Page 64 of The Holiday Gift

Hope snorted but fulfilled her part of the deal by handing over the boy.

After she left, Faith nuzzled his neck. Oh, he smelled delicious. Her heart seemed to burst with happiness. “Hey, Sammy. How’s my favorite guy?”

“Wow. I guess that puts us in our place, right, Barrett?”

She looked up to find Chase and her son in the doorway, stomping snow off their boots after coming in from shoveling the driveway.

He was smiling but she didn’t miss the light in his gaze as he watched her cuddle Hope’s cute little boy.

How was it possible that, even after a year, she loved Chase more every single time she saw him?

“My favoritelittleguy,” she amended. “You two are my favorite bigger guys. How’s the snow out there?”

“Still coming down,” Chase said. “Mary said she thinks we’ll get another six or seven inches out of the storm. Perfect for cuddling in by the fire and hanging out with the family on Christmas morning.”

“I hope Celeste and Flynn make it.”

“They pulled in right as we were finishing the driveway,” he assured her.

“That’s good,” Mary said from the kitchen. “Everything’s ready and I’mstarving.”

“Sorry we’re late,” Celeste said as she, Flynn and Olivia came in with their arms loaded down with gifts.

“We still had to wrap a couple of presents,” Olivia explained.

Hope paused in the act of setting her hastily wrapped final present under the big tree in the window. “Seriously, CeCe? On Christmas Eve? Maybe next year you should plan ahead a little better,” she said virtuously.

Faith had to laugh, which ended up startling Sammy. “Sorry, kiddo.”

“Here, I’ll take him back.”

She didn’t want to surrender the soft little bundle but Mary came in just then. “Great. Everybody’s here. Find your places.”

After handing Sammy back to his mother, she found a place beside Chase. Addie and Louisa sat at her other side while Barrett sat on Chase’s other side.

When they were all settled, Celeste looked around at their family.

“I have an announcement to make.Wedo, actually.”

Olivia, Faith noticed, was just about jumping out of her chair in excitement.

“Is this aboutSparkle and the Magic Snowballbeing number one again at the box office?” Addie asked.

“Everybody knows that already,” Olivia said.

“Is it about the new Sparkle book that’s coming out next summer or the movie sequel they’re already making?” Louisa asked.

“No,” Flynn said. “Though that’s all very exciting.”

He reached for Celeste’s hand and Faith held her breath, sensing what was coming next before her sister even said it.

“We’re having a baby.”

The table erupted into squeals of excitement and hearty congratulations.

“Another baby. What wonderful news—and the perfect time to find out, on Christmas Eve,” Mary exclaimed, her features soft with delight. “When are you due?”

“June. Right around the book launch, which isn’t the greatest of timing, I know.”

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