Page 40 of Secret Santas and Holiday Dances

Grace could feel her face warming and cursed how easily she blushed.

“Well,” Liam said, “I’ve unilaterally decided never to leave her side again—but there hasn’t been much discussion past that.”

Grace laughed and shoved lightly at his chest. “There’s been no discussion.”

He grinned, then swept in and stole another kiss. And Grace decided he’d been right. He could kiss her whenever he wanted. She’d never stop him.

“Did you need something, Helena?” Liam said, peppering kisses across Grace’s lips.

Grace poked him in the side. “Don’t be rude.”

Helena chuckled. “It’s all right, Grace. I’m used to his bad manners. And besides, I haven’t seen him this happy in a long time.”

Grace felt that comforting warmth in her chest again.

“I’ve just come to tell you,” Helena said, “that Grace’s gift has arrived.”

Grace blinked up at Liam. “My gift?”

Liam smiled at her, but there was a little bit of nervousness behind it. “Without words,” he said, and Grace’s heartbeat a painful rhythm against her chest. That was what he’d said in his letter. That he would show her what she meant to him without words. He looked at Helena. “Where?”

“Dad’s office,” Helena said.

Helena left, and Liam faced Grace and spoke in an accusing tone. “You never told me Montgomery was Walt’s last name.”

She furrowed her brow and chuckled. What a weird thing to say to her right now. “Why do I feel like I’m in trouble?”

Liam grinned at her and took her hand. He led her back through the house, past the foyer, and to a room by the front doors. He stopped before going in and turned to her.

“You’re loved, Grace,” Liam said. “By so many people. And if I have to spend the rest of my life proving that to you, it’ll be my greatest joy to do so.”

“Liam? What’d going on?” Her heart picked up a rapid beat again.

He opened the door and led her inside. A man and woman stood by a fireplace across the room. They both quickly turned to face them the moment they entered. The woman was probably in her late forties or early fifties, with brown hair and a kind smile. The man looked to be in his fifties, with salt and pepper hair and brown eyes. There was something about him that was so familiar.

His eyes welled with tears, and he stepped forward. “Hey, pumpkin.”

And it all came back. Story time, smiling pancakes, piggyback rides, dance lessons, Christmas with family and presents under the tree, church on Sunday, and a reminder that just because a person was comfortable in the shadows, that didn’t mean that’s where they belonged. Grace glanced at Liam. He smiled and squeezed her hand.

She turned back to the man, older and a little grayer than last she’d seen him, but it was him for sure—and she felt like he’d never left. “Dad?”

A tear slid down his cheek. “Yeah.” His voice warbled—yet filled with hope.

“Dad!” She ran to him, and he wrapped her in his familiar embrace.

“Oh,” Dad cried. “I’ve prayed for this moment since the day your mom took you and walked out the door.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she pulled back to look at him. “How is this possible? I tried to find you, I—”

Dad glanced back at Liam. “Liam?”

Liam nodded.

“Seems your young man here knows how to find people,” Dad said, wiping a tear from her cheek. “I got a call from him on Wednesday, and he offered to fly us in. Until I saw you, I thought it was too good to be true. You’ve grown up to be so beautiful. Hasn’t she, Hannah?”

The woman beside him nodded her head. “Yes. We have a few pictures of you in our home from when you were a little girl, but wow!” She held out her hand. “It’s so good to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you from Walt.”

Dad blushed. “Where are my manners? Grace, this is my wife, Hannah. We’ve been married for fifteen years. Hannah, this is my little girl, Grace.”

---