As we make the turn into Marcel’s driveway, he glances in the rearview mirror. “Alexa awake yet?”

Maybe she heard her name or she knew we were almost at the house, but she suddenly yelps and reaches for the window, smudging her little fingers against the glass.

“I think so.” I finally look out the window to see what has her attention. “Marcel, what’s this?”

Next to me, Charlotte squeals and claps her hands together. “Alexa seemed to love the lights in the park so much, Marcel wanted to create his own version for her.”

All the trees on either side of the driveway are decorated with multiple strands of vibrant Christmas lights. Some trees even have twinkling white snowflakes dangling from the lower branches.

My eyes burn and for a few seconds I can’t swallow over the lump in my throat. “This must have taken you forever.”

“Murphy helped me early this morning and Carter finished while we were getting the trees,” Marcel explains.

“That’s where you were this morning?” I ask Blake.

He turns and winks. “Where else?”

“You didn’t notice in the daytime.” Marcel grins. “That’s why I wanted to keep us out until dark. I was hoping she’d wake up in time.”

Alexa’s excited babbles climb higher in pitch as we roll closer to the house.

To the left, a couple families of glowing white reindeer are tastefully grazing in the yard. On the right side of the house there’s a giant—and I mean huge—red, and white motorcycle, a jolly snowman, and even little puppies frolicking. The combined glow of the decorations is enough to light up the front yard. Some of the lawn ornaments are animated and Alexa doesn’t seem to know where to look first.

My brother pulls the truck to the side of the driveway and turns it off while I zip Alexa into her coat and wrestle her into her mittens.

Charlotte’s door opens and Carter’s red-cheeked face peers inside. “I just finished! I’m so glad you guys didn’t get here like fifteen minutes sooner. That Santa was a bitch. He had me cursing up a storm,” he says in excited rush.

“Everything looks great. Thanks, Carter,” Marcel says.

Charlotte jumps down and hugs her brother, while Blake opens my door and takes Alexa for me. I climb out and offer to hold her, but he grabs my hand instead. Alexa stretches her little arms toward the lights over her head, frustrated she can’t quite reach.

“No. No touch. Ouch,” I warn her and she quickly pulls her arms against her chest and keeps them there.

Marcel tickles his finger over her cheek and she jerks her head around laughing when she sees it’s him. “You listen so much better than your mom did. I told her no and she’d try to stick the lights in her mouth.”

“Don’t give Alexa ideas,” Blake says.

“I used to worry she was going to get electrocuted like the cat in Christmas Vacation,” Marcel teases.

“Shut up. I did not,” I protest. Although, it does sound like something I would’ve done. Maybe.

“You did all the critters by yourself, Carter?” Blake asks.

“Yeah, it wasn’t hard. Teller already had them ready to go out in the garage. I just needed to place ‘em and plug ‘em in.” He points to the house. “I ran out of time to do the porch railings or anything else.”

“We’ll do them tomorrow. Thanks, Carter,” Marcel says, pulling him in for a one-armed hug. Carter ducks his head and mumbles, “You’re welcome.”

We spend the next hour or so wandering up and down the driveway, checking out all the decorations. Alexa’s enchanted by everything.

I walk up and brush my shoulder against Marcel. “Thank you.”

He holds out his arms to take Alexa and kisses her cheeks. “You like the lights, baby?”

She giggles and claps her mittens together. “Thnow!” she says, pointing at the glittering white ornaments hanging from one of the trees.

“That’s right,” I say. “Maybe we’ll have a White Christmas this year.”

Alexa’s not sure what to think about that. She squirms, searching for Blake and stretches her little arms trying to get to him.

“Oh, I see how it is,” Marcel laughs, handing her over. He slings his arm around me and pulls me closer. “I always wanted to do this when you were little, but we either didn’t have the money or Gram would’ve had a fit.”

I tip my head back to take him in and my heart squeezes at the happy expression on his face. “You’re the best big brother. And an even better uncle.”

Teller and Heidi seem to be having a moment, so I carry Alexa a few feet away to show her more of the decorations. Her big eyes and awed smile totally make up for my lack of sleep this morning. She wants to see everything and with my assistance even takes a few tentative steps to “pet” the deer. It’s chilly and she burrows against my chest, eventually falling asleep mumbling about “twees” and “dee-dees.”

Heidi’s almost as entranced by the decorations as Alexa and I can’t wait to show her what’s waiting at home.

“You guys staying for dinner?” Marcel asks a few minutes later.

“Nothing fancy,” Charlotte says. “Make your own pizzas. I have fresh dough and all the toppings.”

“That sounds awesome.” Heidi rubs her hands together. “I’m starving, even though all I did was sit in the truck and watch you two cut down the trees.”

“Murphy and I are going to unload the trees, but we’ll be right in.”

I hand Alexa over to Heidi and she thankfully doesn’t wake up.

“You want me to help?” Carter asks.

“Nah, we got this,” Teller says. “Go help Charlotte.”

Carter narrows his eyes but follows the girls inside.

“He okay with you bossing him around all the time?” I ask.

Teller stops and cocks his head as if the thought never occurred to him. “I don’t boss him around.”

“Sure, okay.”

He frowns and then seems to shake it off. “Can we get the trees taken care of before you lecture me on how to manage my family?” Teller says, dropping the tailgate of his truck.

“Didn’t realize it was such a touchy subject.”

“Just grab your end of the tree, smart ass.”

We toss mine in the back of my pickup first. I help him carry the other one up the porch stairs.

“Do you even remember which one was which?” he asks as we navigate the steps.

“Not really. Does it matter?”

“Heidi seemed set on one.” He ducks his head and laughs. “I just can’t remember which one.”

“It’s not like she won’t see both.”

He drops his smile and sets his end of the tree down. “Speaking of, Charlotte meant it earlier, we’d like to have you guys stay Christmas Eve if you want. It’d be nice to wake up and open presents and stuff together.” He shrugs as if he’s worried I’m going to make fun of his suggestion. “See Alexa open her stuff.”

“It’s your first Christmas in your new house. Sure you want us crashing it?”

“You know I do and Charlotte wouldn’t have asked if she didn’t mean it.”

“I’ll talk to Heidi.”

Only because I’ve known Marcel so long, can I tell he’s not satisfied with my answer. But he’s been working hard on staying out of my relationship with Heidi and doesn’t persist.

“We bringing in this tree or not?” I ask.

He glances behind him. “Can you keep Charlotte busy in the kitchen?”

“Isn’t that your job?”

Instead of laughing, he frowns. “I’m serious. I have a surprise I want to set up for her upstairs.”

“If it’s a sex swing, make sure you anchor it into one of the—”

“It’s not a sex swing, you dick. And what…never mind. Just keep her downstairs.”

“Let’s get inside first.”

Charlotte already has a place ready in the living room for the tree and after we secure it in the stand, Teller ghosts out.

Slinging an arm around Charlotte’s shoulders, I steer her toward the kitchen. “What was that you said about make-your-own pizzas?”

“Where’d Marcel go?”

“Bathroom. He’ll probably be awhile.”

What? Marcel didn’t say exactly how I was supposed to keep her downstairs.