“The night I left California, I thought I’d hit rock bottom. I guess I had in a way, but you know what that means, there is nowhere to go but up. That night, when we came home to Vine Grove I realized I had everything that was important. I had my mom and dad, and Noah.” She gave her son a big hug.
Editon looked down at her. “Did you notice that you just referred to Vine Grove as home? I guess that we were always waiting for you to come home and for me to have a second chance.”
She grinned at him. “I don’t think you ever got the first chance, so technically, this is your first chance.”
“When it comes to you, every chance is the first chance. I can’t tell you that it’s going to be easy in the next year. I’ll have a lot on my plate with building the new community center. You may not see much of me for a while.”
“I know where to find you,” Kady said and then added, “Why don’t we have the wedding reception there when it’s finished?”
Editon frowned. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take to build.”
“I can wait. I’ve waited this long to find love, I can wait on the community center.”
He laughed. “Only if you let me make it the first event booked there.”
“It’s a deal,” she said. “Want to shake on it? My dad taught me to always shake on a deal.”
“How about a kiss instead?” He grabbed her and kissed her until they were both out of breath. When he stepped back, he said, “I knew that Christmas was always my favorite holiday.”
She kissed him. “I looked for so long, and I found that what I really wanted was a home for Christmas. The people of Vine Grove and you gave me that.” -
Christmas was great, but Kady was looking forward to all the others holidays throughout the year, as long as she could spend them with Editon.
Christmas Country Wishes
Angela Ford
“It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.” - W.T. Ellis
Chapter One
“He’s my father, not yours!”
“Excuse me?”
Dakota stopped midway at the kitchen doorway. She’d had enough of her younger sister’s constant ‘I’m better than you’. Normally, she ignored Sabrina’s pitiful comments. But that remark stopped her from storming out the door this time. Dakota’s eyes widened and she turned to look at her sister in shock.
“Why would you say that? You can be so cruel at times.”
Sabrina said nothing. She just stood there against the rich cherry hardwood cabinetry in their family kitchen. Her expression told Dakota there wasn’t an apology to follow. Sabrina, three years younger, acted as if she were the only child of Neil and Francine Timmons. She easily portrayed the spoiled rich brat. Neil Timmons had made his fortune in real estate but he was the only one in the household besides Dakota that didn’t flaunt it. Her mother and sister certainly did. She’d always thought they were pretentious but never admitted it aloud. She loved her dad. She’d always thought she was more like him and nothing like her mother or sister. A modest, simple girl no matter how much wealth surrounded her.
“You never apologize when you’re cruel to me. You think you’re better than me. I would never say something so hurtful to you.”
Dakota turned to leave when she heard her sister finally speak.
“But it’s true. He’s not your biological father. He’s mine.”
Dakota stopped as Sabrina continued.
“Ask him. Ask Mom. You’re not a true Timmons. That’s why you’ve never belonged here.”
Dakota’s eyes welled with tears. She wondered how one person could be so cold and heartless. She slammed the door behind her and hit the unlock button as she walked toward her car. Even her car was modest and economical, and she’d bought it herself. Her mother and sister drove the new shiny, expensive ones in the driveway but she’d refused her father’s gift on her sixteenth birthday. Dakota had saved the money she’d made babysitting since she was twelve. In her prestigious neighborhood, it had been easy to save five thousand dollars by the time she turned sixteen. She bought an older car that finally gave her freedom.
How dare she be so cruel! Dakota turned the ignition for the second time and prayed her beloved car would start. She definitely needed to get away from her sister and that remark.
Not now, baby. Please start for Mama.
She begged her car to start, to get her the heck away from the hurt that had just filled her heart. The knock on her window made her jump. She looked up in relief to see her dad standing there. A peaceful man, his eyes always comforted Dakota. He’d always been the gentle, caring parent, the complete opposite of her mom. She felt a strong connection with her dad and knew she’d inherited his modesty and hard work ethic. She opened her car door and stepped outside.