Page 127 of Need You Now

Lacey wakes to sunlight, to Seth beside her. She lies there for a second, listening to the world outside the bedroom. Laughter, the clink of dishes, the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

“Merry Christmas.”

Seth’s deep rumble has her smiling. As does the very sight of him. He’s grinning, his hair tousled, his eyes sleepy as he leans up on one elbow to kiss her.

Sweet. Soft. Warm.

She pulls away, cupping his cheek in her hand. “Merry Christmas.”

Seth groans as a loud whoop fills the hallway outside. “No one’s got kids yet,” he grumbles, wrapping a lean arm around her shoulder to loop her into him. “Why the hell is everyone up so early?”

Lacey laughs at Seth’s bah humbug attitude. “Uh, presents?”

“Stayin’ here with you all day ...” He wiggles his brows. “Now that’s the present.”

She rolls her eyes at Seth’s all-the-time charm, but secretly, she loves it. With a sigh, she snuggles deeper into his arms.

“Last night ...,” she hedges, looking up at him. “I think it went okay, don’t you?”

He hugs her a little tighter. “Better than.”

She closes her eyes. Seth’s right. Despite their awkward start, the talk with Sal went better than she had hoped. She couldn’t survive if Sal wasn’t okay with their relationship, and she knows Seth couldn’t either. The stricken look on his face when Sal had caught them kissing said it all. But they’re okay, they’re all okay, and now it’s out, and Lacey’s free to savor every moment with Seth. To kiss him in public if she damn well chooses.

Another wild whoop blasts through the door.

“Jesus, we get it.” Seth drops a kiss on top of her head. “C’mon,” he says. “Let’s get out there before Luke starts bitchin’.”

They slip out of bed, changing quick. Lacey shrugs on a robe, Seth, gray sweatpants and a T-shirt.

He grabs her hand as they exit the room together, drifting down the hall and into the living room, where everyone’s gathered. Christmas tree lights twinkle, the fireplace roars, a pile of presents ready to be ripped open. Through the tall windows, snow falls, fat, white flakes of powder.

Emmy Lou, Alabama, and Griff are curled up on the couch, a fuzzy blanket on top of them. Sal’s perched on the lip of the fireplace, content and beautiful in ruby-colored silk pajamas.

Griff and Alabama’s mischievous eyes dance between Lacey and Seth. Alabama grins in Lacey’s direction. A tilt of her red head. “So, it’s out?”

Lacey laughs. “Oh, it’s out. In the very worst way it could be out.”

Emmy Lou and Alabama gasp as one. “Lord, say it ain’t so,” Emmy Lou drawls. “You got caught.”

“Big-time busted,” Seth adds, floating Sal a smile.

Griff snickers. “’Bout time you two idiots got out of your own damn way.”

Sal makes a face of consternation. “So everyone else knew but me?” she asks, eyeing Lacey sternly as best a big sister can.

Emmy Lou smirks. “You don’t hit someone like that unless you care, sugar.”

Lacey grins at her sister and goes to sit beside her. “Sal is growing a life,” she cajoles, side-hugging Sal. She grabs up a stray bow and sticks it on Sal’s belly. “She can’t worry about ours.”

Sal laughs, her eyes glowing with happiness.

Luke and Jace crash through the back door, their faces flushed red from the cold, loads of firewood in their hands. “Hell, we got a white Christmas out there,” Luke hoots, walking backwards through the living room. “Damn near snowed in.”

From there it’s commotion. Emmy Lou pours Irish cream into cups of coffee. Lacey plucks the presents from the tree and passes them around. Luke pulls Sal onto his lap and she giggles at whatever he whispers into her ear. Lacey and Seth sit on the floor together, curled up against the back of the couch.

Everyone settles in for presents. The soft rustling of wrapping paper, of exclamations, of laughter, of thank-yous.

Lacey, her eyes bright, is content to watch. The awkwardness that had been there so early in the trip is gone. Everything is right. Perfect. These people are her family, her friends. She’s never been so thankful.

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