Watching his daughter hold his wife’s hand as they went down the stairs to open presents was another reminder for him to cherish those moments. That Evan had done all he could to bring them another Christmas of love and happiness. As Miller tore away wrapping paper, he watched his perfect family with a smile by the fireplace. Yeah, Evan hadn’t gotten a lot right when he was in college when he had pushed AJ away, but he never gave up. He hoped for her, and he was glad he never stopped. Because that beautiful little girl who had his smile and his wife’s eyes was the light of his life. And her mother, she was the absolute love of his life. They were the oxygen in his lungs and the beat in his heart. AJ and Miller were his purpose.
“I miss you, Poppy,” Miller said to AJ’s grandfather on FaceTime. His wife’s grandparents weren’t able to fly to Massachusetts from Melbourne, Australia, these holidays after Grandpa Marcus had hurt his back. AJ had been disappointed, but her mother’s father had flown to New York a few days ago to spend Christmas with her cousins before her New York family drove up to spend the New Year with them.
“Oh, sweetheart, Poppy misses you. I promise to visit you soon. Nanny sends her love. We love you, Miller.”
“Love you, too!” she said, puckering her lips for an air kiss before she handed the phone to AJ.
“Swear to God, Alexandra, the moment my back heals, that little girl is getting spoilt rotten when I see her,” Grandpa Marcus promised.
AJ laughed as she opened the front door to her parents’ house. “I have no doubt. Send my love to Uncle George and Aunty Penny. I wish you were all here this year. We’ll FaceTime a little later. Enjoy the rest of your Christmas. Love you all.”
“Love you, too,” her grandfather said. “You, too, Evan.”
Evan peered over his wife’s shoulder and waved at her grandfather. AJ’s family had always welcomed him into their lives when he was just her best friend. To be at the receiving end of their love as her husband for the past five years had truly been a blessing. “The feeling’s mutual, Grandpa Marcus. Send my love to Grandma Louise.”
Once AJ hung up, Miller wiped her snow-covered black boots on the welcome mat and entered the house. Evan followed his wife inside and closed the door as Miller took off her boots and red coat and waited patiently by the hook.
“I’ve got you, my love,” Evan said as he set his in-laws’ presents—that Santa had left under their tree at home—by the door and scooped up his daughter. Like she did with their family tree’s star, she put it on the hook with so much care.
“Merry Christmas, Mum,” AJ said as she walked over to her mother at the foot of the staircase. “Where’s Dad and Seb?”
Clara hugged her daughter and smiled. “Merry Christmas, Alexandra. Your father and brother are in the living room.” Then she walked over to Evan and kissed his cheek. “Merry Christmas, Evan.”
“Merry Christmas, Clara,” Evan greeted as he handed her his daughter who wrapped her arms tightly around her grandmother.
“Happy, happy Christmas, Grandma.”
She grinned at her granddaughter. “And Merry Christmas to you, my sweet Miller.”
Evan watched as his mother-in-law whispered to his daughter that Santa had left her a present under the tree. The love in Clara’s eyes was one he saw as he grew up as their next-door neighbor. He knew his life would have been different had she not given him her love and kindness. She never needed to, and he owed so much of his life to the Parkers for letting him and his brother be a part of their family.
“Hey,” AJ said in a soft voice as she stepped in front of him and set her hands on his hips. “Everything okay?”
He nodded, content with the life he had and shared with the beautiful woman who had carried his child. “Everything’s perfect.”
Her head tilted. “Even if your parents weren’t able to come to Boston for the holidays?”
Evan couldn’t be mad at their decision to stay in Chicago. His parents were brokering a deal to sell their business so they could move back to Massachusetts to be close to him, Kyle, and Miller. They were trying, and that was all Evan could have ever wanted from them. When Miller needed them or missed them, his mother and father dropped everything to be there for her. They had made mistakes raising him and Kyle, but when his daughter was born, they vowed never to repeat them.
“Even though they couldn’t be here,” he assured.
“Good,” she whispered as her hands trailed up his body to settle on the sides of his neck. “I have an extra Christmas present for you.”
His brows furrowed. This morning he had opened his presents from his wife and daughter. They had gotten him custom-made socks with Miller’s drawings and a new briefcase for work. “AJ, you and Miller got me more than enough for Christmas.”
She shook her head. “This is just for you and me. I want to spend Christmas with you.”
Evan was hit with the fond memory those words delivered. They had been high school seniors afraid of their own feelings toward each other. AJ knew how she felt while Evan had been in denial and chose to ignore them. It seemed like so long ago now.
As if they were back at that moment, he repeated the words she had breathlessly said to him, “With me?”
“Just you.” Her smile stretched wider and the fondness was bright in her eyes.
“You know that’s impossible,” he recited. It had been then when it had just been her parents and his brother. Now they had to factor in their daughter.
AJ’s thumb brushed along his bottom lip as a knock came from the door. Normally, she’d pull away, but she didn’t. She kept them at this moment. “For a moment, after Christmas lunch, just spend it with me, away from my parents, your brother, and our daughter.”
As he heard his brother announce his arrival, Evan nodded and whispered, “Okay,” before he kissed his beautiful wife.
Chapter Five
Evan
The anticipation of AJ’s surprise had him on the edge of his seat. It wasn’t the actual present that had him excited. No, it was the chance to get away and relive one of their better moments and Christmases. It was the Christmas he had given her the oxygen necklace she still wore to this day. This Christmas, Evan had gifted Miller a small bracelet version for her to wear since AJ didn’t want her wearing necklaces just yet. Some might have their heart on their sleeves, but his daughter had his entire life on hers. Like the Christmas lunches before, Clara made a delicious roast that surpassed the year before’s. His brother updated everyone on his fitness while Noel gloated to Kyle that Seb was more interested in hockey than baseball. It was probably for the best that AJ’s little brother enjoyed hockey and put some distance from the Gilmores. After all, he was a Parker, and Parkers tend to dominate whatever world they step into. As remarkable as this Christmas was, there was hostility at the table. A woman everyone knew had occupied the space of another.
“Clara, would you like some help clearing the table?”
AJ’s mother’s smile was bittersweet. She couldn’t hide the caution Evan saw. “I would love that, Angie.” Then she glanced over at Kyle, and the plea in them was heartbreaking. She silently begged him to stop the charade, but his brother looked away, and he started to ask Seb about peewee hockey.