The Sweetest Gift - Scarlett Cole Page 0,35

your life. You think you’ve won, you and Ezra and your dad. But you’ve lost. Because you don’t have her anymore. We do. My family does. We’re the fucking lucky ones because we get to spend time in her presence. So, merry fucking Christmas, Randall. The best Christmas gift I’ll ever get just turned her back on you and walked out the door.”

He patted Randall on his shoulder twice and then left to find Gia. She was seated on a low wall outside the restaurant, her gold skirt skimming her calves as she twirled her sunglasses in her fingers.

Lennon sat down next to her.

“Is he bleeding?” Gia asked, glancing over at him.

Lennon shook his head. “Remarkably, no. I think my days of laying out people who piss me off have passed. I’m going to be a motherfucking paragon of sage wisdom from now on.”

Gia laughed, just as he’d intended. “It’s nine o’clock. I’m hungry for breakfast. And I want to see our real family.”

Lennon pulled out his phone and called up Nik’s number. When he answered, Lennon could hear the squeals of excitement of the boys and it made him grin, made him think back to their Christmas morning breakfasts with Ellen and Maisie when they were kids.

“Lennon, Merry Christmas. What do you need?”

“Merry Christmas, Brother. Have you guys eaten breakfast yet?”

“No. Jenny was just about to get on ordering it.”

Lennon pressed a quick kiss to Gia’s cheek. “Can me and Gia come over and join you?”

“Of course. Elliott’s lot is coming, too. Pajamas only, though.”

Lennon grinned. “We’ll be there.” He hung up the phone. “Want to go get changed into pajamas?”

Gia stood. “That’s the best idea I’ve heard all day.”

He slid his arms around her. “He might treat you as a disposable asset,” he whispered against her ear, “but to me, you are the fucking sun and the moon. You’re Dave Brubeck jazz on a Sunday afternoon, and bonsais in a greenhouse, and my literal left arm.”

Georgia relaxed against him. “Don’t be too nice to me, Lennon.”

“Want to skip breakfast and let me show you how nice I can be to you?”

Gia laughed softly. “As tempting as that sounds, I need noise and chaos and kids covered in chocolate… And then a wedding. Because all of those things are family.” Her stomach rumbled. “And food.”

Lennon signaled the valet to get them a cab. “Then, that’s what we’ll do.”

He took her hand and helped her into the cab before walking to the other side to seat himself. Gia leaned her head against him. “Am I really your sun and moon?”

“Yeah, Babe,” he said, placing a kiss on top of her head. “You’re my fucking everything.”

9

“More champagne?”

Lia held her glass towards Harper and let her fill it. Her condo was a hive of the girliest activities. The scent of nails getting done and the sound of the hairdryer and chit chat made her heart soar. Getting married at four in the afternoon on Christmas Day would be some people’s idea of a nightmare. When she and Reid had picked the date and time, they’d half expected people to bail.

But they hadn’t.

There hadn’t been a single decline on the wedding invite. And given the wedding meal was a full-blown Christmas dinner, meaning nobody had to worry about their turkey and trimmings, everybody won.

Drea was the first to slip into her dress, the warm ivory silk complementing her tan skin. Harper was still in the red silk robe Lia had provided for all the bridesmaids. Pixie was just finishing up getting her nails done, while Petal hurtled around the spacious penthouse on a bright red scooter that Jordan had gotten her for Christmas.

“Auntie Lia,” Petal said, as she came to a stop in front of her. “Do I get to keep this robe?” She ran her hand down the miniature red silk robe Lia had gotten for the little girl she considered her niece.

“Yes, you do. And the dress I got you for last night, and tonight.”

Petal smiled brightly, and then almost as quickly frowned. “I’m so sorry I made a mess of my shoes last night.”

Lia placed her hand to her heart. The thirty minutes she’d been missing had been the most agonizing of her life. “I know you are, Sweetie. But you learned a really important lesson though, right?”

“I can’t run off without telling a grown-up where I am going.”

“That’s right. Now, it’s probably time to get our dresses on. What do you think? Do you think you could go and