Page 144 of Mistletoe and Mischief

The girls sent each other a triumphant smile, as if they were personally responsible for this turn of events.

Kent continued to hold Beth’s look.

She bit her lip and started down the remaining steps.

“Problem is,” he told his daughters, “I don’t know how your mother feels about me. It’s been three years.”

“Mom’s crazy about you,” Bailey said.

“OfcourseMom loves you,” Sophie added her voice to her sister’s. “She’d be a fool not to.”

“What about Ted Reynolds?” Kent asked.

“What about him?” Bailey returned. “Mom loves you, not Ted.”

“I’d rather have your mother tell me so herself.” Kent stood with one foot braced against the bottom step. He stretched out his arm to Beth.

She placed her hand in his. “Oh, Kent, I’ve never stopped loving you. I never will.”

He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her down the last two stairs, setting her feet on the ground.

As Beth slipped her arms around his neck, she buried her face in his shoulder. “We’ve both been so foolish.”

He kissed her again and then again, as if he couldn’t get enough of her.

Cradling his face with her hands, Beth gazed into his eyes, aware of their daughters grinning from the sidelines.

“These girls have a lot of ’splainin’ to do,” Kent said in a stage whisper.

“It was Bailey’s idea,” Sophie maintained.

“Both of you were being ridiculous about this stupid divorce,” Bailey said quickly. “Wefelt we had to do something.” She obviously intended to share the blame—or the praise.

“So you conspired to bring us together,” Kent muttered.

“You aren’t mad, are you?” Bailey asked, moving closer to her sister.

Kent brought his attention back to Beth and kissed the tip of her nose. “Areyouupset?” he asked.

With her husband’s arms around her and the Christmas tree lights shining in the background, Beth had to admit she wasn’t. “Not in the least. Actually, I think it was a brilliant idea.”

“Okay, if you must know,” Sophie said, “I did help Bailey a little.”

“Isn’t this the best Christmas ever?” Bailey exclaimed, hugging her sister. “And we haven’t even opened our gifts yet.”

Beth had to agree. This was the best Christmas of her life.

Epilogue

Valentine’s Day

“This is so romantic,” Bailey said to her sister. “I’m so happy, I want to cry.” They left the kitchen, ready to set out the plates and forks to serve cake to their parents’ guests.

“We did it,” Sophie said, almost giddy with happiness. “I don’t knowhow,but it worked. Mom and Dad are back together.”

“Just like they were meant to be.”

Their parents were remarried and their dad was now living at 1225 Christmas Tree Lane, where he planned to take on the business aspects of the farm.

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