“Amanda! You’re back.” Her mother bustled around the kitchen’s island, arranging a vegetable tray. “Want one?” She handed Amanda a carrot.
“Hi, Mom.” Amanda stripped off her jacket and sat down on a stool.
“How are the roads?”
“A little slick. I noticed some ice forming when I turned into the driveway. We may want to salt. What are Tate and Alex doing out there?”
“Those boys. They’ve been at it for the last half-hour. They’ve been giving out toys to our visitors.”
“Where did all the toys come from?” Amanda asked.
“I don’t know. I thought maybe you did. Brenda and Alex tore out of here over an hour ago as I was coming in. I believe Tate was in the truck with Alex,” she said. “Brenda came back alone with her SUV filled with toys.”
Amanda grabbed another carrot and swirled it around in the ranch dip. That explained why she hadn’t been able to get a hold of anyone earlier tonight. She felt a little left out. “How was your day, Mom?”
“It was nice. Lots of great families this year.” Her mom pulled out the cold sandwich tray that Brenda had bought earlier. “How was yours? Your dad tells me you had dinner at Kristen Bailey’s?”
“I did. It was really wonderful. Her daughters are precious, and they honestly deserve a nice Christmas.” Amanda watched her mom. She was suddenly feeling sorry for missing the last two years with her family. “Mom, I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what?”
“For lots of things. Letting the last two years go by. I don’t have any excuses. I’ve just been . . .” She sighed. “I was being stupid. This weekend has really reminded me how much I love this place and being part of this family.” She hung her head low.
Her mother came around the kitchen island and squeezed her shoulders. “Dear, we love you and only want what’s best for you. We just wanted to give you your space.”
“I should have talked to Brad way before this. I mean, he’s family. I let two years go by.”
“Well, maybe we weren’t with you the last two years, but you were with us.”
Amanda looked up. She could feel her tears starting to form. “What do you mean? In spirit?”
“Well, yes, and also in our living room. We watch your newscast on the Internet together. It’s become a tradition.”
“I’m a Turner tradition?” That was it. There was no stopping the flood of tears rushing down Amanda’s cheeks. She threw her arms around her mother. “I promise I won’t miss another Christmas ever again.”
Brenda bounced into the kitchen and set the pretty blue box on the kitchen island. “Your gift is ready. Here, take a look.”
Amanda opened the box and gently pushed aside the silver tissue paper. The tiny rock was in its center. It read, Xmas Dinner. “Oh, Brenda.” She put her hand over her heart.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s perfect,” she whispered.
“What’s this?” Her mother peered over her daughter’s shoulder.
Amanda flung her arms around her mother. “Thank you, Mom, for having the wonderful tradition of giving gifts before Christmas dinner. Tate is going to love this. I just know it!”
“That’s wonderful, dear. Can you help me take these sandwiches into the living room? I’m sure your grandmother is starving. She’s been watching A Christmas Carol all afternoon and mumbling about your grandpa paying a visit soon.” She laughed. “We may need to keep her away from the spiked eggnog.”
“Sure thing. Right behind you.” Amanda reached for the sandwich tray.
“Actually, let Brenda do that. You should go down and join the boys outside and surprise Tate with his gift.” Reaching over, she brushed a strand of hair out of Amanda’s eyes. “Why don’t you take Tate some cocoa? There are two thermoses next to the sink. You could go down to the sleigh.”
Amanda’s mouth opened as she watched her mother leave. “Well, that’s a first.” Presents were always opened before Christmas dinner and not a moment sooner. It was just as much a part of a Turner Family Christmas as the mandatory sweaters and the eggnog sugar cookies.
“What’s a first?” Brenda asked.
“She just broke a tradition.”
Amanda took a few minutes to make the cocoa and fill the thermoses. Once done, she grabbed a blanket from the living room. She also found a flashlight that she’d need to show Tate his present. The box with his rock was safely tucked inside the blanket. She headed outside and trudged down the snowy hill.
A small figure darted in front of her and jumped into the sleigh.
“Jingles! All right, little one. Move over.” She nudged the dog to the right side and got in. He crawled up into a little ball in her lap.
Tate and Alex were still giving out gifts about thirty feet away. She smiled. It had only been last night that Tate marveled at all the decorations on the lawn. Now, he was the main attraction.
Speaking of attraction . . . There was no denying that those little butterflies that didn’t appear when Brad was around her, were inside her stomach now and had multiplied over the last hour.
She put her hand on the blue box, thinking about the conversation she just had with her mother. She couldn’t believe her family had watched her newscast on Christmas Eve for the past two years. She’d become another Turner family tradition and hadn’t even known it.
It was chilly outside, but the cocoa warmed her up while she waited. How ironic. This was the very place that two years ago she planned to give her heart for all eternity to one man. Now she hoped to have a new beginning with a different one.
She watched as Tate and Alex continued to give out gifts. They were singing and laughing with the kids.
How could she have not realized this sooner? Maybe her grandmother and George from the hospital were right. Not to mention Lacy. If she just opened her eyes, maybe she would see what apparently everyone else who met Tate saw—a generous, kindhearted man.
She patted the dog on the head. “Jingles, I still don’t understand why he wanted to come home with me so badly. Do you think he’s had feelings for me all this time?” She slowly sipped her cocoa, looking in Tate’s direction.
Tate and Alex waved to the last car pulling away from the house. “That was fun,” Tate said. “Thanks, man, for all your help tonight.”
“No problem. It was cool. Dad loved it, too. He’ll probably make this an annual tradition now. As you saw today, we’re pretty big on traditions around here. You up to wearing that suit again next year?”
“I’d love it. But I guess it all depends on your sister.”
“Why’s that?”
Tate shrugged. The two men started to climb up the hill toward the house. His ankle still hurt, but it was tightly supported in his boot. A dog barked in the darkness.
“I think your sleigh awaits.” Alex pointed in the direction of the bark.
Tate’s heart beat fast through the red suit. Amanda waved to them. “How did you know she was in there?”
Alex shrugged. “She’s been hiding out in that sleigh as long as I can remember. “Nice of you to help us,” he called out.
“Nice of you to run over my boyfriend,” Amanda shouted back.
“Come on, Jingles. Here, boy!” He whistled. “Let’s leave these two love birds alone.”
Tate smiled and followed his heart straight to the sleigh. For a few more hours, she was still his girlfriend. He stepped aside as Jingles flew past him. “I thought that dog would never leave.”