Page 46 of Blame It On The Reindeer

“I already knew who she was, just like I knew she wasn’t using the money I gave her to buy food. Her dad, your grandpa, and I were best friends. I knew all about Tabitha’s drinking problem and that she was going to use the money to feed her addiction.”

I looked at him, tears forming in my eyes no matter how hard I tried to hold them back.

“Then why did you give her the money?” I asked. “If you knew she was just going to use it to buy more alcohol, why did you enable her?”

“I didn’t.” He turned and looked at me, sadness washing over his face. “I talked to your grandpa, and his heart sank when I told him what I’d done. I wasn’t proud of it, Son. But I’ve waited eighteen years to tell you why I did it.”

“Okay,” I said with a shaky breath. “Why did you do it?”

“Because I was given an opportunity to save a piece of your dad for you. I never had any intention of selling that baseball glove and ball. It never even went into the store. I gave her the money for it so I could make sure it stayed safe until I could give it to you. I knew that if I didn’t give her the money for it, she would find someone who would. I couldn’t stand the thought of that. To have the last gift your dad gave you get thrown away like it meant nothing broke my heart the way it did yours. So, I gave her the money, and I’ve been holding onto it ever since.”

“Why didn’t my grandfather ever tell me?”

He shrugged and looked down at his cane.

“I think he was torn on what to do. He knew that it would be hard for you to come back and see your mother. He didn’t want you to come back until you were ready to, and as the years passed, it seemed like that would never be the case. We both forgot about it after some time. It wasn’t until I started cleaning stuff out after I closed the pawn shop that I found it. I didn’t know you were back in town, and the thought of handing it over to the gift shop instead of finding you nearly killed me. But my health isn’t the best, Son. I didn’t have much choice.”

I nodded, my throat too tight to speak.

“Hadley told me about Jasmin taking it, so I came here today to talk to her about who the rightful owner is. But then I saw you two together and realized that fate had already worked everything out. I’m glad it’s back where it belongs.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, still overwhelmed with emotion.

He smiled and gave me a nod before walking off, carefully moving his cane through the crowd to keep from falling.

Thirty

Jasmin

Christmas Day

Iwoke up to the snow falling and Brody’s arm wrapped tightly around my waist.

“Good morning,” he said sleepily, pulling me against his chest as he kissed the spot on the back of my neck that drove me crazy.

“Good morning. Merry Christmas.” I was nervous about saying it because even though a lot had changed in only a few weeks, I had no idea how he felt about the holiday. Between seeing his mom for the first time since he left and getting the gift back that his dad had given to him, it had been a roller coaster of emotions.

“Merry Christmas.”

I rolled onto my back and looked up at him. It was nice having him in bed beside me and I was getting way too used to constantly sharing a bed with him. We hadn’t talked much about what our future looked like since he technically lived out at the ranch. It wasn’t like he was going to up and sell it to move in with me—especially since I didn’t have anywhere to keep the reindeer. And he hadn’t asked me to move in with him, so we just took turns staying at each other’s places and keeping a handful of our stuff at both.

“So, how do you spend Christmas morning?” he asked.

“Well, I usually get up and fix myself a cup of coffee and something to eat since Sugarplum Lattes has the audacity to be closed today. Then I FaceTime my parents and we open presents together. I don’t have any family in town, so I kinda just hang out. Read a book or watch a movie. Then, every year, I go to Sugar Faced Bar for dinner. A small group of us get together and do a potluck, but it’s nice to have company.”

“Sounds like fun. Should I start by making us some breakfast?”

“Are you going to make it porn-style like you did the sandwiches?” I teased, still unable to get that image out of my head.

“I don’t know. Are you craving something with mayonnaise?” He wiggled his eyebrows and then gently rolled me over and spanked my ass. “Or maybe it’s just the spanking you’re into.”

I nodded and allowed him to rub the spot he’d turned red before spanking me again. It was something both of us were into, and I had no problem delaying the phone call with my parents if that meant we had a little time for fun this morning.

“Nope. Get out of bed,” he said, shaking his head as if reading my thoughts. “I’ll start breakfast. You start the coffee. We’ll eat, and then I have a few gifts I’d like you to open.”

I rolled over and climbed off the bed, wrapping the robe he handed me around my naked body.

“You didn’t have to get me anything. I told you that.”

---