Jared leaned against the rail and surveyed the majority of the great room below him. Christmas Eve with his mom and Frank had always been magical. This Christmas was no exception. The wedding was exactly like Jade. Fun, quirky and completely inappropriate. Mom had cried and laughed and then cried again.

"Are you ready?" Christian came up behind him and planted his chin on Jared's shoulder, looking down into the great room.

"I am. Is everything all right?" Jared lifted his arm and Christian ducked under it into his side-armed hug.

"She's fine. Just wanted to wish us a Merry Christmas." Christian dropped his head and sighed. "She scared me with the text though. The first trimester is the hardest."

"It will be okay this time." They'd done their research before they sought out a surrogate. Clara was ten weeks pregnant, for the second time. The first attempt ended in a miscarriage. They waited a year before they tried again. They'd chosen not to know whose sperm was used to inseminate her. Whether his or Christian’s, their baby would be loved. "When do you want to tell them?" Laughter rose from the family below.

"When we are sure."

Christian's deep rumble of laughter followed Jade chasing Jacob through the room, which set off a string of children in hot pursuit. "Those two aren't right in the head, are they?"

"God, no." Jared glanced up and smiled. Mistletoe. He swung his husband around and folded him into his arms. "This time next year, you'll be a daddy."

Christian leaned into him, his long blond hair fell over Jared's hands. "And so will you. Are you ready for that type of craziness?" He nodded down at the family below.

Jared brought his husband's attention back to him using his finger and thumb to trap Christian's chin. "More than ready." He lowered his lips to his husband’s. "Our first kiss was here." Christian blinked up at the mistletoe and smiled. He recalled their first kiss like it was yesterday.

Jared smiled but didn’t say a word as he reached toward Christian. Surprise froze him for a moment. The warm grip of Jared’s large palm cupped the back of his neck. Jared made a point of looking up, and Christian’s eyes followed his gaze. A bundle of mistletoe hung suspended over them. Christian stopped breathing as Jared leaned down to meet his lips. The soft brush sent a shockwave of sensation running like tiny electric currents under his skin. The sweep of Jared’s tongue asked for permission, and Christian granted access. He grabbed Jared’s biceps to steady himself under the sensual onslaught. The huge muscles flinched and trembled under his touch.

His body was being set on fire. Jared’s tongue coaxed and teased his until Christian leaned into the big body in front of him, surrendering to the longing he felt.

The kiss ended with a tender nip of his bottom lip followed by a soft sweep of Jared’s tongue. Christian opened his eyes to see the pupils of Jared’s eyes blown wide, rimmed by a slice of vivid green. Jared’s stare held him mesmerized.

“Merry Christmas, Christian. May all your dreams come true.” Jared pulled back a step as he spoke.

“I think they just did.” Jared leaned down for a kiss and as their lips met, he repeated the words, "Merry Christmas, my love. May all your dreams come true." It was as if the first kiss echoed through the years they'd been together and resonated in the life they'd built with each other.

When they separated, Christian confessed, "Every one has come true because of you."

"Hey, you two! Come down here, we are going to cut our one and only wedding cake!" Jade's words brought a smile to both of their lips but didn't stop the kiss. "Kids, go get your uncles so I can eat some of this cake!"

Jared pulled away from Christian. "Want to make this fun?"

"How?"

"Run." Jared spun and sprinted toward the back stairs with Christian right behind him. The squeal of children thundering up the stairs echoed after them. Jared grabbed Christian's hand, and they flew down the stairs, ducking into a huge hall closet. He shut the door and listened as the children thundered by.

"They'll figure it out," Christian whispered.

"Don't care. I just needed a minute." Jared pulled his husband back into his arms.

"Only one?" Christian wrapped his arms around Jared.

"No, there will never be enough minutes with you." Christian met Jared's lips once again, ignoring the outside distractions.

Amanda Marshall pulled her coat on and slipped out onto the front porch. She flipped the switch starting the outdoor heater and moved over to the swing. Night had fallen, and the children and grandchildren were in their rooms resting or getting ready for Christmas Eve dinner. Betty had banished her from the kitchen. She was at loose ends, which was unexpected. She tucked her legs up in the swing with her. The warmth of the heater was immediate. Amanda stared out into the night. The wedding and reception had been a complete surprise. Watching her family come down the aisle, she knew it was either Justin or Jade and her bet had been on Justin until she'd seen Dani. Jade getting married was something she'd always prayed for, but she knew her daughter, and if anyone had pushed her, she would have pushed back and run the other way.

A smile snuck across her face. Jade's wedding was untraditional, to say the least. An organized three-ring circus was an apt description. The hug she'd given her daughter after they finally found Nic's ring and the minister had pronounced them husband and wife, was one she would always remember.

"Did we surprise you?" Jade almost bounced in her high heels when she asked.

"You did. I had no idea what was going on." Amanda glanced up at Nic. "So, she seduced you, huh?"

"I am so going to kill you for that Nicolas DeMarco." Jade flicked his shoulder with her flowers.

"Hey, we are in a church, I can't lie. It’s like, against the laws of physics or something." Nic laughed and ducked away from the poor, abused flowers when they swung his way again.

"Well at least God didn't strike us down with lightning." Jade turned back to Amanda and glanced up at the sanctuary ceiling. "That was a very real possibility, you know what I mean?"

Amanda grabbed her daughter's hand. "I don't think God actually strikes down people anymore and if he did, he wouldn't take you two." She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her daughter's ear. "I know He loves you for who you are because it is impossible not to. You are an amazing person, Jade, and you deserve this man's love." She grabbed Nic's hand and put it on top of Jade's. Trying hard not to cry, she glanced up at Nic. "You two deserve all the happiness the world has to offer. Make sure you take time to find it, together. Don't let life pass you by."

"Dammit, Momma, you can't cry." Jade stomped her foot and wiped at her own cheeks. "All day, Mom. All day without losing it, and now I ruin my mascara."

The door squeaked as it opened, and Frank stepped out after her. He had a blanket in his hands and was wearing his old Carhartt jacket. It had seen a few too many winters, but Frank still wore it; he just added a down vest under it. She had a new one under the Christmas tree for him. The man would spend a fortune on the ranch, or her or their family, but not a dime on himself. He was one of the best men she'd ever known.

He sat down and tucked them under the blanket together. His arm went around her as he leaned back. "Good?"

She hummed in agreement and lowered her head to his shoulder. "That was the most unorthodox wedding I've ever seen."

Frank chuckled. His laughter made her head dance as she relaxed into him. "That girl is a wild-child."

"Always has been." Amanda agreed. "The little kids won't be able to sleep tonight. There is nothing left of that cake."

"They'll crash after we get some good warm food into their bellies. They've been playing hard." Frank pushed the swing gently, and they swayed, listening to random laughter and doors opening and closing inside the house.

"Did you ever think your life would be this full?" Sometimes she worried that the entirety of the family was too much for Frank. They'd marched into his life and turned it upside down.

"I didn't," Frank responded. He pushed the swing again. "But then again, when I thought that, I reckoned I'd lost Tori. Jacob brought her back to me. Keelee found her man because of him and then I found you. Never believed after Elizabeth died that I'd have this." He tugged her closer and kissed her hair. "Wouldn't trade a single, noisy, messy, quirky day for what I had before."

"I overheard you and Gabriel this morning." She had to confess the worry that was on her heart, and she hadn't meant to eavesdrop. The men were speaking on the porch, and she was in the laundry room loading sheets that hadn't made it through the night into the washer. Overactive bladders of young ones tended to mean more laundry. The window in the laundry was always left open an inch or two because it was unbearably hot otherwise. The men's voices floated in. The words froze her to the spot. It wasn't intentional until it became essential.

Frank sighed. "How much?"

"Enough to worry." She shivered, and it had nothing to do with the fact they were outside.

Frank grunted and kicked the porch deck with his boot sending them swaying again. "No sense borrowing trouble. Worry about what we know is happening, not what we think will."

"Dixon, Chief, and Taty." Amanda sighed and closed her eyes. "I miss them."

"They are safe." Frank's chest rumbled under her ear.

"For now." Amanda reminded him.

Frank shrugged. "It is the best we can do." A loud squeal peeled through the house prompting a chuckle from both of them. "Are you ready for tomorrow morning?"

"I am. Presents are all wrapped. Santa Frank has midnight delivery duty, and every child in that house knows not to leave their room until after six a.m."

"Graaaaaammmmmaaaa!" Talon's loud call could be heard clearly outside.

"Think that mandate is going to work?" Frank pulled off the blanket and stood, extending his hand to her.

She took his hand and stood up, albeit a bit slowly. The cold and age had taken their toll today, although the joy in her heart knew no such limitations. It leaped and danced in a robust salute to her family and her life in general. Another long wailing call from inside the house tickled laughter from both of them.

Amanda leaned up and kissed Frank on the jaw. "Not a chance."