Page 119 of The Holiday Gift

She had an excuse just about every year to avoid going to the big party Carson and Jenna McRaven had been hosting the past few years at Carson’s huge house up Cold Creek Canyon, but Destry had begged and pleaded this year with both Ridge and Caidy.

Destry had trotted out a dozen reasons why they should make an exception and attend this year: all her friends were going. It was going to bea blast.Attending was the neighborly thing to do. The McRavens would think the Bowmans didn’t like them if they continued to decline the invitation every year.

Finally, she pulled the “you just don’t want me to have any fun” card and Ridge had reluctantly accepted his fate and agreed to go. Though she knew it was ridiculous, Caidy had felt obligated to accompany them both.

She wasn’t looking forward to any aspect of the party except the food. Jenna was a fantastic cook and catered events all over the county. Her friend, though, tended to go a little overboard when it came to Christmas. Her very gorgeous husband did too. Raven’s Nest was always decorated to the hilt for the holidays and the McRavens loved hosting holiday gatherings for family and friends.

She could get through it, she told herself. Less than seventy-two hours, right? With that little pep talk firmly in mind, she headed for the kitchen for the two Dutch apple pies she had baked that morning and found both Destry and Ridge there.

“Oh, you look beautiful, Aunt Caidy!” Destry exclaimed.

Ridge gave one of his rare smiles. “It’s true, sis. You do. Much too fancy to be saddled with the likes of us.”

Her oldest brother looked handsome and commanding, as usual, in a Western-cut shirt and one of his favorite bolo ties while Destry wore her best pair of jeans and the cute wintry sweater they had bought in Jackson the last time they went shopping together.

At the neckline, Caidy could see the flowered straps of her swimming suit peeking through.

“You’re all set to swim?”

The McRavens had the only private indoor pool in town and it was a big hit among the area kids. The stuff of legend.

Destry lifted a mesh bag off the table. “I’ve got everything here. I can’t wait. I’ve heard it’s a superawesome pool. That’s what Tallie and Claire told me. I just hope Kip Wheeler isn’t too much of a tease. He can besucha pest.”

Kip was Jenna’s son from her first marriage, which had ended in the tragic death of her husband several years ago. He and his two older brothers and younger sister had been adopted by Carson McRaven after he married Jenna. They now had a busy toddler of their own, who kept all of them hopping.

“Everybody ready?”

“I am!” Destry jumped up and threw on her coat.

“As I’ll ever be,” Caidy muttered. Ridge gave her a sympathetic look as he lifted one of the pies and carried it out to the Suburban.

A light snow speckled the windshield, reflecting the colorful holiday light displays they passed on their way to the McRavens’ house. They approached the house through a long line of parked cars on either side of the curving driveway. It looked as if half the town was inside the big house. She recognized Trace’s SUV and Taft’s extended-cab pickup. Apparently, even when they canceled the regular Sunday night Bowman dinner for a special occasion, the family couldn’t manage to stay apart.

“I’ll let you two off near the door, then find a place to park,” Ridge said.

She wanted to tell him to forget it, but because she was wearing her completely impractical high-heeled black boots, she didn’t argue.

“Want me to take a pie inside?” Destry asked.

“You’ve got your swim stuff. I can manage,” she answered.

As she expected, the entrance to the McRavens’ house was beautifully decorated with grapevine garlands entwined with evergreens and twinkling lights. A trio of small live trees was also adorned with lights.

The door opened before they could even knock and Jenna McRaven answered. She smiled, pretty and blonde and deceptively fragile-looking. “Oh, Caidy. You made it! I thought the day would never come when we could convince you to come to our Christmas party.”

Carson joined her at the door and gave all of them a wide, charming smile. He was vastly different from the cold man she remembered coming to town five years ago.

“Caidy, great to see you.” He kissed Caidy’s cheek before slipping an arm around his wife. The two of them plainly adored each other. Caidy had noticed before that when they were together, scarcely a moment passed when one of them didn’t touch the other in some way. A hand on the arm, a brush of fingers.

She told herself she had no right to be envious of their happiness together.

“And you brought food!” Carson exclaimed.

“Where would you like the pies?”

“Besides in my stomach?” Carson asked. “They look fantastic. We can probably find room on the dessert table. What am I saying? There’s always room for pie.”

“I’ll help you,” Jenna said, taking one of the pies. “Carson, will you show Destry where she can change into her swimming suit?”

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