Page 76 of Imperfectly Ours

I shared a quick look with Tenley. “Wasn’t Remington behind us?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I thought so.” I scanned my parents' living room once more. Holiday trimmings were everywhere, holly and tinsel dancing in every corner. There was mistletoe hung by the front door frame that I was determined to steal a moment under with Tenley.

But no Remington.

“Just give someone else their present,” Tenley cheerfully said. So I returned my brother’s to the pile at the base of the tree beside me. I’d stolen a recliner before anyone else had a chance, which had obviously been very smart, and also not so smart, because I was also in charge of handing out all of the gifts now.

Grabbing another one, the room full of laughter and cheer, I smiled. “Hey, this one’s from you.” I patted my leg with her hand, and she tore her gaze away from her dad. Grinning, she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.

“To you,” she quietly replied, and kissed my messy hair. I immediately tore at the wrapping paper, sinking back against the cushion. Pulling the item from the wrapping, a smile spread across my face. It was a custom leather wallet with my ranch’s brand worked onto the top of the crisscross pattern.

“Yours looked really quite worn out,” she said, her gaze swinging back to her dad.

Her mom laughed.

Her sister chased one of their kids around.

Her brother handed their dad another gift. Tenley’s grandparents relaxed on the sofa beside my dad.

But my mom was missing. “Dad,” I called out, nodding at him.

“What’s up?” He lifted a brow, brushing some crumbs from his snacks from his pajama pants.

“Where’s Mom?” I asked, glancing around the very crowded room. Honestly, I loved it. For the first time since I could remember, things felt completely whole. That odd, hollowness that I used to be consumed by was completely non-existent.

“Oh.” He ran a hand over the back of his neck, almost as if he was coming up with a random answer. “Bathroom. I think.” He threw his thumb over his shoulder and then quickly turned his attention to Keaton, who had stolen one of Millie’s dolls. The doll was on the back of a toy horse who was snorting and bucking across the carpet.

Chuckling to myself, I reached for another gift from underneath the tree and passed it off.

Soon the trunk's base was bare, and there was more paper scattered about the room than gifts. I leaned back against the chair and closed my eyes. Tenley was quiet, relaxed in my lap. Her legs were tucked up against her body as she rested her head against my shoulder.

“By the way,” I cracked an eye to look at her. “I’ve got one more gift for you.”

“Oh?” she hummed, still not moving as her fingers fiddled with the zipper to my onesie.

I kissed her head. “I’ll give it to you at dinner.”

A soft smile spread across her lips. Christmas music danced in the background, lights twinkling as a gentle snow began to fall outside the window. I watched out the glass pane at the blissful peace that had befallen around us. Joy. Magic. Everything that fairytales spoke of concerning Christmas was real.

Not in the way that I’d imagined once, but better. Everything was just better.

There was a part of me that regretted hiding away all those years, but in the end, that path had led me to this. To Tenley, to her family. To my family growing in an unexpected and absolutely incredible way.

We were messy, and we still hadn’t had our first date yet, but life was messy.

I trailed my fingers up and down Tenley’s back, my eyes sliding across a room that held the most massive smiles I’d seen in years. They landed on Cassidy, who let a smirk fill his face. He raised his brows and then shook his head; the grungy t-shirt he was wearing stained from something he’d eaten this morning.

Chuckling, I couldn’t help but grin. Man, I was proud of that man. Of my brother.

A tinkling against glass tore my attention away and quieted the room. My mom stood in a robe, her hair not brushed for the day. “So, I know we typically do leftovers for lunch, but…” She grinned, her eyes dancing across the unusually large crowd. They sparkled with delight. “Our family has grown considerably, almost overnight. I was hoping that we could do something a bit special this year before people disappear with other plans.”

Her gaze landed on mine, and she winked subtly. Thank you, Mom. She really was putting effort into making sure that Tenley and I got our dinner date.

“If everyone could, please change into your Sunday best. Yes, that means suits for you men and dresses for you ladies,” she lifted an accusing brow toward Cassidy and then back at me.

I blinked, pursing my lips. A suit? I hated suits, and she knew it.

“Weston,” she reiterated, pointing at me. “A suit.”

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