Page 84 of The Lie That Stole Christmas

Ashley rested her head against Carter’s shoulder as they watched her grandfather put the past behind him and step into a future that might have been unsure, but it was bright as hell.

Chapter twenty-seven

Carter

Thestaffwereabuzzwith Christmas spirit as they sang carols and handed each other gifts.Tiny made everyone a tin of their favorite cookies.Ms.Porter knitted scarves for everyone.Hawthorne’s gifts were, as always, impeccably chosen.Tiny received a blank recipe journal so she could start jotting down recipes for the cookbook she dreamed of writing.Ms.Porter unwrapped a set of beautiful knitting needles with enough yarn to keep her busy until spring.Wendell laughed when he found a gardener’s kneeling pad beneath the paper.

“I told you we were getting old,” Wendell joked as he squeezed the cushiony material.

Clint admired a hand-tooled belt buckle, while Luca immediately unwrapped a bar of his favorite Italian soap and declared it “the smell of home.”

Carter opened his gift expecting a silk tie.Instead, tears pricked the backs of his eyes.Inside was a beautifully restored photograph of him and his father standing beside the sleigh on Carter’s first year helping with the festival.He had remembered the picture being taken, but he had no idea what had happened to it.

“Where did you find this?”he asked.

“Pressed in the pages of a book your father had lent me many years ago.It had been on my bookshelf all this time.”

Carter stared at the picture, allowing the memory of that day to fill in.God, he missed his old man more than anything, but he was lucky.He had the memories.So many memories.

He glanced up at Hawthorne and met his gaze.“Thank you.”

Hawthorne nodded, then Carter handed out his gifts, but they were overshadowed as he also handed out their Christmas bonuses.Bill had nearly tripled all their bonuses this year.

Ms.Porter grabbed her chest and reached for a nearby stool.Clint whistled.Tiny let out an excited squeak.Luca declared he’d be taking an extra trip to Italy this year.Wendell hugged the check to his chest.Hawthorne smiled.

Bill Wetherby might have been hated by his family for too many years because of things he said at a time when his heart had been shattered, but he’d always been a generous man to those who respected and cared for him.

Carter clapped his hands together.“Now it’s time to get back to work.Christmas dinner will be served in exactly seven hours.”

Ms.Porter jumped up from her seat, hands in the air as she hurried over to the silverware she’d been polishing for two days.

Carter turned to Tiny.“You’ll have the cake ready?”

Tiny smiled.“It will be perfect.”

Carter returned her smile and headed upstairs to make sure Christmas dinner at Winterridge would be everything Bill hoped it would be and everything Lily would have wanted.

Every place setting had to be perfect.Every candle lit.Every centerpiece was exactly where it belonged.Tiny’s cake had to make it to the dining room in one piece, the prime rib had to rest at precisely the right time, and if he knew the Wetherbys, at least one family argument would need diffusing before dessert.

He smiled to himself.It was finally Christmas again at Winterridge.

A calm settled over him since the first time he laid eyes on that paper on Bill’s desk.This didn’t feel like it would be Bill’s last Christmas.It felt like it would be the first of many more to come.

Carter sent up a silent prayer for that to be true and got to work.

Chapter twenty-eight

Ashley

Thefamilysataroundthe tree as Grandpa passed out the presents, just as he had when they were kids.He was still wearing the Santa hat from the festival.He’d been a hit amongst the kids, and Ashley watched him light up as each child came to speak with him.He took his time with each kid as if they were the most special child in the world.And then the pure joy that spread across his face as he handed a wrapped gift to take with them.

They opened gifts as they always did: all at once.It was a mess of paper, bows, and excited chatter.Ashley allowed herself to get swept up in the moment, but it didn’t stop her from thinking of those who weren’t there.Grandma Lily and Mom.She had plans with her mom tomorrow for dinner and after dinner cocktails.Tonight she was getting together with friends.

Ms.Porter came in with garbage bags to collect the paper, weaving in and out of Wetherbys as if she didn’t want to be anywhere else.She paused by the back of the tree and lifted a gift wrapped in gold paper and a crimson bow.

“It appears you forgot one,” she said, holding it out to Gabe.

“It’s for me?”Gabe asked, pointing at himself.