Page 25 of The Replacement Fiance

Five minutes later, the decision is made. Presents first. We're all in the living room and I'm sitting in front of Logan, my back resting against his chest, my elbows resting on his knees on either side of me. When I turn my head to look at him, I catch the scent of his cologne, reminding me of leather and motor oil.

"Hey, gorgeous," he murmurs, planting a kiss on my cheek just as I catch Emily watching us.

Dad distributes all the presents and I open the first one from Harper, a card containing two tickets to the Broadway musical that's currently one of the biggest hits of the year starring some British actor. Emily and Brad's gift is a coffee table book featuring Georgia O'Keefe's paintings of flowers as part of a promotional campaign for the Hawaiian Pineapple Company in 1939. Mom made me a new batch of body oils with my favorite scents while Dad got me and Logan a local calendar.

"That way, you won't forget where you came from," he says. "The lodge is in there, too, by the way."

"Thanks, Dad. I should get a few more to hand out to clients down in LA."

As everyone shows off the presents they received, I hand Logan a small gift bag containing what I'd chosen from the gift shop.

"This one's for you."

He looks at me surprised, as he accepts it. As he unwraps it, I want nothing more than to kiss him on the cheek, nuzzling my face against his beard. He holds up his present, a braided leather bracelet with a platinum washer stamped with the word Strength along the middle.

"This is perfect, Mariah. Thank you."

"I grew up with the local woman who makes it and Mom carries her stuff in the shop."

"I love it," Logan says as he slips the leather bracelet around his wrist. Simple and understated, it's so different from the gift of cufflinks I'd picked for Cooper that I tucked back into my weekend bag. All of it for show, of course, although giving Logan his gift is not part of the show at all. It takes a strong man to go through this charade.

He reaches for his back pocket and pulls out a velvet pouch. "I got you something for Christmas, too."

I look at him in surprise. "You didn't have to."

"I wanted to, Mariah."

I loosen the tie and retrieve a delicate gold necklace. It almost matches my pretend engagement ring. "Logan, it's beautiful. Thank you."

He grins. "Do you like it?"

I turn to look at him again, leaning closer. I want nothing more than to kiss him but I don't. "Like it? I love it. Can you put it on for me?"

"Of course." As he takes the necklace from my hand, I gather my hair and lift it up, his hands brushing the back of my neck, causing goosebumps to prickle along my skin. He leans forward to look at it and smiles. "Perfect."

After opening all the gifts, we all sit at the table for breakfast, leaving the living room a mess of wrapping paper and ribbons while we eat.

Forrest finally joins us as well, without Summer this time. He says she finally got over her fear of lighting the wood stove on her own. When none of us say anything, all of us staring at him (except for Harper who's still smiling her Cheshire Cat smile), he frowns.

"What?"

"What happened to your beard?" Dad asks.

"I shaved it off."

"What happened to your hair?" Mom asks. "It's neat all of a sudden."

"Harper gave me a haircut," he replies before looking at all of us. "Why are you all staring at me like that? Don't you guys like it?"

"Of course we do, son," Dad says. "It's just... just a surprise, that's all."

"You look ten years younger," Emily says.

"What she really means is that she now looks older than you," Brad says before Emily whacks her husband on the arm playfully. And like a spell broken, we all forget all about Forrest's sudden makeover and focus on the food on the table.

After breakfast, my sisters and I get all the dishes washed, dried, and put away, while Brad does his best to tidy up the living room as Jonathan plays with all his new toys. Mom disappears into her office to work on new blends for the coming year and Dad, Forrest, and Logan head out to the garage to work on the truck.

As I stand by the window an hour later watching the men work on the truck, I find myself wishing Logan and I were really engaged. That would mean I'd be looking at the real thing, Dad and Forrest chatting away with a future member of the family. Too bad it's all an act.

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