The sun reflected off the freshly fallen snow, blinding Gavin. The kids had woken up before dawn and piled into bed with him and Regan without any regard to the fact that they’d been up half the night celebrating. And now he was outside with the kids, enjoying the crisp weather.

“Daddy, look!” Jackson screamed, pointing to the huge snowball he’d rolled for the base of their snowman.

“That’s great, buddy! Good job.”

“I did a good job, too,” Savannah cried from where she was struggling to roll another ball, which would be the middle.

“You did,” he agreed, setting his insulated coffee mug aside to go help her.

It had been his idea to bring the kids outside to build a snowman before breakfast so Regan could call her family. Things were improving on that front, which made him happy for her. He didn’t think they’d ever be the traditional, supportive family, but her parents seemed to realize how close they’d coming to losing two of their daughters and were desperate not to let that happen. He could see how she wanted to believe in them, but he was still nervous, so he kept his own feelings to himself for now.

Lifting the middle part of the snowman onto the base, he swept his children into his arms to admire their work.

The back door opened and Regan stepped out, tying a scarf around her neck. Gavin set the kids down to start working on the head and pulled her close, planting a lingering cold kiss on her lips. “Everything good?”

“So good,” she replied, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his shoulder. “Other than the fact that I already need a nap. How am I ever going to get through the rest of the day?”

After the craziness of Thanksgiving, Gavin’s mom insisted that everyone—including Regan’s family—come to her house for Christmas dinner. They were expected there around two o’clock and he knew it would be another late-night affair. “I think we’re just going to have to suck it up,” he told her. “There’s no way we can get out of it.”

“Really? Not even with a little incentive?” Regan pulled a small bag out from under her jacket. The recognizable pink and white stripes on the bag had him going hard instantly.

“You fight dirty,” he told her, holding back a smile.

She continued to dangle the bag on her finger, swinging it back and forth. “I’ve recently realized I kind of like things a little dirty.”

“Is that so?” he couldn’t help feeling a little smug at her confession. Smug and decidedly uncomfortable as he surreptitiously adjusted himself in his jeans.

She practically purred as she rubbed against him. “It is so. I wonder why that is?”

Gavin couldn’t hold back his laugh, which had the kids racing over to them. “Is it time, Daddy?”

He watched as Regan swiftly tucked the little bag back under her jacket and gave his kids a wink. “Yes, I think it is time.”

Regan shot him a questioning look as the twins sent up squeals that could shatter glass. “What’s going on?”

“Well,” Gavin began, grabbing each kid by the jacket and pulling them to his side. “We decided that we would like you to be around more often.”

The kids nodded in unison. Regan smiled at them, which sent a different type of heat through his gut. “This is what we want,” he said, going off script from what they’d planned. “Since yesterday I’ve been thinking about the fact that I don’t want to live without you. So I talked to the kids and they agreed. We want you here. With us.”

Regan’s hand lifted to her throat and he smiled at the kids again while peeking under her lashes at Gavin.

“We want to keep you,” Jackson shouted.

Savannah clapped her hands. “Yeah. Forever.”

Regan’s eyes flew to his and he couldn’t help but grin at her expression. “That’s the gist of it,” he confirmed. “I talked it over with them and they think you’re awesome and would love to have you as their stepmom.” He dropped to one knee and dug the small blue box out of his pocket. “And I would love nothing more than to give you a family, my family, to call your own.”

“Oh, Gavin.” Her eyes filled with tears as she stared down at him with a child on either side.

“I know it’s a lot to take on and that it’s happened fast,” he continued. “But we love you.”

Tears spilled her cheeks as she nodded. “I love you too. All of you.”

“Does that mean you’re staying?” Jackson persisted.

Regan laughed, “Yes. Yes, I’ll stay. And I’ll marry you.”

Gavin leapt to his feet and swung her into his arm, the kids whooping it up behind them. This is how it was meant to be. Forever.