this family. They’ve accepted me and even my mother, who also receives the matching set.
And then I waste no time attaching my keys to the snow globe keychain.
My eyes glass over when I see the unicorn pendant and earrings. None of these gifts are meaningless. They’re thoughtful. Kind.
I swallow hard.
I have one present left to open from Colin.
Butterflies take flight in my stomach. I glance around to find him watching me carefully. Everyone else is absorbed in their own conversations.
Gently, I tug on the ribbon.
My heart beats a little faster when I slide my finger under the tape securing the wrapping. Not so long ago, this man was a stranger, but now his gift means more than any I’ve ever received. How did that happen? How did he and his daughter work their way into my heart?
As I lift the lid on the box, my mind races in time with my heart. Is it a sweater? An honorary adoption of a polar bear? Breath mints?
Nestled in a bed of tissue paper is a picture frame filled with a collage of photos from my time here. One of Perry dragging me toward the giant tree she initially wanted. Another of Colin and me ice skating. The selfie the three of us took two days ago when we finished the dollhouse.
And one of us kissing in front of the B&B.
“Mrs. Pollard sent me that one.” His voice has a husky quality with a hint of amusement.
“And this one?” I point at the image of the day we went ice skating.
His cheeks turn my favorite shade of red. “The hockey team manager said we looked like we were having fun and sent this to me.” He stares intently at the collage. “I like all these moments.”
Me too. I more than like them.
I want a million of these moments, yet they seem so far out of reach. Even though they’re right here in front of me. Around me.
I throw my arms around his neck, and he kisses my forehead. That’s the only photo missing from the collection. And it’s one I’ll have to hold in my memories.
“Unicorn.” There’s so much emotion behind the word that it sounds as if it’s been yanked from his soul. I’m afraid to look too deep into the meaning. I’m terrified I won’t hear what I want to. That I won’t see what I want to see.
And that tomorrow morning, I’ll wake up back in my bed in LA, and this will have been nothing more than a dream.
“Do you love it?” Perry flops down beside me. “I told Daddy how to arrange the pictures.”
A lump forms in my throat. “It’s perfect.”
I put an arm around her, and she snuggles her warm body against mine.
“Ooh. Don’t move. I need to get a picture of this.” Clarissa holds up her phone and taps the screen. “You’re going to need a bigger frame,” she says after examining the still shot.
“Can we go to Maggie’s now? I want her to have the dollhouse first thing.” Perry scrambles to her feet.
“Cupcake, it’s barely daylight.”
“So? What if she’s awake already?”
The rationale of a four-year-old never ceases to astound me. How is Colin supposed to argue with that?
“We need a hand, boys,” he says to his brothers.
“Take them some muffins,” Mrs. Bradford says. “And don’t forget Maggie’s other gifts.” She gathers them from underneath the tree and places them on the bench in the foyer.
“I’d like to go with you,” I say softly to Colin.
“Of course you’re coming,” he returns as if I were crazy for thinking otherwise.
Those words sound incredible. I'm enough. I'm wanted and included.
“Then I’d better go change clothes.” I look down at my onesie.
“No!” Perry shrieks. “We found Maggie a onesie too. She’ll match us.” She sits in the middle of the foyer and tugs on her boots.
I follow her lead. She’s in charge, after all.
The lights are on at the house we approach. The rest of the street is quiet as the sun begins to make its trek higher in the sky.
Perry rings the doorbell and knocks with her little fist. After a minute, a woman answers the door in a tattered robe and socks with a hole in the toe.
“Perry? Colin? What are you doing here?” She doesn’t bother to hide her surprise.
“We’re Santa’s Helpers!” Perry says enthusiastically.
“We already delivered our gifts,” she says, and I swallow hard.
It’s apparent this family is having a difficult time, judging by her outfit. Though, to be fair, I have socks with holes