she planned to.

The Christmas tree glowed from the corner under warm lights, its branches heavy with ornaments they’d hung together as a family—keeping their tradition from the year before.

Gone were the cold brass decorations that once made this house feel more like a mausoleum than a home, and in their place were personal touches like photographs and meaningful knick-knacks resurrected from the boxes in the attic.

It was perfect. Not magazine-perfect or Instagram-perfect, but real-life perfect, with all its beautiful imperfections and unexpected chaos.

Logan sighed and stretched his legs closer to the fire. “I love Christmas.”

“Yeah,” Soren agreed, staring at the flames as he sipped his drink. “Me too. Reminds me of Mom.”

Greyson’s hand pressed gently against Wren’s belly. “Reminds me of you.”

Her hand closed over his. “It’s what brought you back, year after year.”

He shook his head. “Christmas was the excuse I needed, but we all know I came back for you.”

The fire popped and settled, casting dancing shadows on the walls. In the distance, church bells chimed the hour, their notes carrying across the snowy harbor like a benediction.

“Merry Christmas,” Greyson murmured against her hair.

“Merry Christmas,” she whispered back. “This time next year, we’ll be hiding presents under the tree.”

“I can’t wait.”

She never feared him running away again. Together, they made a home. A family. And it was exactly where the four of them wanted to be.