Joyce had revealed that meant the permanency plan was likely going to shift from concurrent planning to adoption at the official meeting next week. They were still figuring out the best way to discuss them moving forward with adoption with the kids. However, he and Teddy were in agreement that pursuing the adoption was what they wanted. It had been a hard few weeks, but the good moments, and even some of the rocky ones, made it clear that their family was meant to be.
“Samantha says her family makes wishes at midnight tonight. If we stay up until midnight, we can make wishes just like Teddy.” Natalie patted James on the arm. She was probably motivated more by the late bedtime than big sisterly concern, but it was still a sweet gesture.
“You can try to stay up. And not all wishes come true, but it never hurts to make them.” Nick knew better than most that wishing wasn’t the same thing as ensuring an outcome, but he didn’t want to totally crush their spirits either. “And I know for a fact that Teddy already got his biggest wish this year.”
“He did?” James looked up at him with big eyes.
“He did. We got you two. Teddy wanted to be a parent.” Nick’s eyes burned. There were those damn big feelings again, choking him up right when he was trying to say something important.
“Teddy wished for me?” James sounded rather astonished at this news. “Wow.”
Natalie had gone quiet and still, probably thinking about Grandma Ivy and her mom and how no one had wished for this exact situation. Nick wished he knew what to say that might reassure her. While he was trying to figure it out, his phone buzzed, letting him know that Teddy was on the way. Rhonda was going to the big McNally countdown party which would feature a cake for her, but they’d decided to do a smaller celebration for Teddy here at home this year.
“We better finish fast.” Natalie reached for the decorations, still a little subdued. Nick knew exactly what his own midnight wish was going to be. He wanted her to always be safe and happy and know how loved she was. And to think he’d doubted his own ability to bond with and love this kid. He was grateful for them both and loved James a lot too, but Natalie…she was the kid he hadn’t even realized how much he needed.
“Maybe…” Natalie’s fingers paused over the letters James had already sorted out to spell Teddy. “What if we put D-A-D on there too?”
“We could do that. And he’d love it. But you don’t have to.” The mere fact that she’d suggested it had his throat all clogged up again.
“I want to.” James came up with a D-A-D combo from the package of sugar letters.
“Here’s that sign that means and.” Natalie had apparently reached her conclusion, spelling out Teddy & Dad on the top of the cake.
“He’s going to love the surprise.” James tagged along after Nick as he carefully carried the cake to the dining room they’d already decorated for Teddy. It was entirely possible that Teddy was going to cry. Heck, Nick was already struggling not to. It probably wouldn’t be all smooth sailing from here, but still, this felt like a turning point. A big milestone for all of them.
“Surprise,” the kids yelled as soon as Teddy came into the dining room. And Teddy did tear up, but he did a pretty good job disguising it in a flurry of hugs and compliments. After the cake, Natalie beat them all at several board games before they watched a movie to countdown to midnight.
“I know what I’m wishing for,” Teddy whispered to Nick as the space aliens danced around on the screen. They were on the couch, both kids on the floor in front of them in sleeping bags. “More holidays exactly like this one.”
Nick nodded, eyes burning too much to explain his own wishes. Instead he kissed Teddy’s temple, tried to memorize everything about this moment.
“Love you.” Teddy snuggled in closer. And later, after they herded the sleepy kids to bed, they stood in the hallway, watching them both drift off.
“Nick. Look.” Teddy’s voice was low as he pointed to Natalie’s room. Hard to believe that it had been Nick’s exercise room just a few months ago. And now, the kid who hadn’t wanted to unpack had things everywhere. An award from the school on the wall. The doll from Christmas on a little rocking chair in the corner. Drawing supplies and her small digital camera spread out on the desk. And on the bookshelf, in addition to the photos of her mom and Grandma Ivy that she’d arrived with, she’d added two pictures from the collection of prints Teddy had brought home the other day. One was of the four of them at the resource center, Nick as Santa, Teddy as an elf, and the kids in holiday sweaters, and then the other was one a nurse had taken of all of them with Grandma Ivy.
“Wow.” Nick’s awe made his whole chest expand.
“See? We’re going to work out.” Teddy stretched to kiss Nick’s cheek.
“Yeah.” And it was only then that Nick let himself make his real wish, the one where they were a forever family, where the kids grew up, right here in their little house, and he didn’t screw up this whole parenthood thing. He wanted visits to Grandma Ivy and holidays with their extended families. He wanted to help them fish and take them to see the stars. He wanted those moments when “my two foster dads” became “my two dads” became “our family.”
And when his lips met Teddy’s, he could almost see it happening. It wasn’t going to always be easy, but Teddy was right. It would work out, exactly the way it was supposed to, exactly how the two of them had worked out, their improbable holiday courtship giving rise to the most important connection of Nick’s life. Now he couldn’t imagine his life any other way. And so, he was going to do the hard thing and trust. Trust in Teddy. Trust in the kids. Trust the universe. And trust himself. Because this, all of it, was meant to be.
Meet Annabeth Albert
Annabeth Albert is a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer of over thirty-five published works. Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Looking for more holiday romance fun? Her critically acclaimed and fan-favorite LGBTQ romances include several seasonal titles! Her fan group, Annabeth’s Angels, on Facebook is a great place for bonus content and exclusive contests.
Website - annabethalbert.com
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Christmas Eve, 1814: a maimed war hero and the childhood friend he almost kissed five years earlier are trapped together by the first snow of winter.
Captain Sam Alderton returns to England from the continent with his life in tatters. Maimed and directionless, the last thing he wants to do is spend Christmas with his family and their close friends, the Huxleys—especially Jasper Huxley, who he almost kissed five years before.
Sam plans to avoid the festivities, but when the first snow of winter arrives, and he and Jasper are trapped alone together at Alderton Hall, they find themselves revisiting old traditions and painful memories together—and discovering that things may not have been quite as either of them thought five years earlier.
The First Snow of Winter
Copyright © 2020 by Joanna Chambers