Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Carol and Raymond Kincaid know how to Christmas. As soon as we walked into the house, it smelled of warm sugar cookies. I was delighted to find out it wasn’t just the scent of a burning candle but a huge tray of fresh cookies sitting on the dessert table. An entire table was full of yummy treats, which I learned that the daughters-in-law and Ramsey requested they take over. I’m glad I insisted on bringing my mom’s recipe for peanut butter oatmeal bars. Archer tried to tell me I didn’t need to bring anything, but I refused to come empty-handed.
“How you doing over there, Scar?” Palmer asks me.
“I’m stuffed. Mrs. Kincaid, that was incredible. Thank you for having me.”
“Carol, dear, we’ve been over this.” She gives me a kind smile. “You’re always welcome here.” Her voice is laced with sincerity, and my heart twists in my chest. This family has a way of making a girl wish for more.
“Daddy! Is it time for presents?” Blakely asks.
“Can we let our food settle?” Declan asks her.
“No,” Blakely, Maverick, and Merrick reply at once, making everyone in the room laugh.
“Come on, Blake. Let’s get a good seat.” Raymond stands and holds his hand out for his granddaughter.
“Go sit with the ladies. We’ll be in soon,” Archer says, kissing my cheek.
“What?”
“We clean. The ladies took care of cooking and dessert. We clean up.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Now, go so we can get to the good stuff.”
“I thought dinner was the good stuff.”
“Presents, Firecracker.”
“What if they don’t like what I brought them?” I whisper.
“Baby, I told you. My brothers and I stopped buying gifts for each other once Orrin got married. We were just passing around gift cards. We buy for our parents and the kids.”
“I know, but I’m not a part of the family. I’m a guest, and I needed to show my appreciation to everyone for including me. Today has been incredible, Archer.”
“You are a part of this family.” He lifts my hand and places it over his heart. “You’re a part of me. That makes you a part of them.”
“It’s not that easy, Archer.”
“It actually is.” I hear a deep voice behind me. I turn to see Orrin standing with his hands shoved in his pockets. “He loves you. That’s good enough for us.”
I turn back to Archer. “You told them?” I whisper, feeling my face heat. It’s not that I care that they know we’re in love, but I just didn’t expect them to know or to bring it up.
“He didn’t have to tell us. We can see it written all over both of you,” Orrin tells me.
Something happens inside me. A warmth, a sense of belonging I’ve missed since losing my parents, washes over me. They accept me. They accept us. I should be worried I’m so easy for them to read, but I know that when it comes to Archer and the way I feel about him, there is no hiding. I don’t want to hide it.
“I’ll meet you in there.” Archer smiles and kisses me—a soft press of his lips against mine—and then he’s following his brother into the kitchen.
Moving into the living room, I take a seat on the floor next to the bag of gifts I brought. Kennedy motions for me to sit next to her, but I’m good here. I raise my camera and smile. “I’m going to take pictures. I’ll make sure you all get copies.”
“I admit. It’s nice having two photographers in the family,” Palmer muses. “All the pressure is off me.”
“Oh, great. Now I feel the pressure.” I laugh, as does Palmer. It’s a great way to hide the emotions of her calling me family. To be a part of this big loving group of humans would be a true gift.
As Archer promised, the guys join us not long after. I guess when there are ten of you, because Deacon, Ramsey’s husband, helped out, it doesn’t take long to clean up. Archer takes a seat next to me on the floor. He leans his shoulder into mine, and I smile at him.
“Daddy said I can help pass out presents.” Blakely starts digging under the tree, and with some help from her mom, she distributes packages until there is nothing left under the tree, and there are piles in front of Carol, Raymond, and the parents who have kids.
“Blakely, I have more. Do you mind helping me pass them out?” I ask her.
“Oh, no, I’m good at it.”
I smile at her confidence at six. She reminds me of a kid several years older.
“Thank you.” I hand her each package, telling her where to take them. Once she’s done, I speak up. “It’s not much, but I wanted to give you all something to show you how much I appreciate you sharing your family with me today. It’s been a while since I’ve been with any kind of family during the holidays, and well…” I swallow back my emotions. “Thank you.”