Molly

Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with Brayden and Noah was an endless whirlwind of activity, smiles, long looks across the room (between Brayden and me), occasional pouting (from my overexcited preschooler), and joy. But, in typical excited-child fashion, Noah had Brayden and I out of bed before six, and now, just before seven a.m., all his presents are already unwrapped and he’s happily playing with new toys in the middle of the family room floor.

Brayden sits next to me on the couch and hands me a fresh cup of coffee. We didn’t sleep much last night, and I can’t even blame Santa for that. Every time I look at him, I want to kiss and touch him, to remind myself this is real.

“You’re my hero,” I say, then take a sip. “Remind me I owe you later.”

His eyes dance with mischief. “Trust me, I won’t forget.”

I bite back a grin and lean over to press a kiss to his shoulder. “Thank you,” I whisper. “For this morning and . . . everything else. This is the best Christmas we’ve ever had.”

He reaches between the couch cushions and pulls out a small, wrapped box. “You haven’t opened your present yet.”

I don’t know what’s going on inside me, but it feels like my heart and stomach just joined hands and did a somersault. “Brayden . . .”

“Just open it,” he says gently.

Swallowing hard, I rip the wrapping off the box and lift off the top. Inside on the most delicate silver chain is a beautiful, diamond-encrusted key. It sparkles in the firelight. “It’s beautiful.”

“There’s something else underneath.” He lifts the jewelry’s insert and reveals a bronze door key.

“I already have a key to your house.”

“This isn’t to my house.”

“What’s it to?”

He grins. “You’ll find out later. This goes with it.” He hands me a . . .

“Is that a blindfold?” I say, my eyes darting to Noah before going back to Brayden.

He chuckles. “That’s not what it’s for.” He rakes his gaze over my flannel Christmas PJs and matching fuzzy socks, and his eyes glaze like I’m wearing nothing but the necklace he just gave me. “But now that you mention it, I do love a multipurpose gift.”

A thrill runs through me at the thought. Later. “So what is it for, then?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

Luckily for me, soon enough comes in less than two hours when Brayden tells us to climb into his car for Jackson Christmas at the family cabin. I’m a little nervous to go after the Instagram video incident, but Noah’s delight is enough to make me forget my selfish fears and put on my new necklace and a brave face.

“We have to give your mom her last Christmas gift,” Brayden announces to Noah on the highway. He hands me the blindfold I thought was tucked into my drawer at home. “If you will.”

I frown at him. “Is this necessary?”

“Absolutely. Christmas is about surprises, and I want this to be a surprise.”

“Come on, Mama!” Noah says.

I give what I hope comes off as a carefree shrug, pull the blindfold down over my eyes, and sit in darkness, listening to Christmas carols for twenty minutes.

I feel the rumble of gravel beneath the car when Brayden pulls off the highway. “Where are we?”

“Don’t tell her, Noah,” Brayden says.

“I won’t!” Noah says from the back, clearly indignant that Brayden thinks he might ruin the surprise.

The car jerks to a stop, and I wait as I listen to the sounds of Brayden’s opening and closing door, then his feet and Noah’s on gravel before my door opens and big hands guide me out of the car and . . . somewhere. Brayden holds both of my hands, and I take one blind step after another.

“Brayden?” All I can hear are birds and wind and . . . is that Christmas music in the distance?

“Be patient. We’re almost there.”

Noah snickers behind me—the little pest loves being in on the secret.

“Since you’re blindfolded,” Brayden says, “I’ll do the honors of using your key for you, but just so you know, this is where it goes.”

“And where might this be?”

He slips off my blindfold as he opens the big wooden door to his family’s cabin. Just inside the door, everyone is gathered—his brothers, Ava, Nic, Ellie, Shay, his mom, Lilly, and even Teagan are here.

“Merry Christmas!” they shout in unison.

“The key,” Brayden says softly into my ear, “because this is your cabin now too.” I hear him swallow as I stare at his grinning family. “And them, because you asked for a family for Christmas. I wanted to give you mine.”

I spin to face him. I don’t even care that everyone’s watching us or what they’ll think of me as I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him for all I’m worth.