The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan

Author:Sarah Morgan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 2018-07-23T20:02:45+00:00

16

Beth

The last thing Beth had expected was that Jason and the girls would show up early.

She should have been annoyed that he’d disturbed her private time, but she’d never been more relieved to see anyone in her life.

“We wanted to surprise you.” Jason hovered by the front door, as if unsure of his welcome. “Did you need more time on your own? I wanted to be spontaneous.”

Melly tugged at his coat. “Now, Daddy.”

“You think so?”

“Now.”

Jason pulled his hand from behind his back and produced a bunch of white tulips.

Beth gasped. “Where did you find those?”

“We asked the cabdriver to take a detour.”

Beth adored flowers, and right now she also adored her husband. “Thank you. They’re beautiful.”

“I told you she’d like those best,” Melly whispered, and Jason winked at her.

“Great advice, Mel.”

His hair was messy, his coat was rumpled and he hadn’t shaved, but Beth had never loved him more. Even now, after so many years together, seeing him lifted her mood.

The feeling of euphoria lasted until she remembered that they hadn’t parted on good terms and that none of their issues had been solved.

She stepped forward and kissed him. His cheek was cold under her lips, his jaw roughened by stubble. “You need to shave.”

“I know, but shaving requires time alone in the bathroom.”

“Mommy!” Having waited long enough, Ruby pushed him aside to get to Beth and Melly followed, their noisy presence reminding her there was going to be no chance of a serious adult conversation for some time.

Beth closed the front door, put the flowers on the console table her father had made himself from reclaimed wood, and dropped into a crouch so that she could hug the girls properly.

Melly’s coat was undone and Beth noticed she was wearing her best dress—clearly Jason wasn’t great at saying no, either—and that Ruby’s sweater was inside out and her socks didn’t match.

It didn’t matter, she told herself. They were alive, they were hers and they were here. She was so pleased to see them she could have cried.

She hugged them so tightly Ruby squealed a protest.

“It is so good to see you all!” She kissed first one child and then the other.

“That’s a nice dress, Mom.” Melly nodded her approval and Beth pulled her close, breathing in her daughter’s familiar scent.

She’d missed them so much. “How was your journey?”

Ruby burst into tears. “Daddy left Bugsy on the plane.”

Beth looked up at Jason and realized he looked exhausted. “You lost Bugsy?”

She wasn’t sure who looked more traumatized, her daughter or her husband.

She expected him to hand the problem over to her along with the kids and the luggage, but instead he crouched down next to Ruby, who was clinging to Beth.

“I called them, honey. They’re checking the plane to see if Bugsy is still on the seat.”

“What if he isn’t?” Ruby was wearing a traumatized expression that only the loss of Bugsy could produce.

“Then we’ll work extra hard to remember where you last had him.”

“I don’t know where I last had

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.