The Billionaire's Christmas Son - Leslie North Page 0,54

asked.

The room quieted. “Grandmother,” Jonas said, stepping in to introduce them. Officially. “This is Rachel, Scott’s mother. And this is Scott, our son.”

“Hi,” Scott said, causing everyone in the room to burst into laughter, his expression priceless. Rachel went forward easily and put Scott into his great-grandmother’s lap. The two of them seemed to know each other already, the little boy cuddling into her arms, and the last of the tension unknotted from Jonas’s heart.

“Proud of you, man.” Gabe put a hand on his shoulder. “And we’re both sorry that we acted like jackasses, each in our own way.”

“I forgive you,” Jonas said magnanimously. “I’ve had my fair share of those moments over the years.”

“Yeah,” said Chase. “You have.”

It all seemed like a joke then, something funny that had happened in the past, something they could laugh about. But the way they’d gathered—that wasn’t a joke. It wasn’t serious, not really, but it was real. Jonas thought his heart would burst with it. All of them here, with their partners, with their children, and ringing in the New Year.

Lindsey was the first to nod off in one of the big armchairs, and Scott followed her soon after, dropping his head onto his great-grandmother’s shoulder and falling asleep. Only the adults made it all the way to midnight.

“Champagne?” Tana asked, keeping her voice low for the sleeping kids.

“Absolutely.” Chase nodded. The two of them went to get the glasses, filling them with the bubbly fun before handing them out to everyone.

Lindsey shifted in her chair but didn’t wake, and Scott slept heavily. There was no chance the midnight celebration would bother them. The three couples gathered around the fireplace to watch the clock, making sure to position themselves to include their grandmother. Jonas’s heart rocketed into his rib cage. This was it—the first year he’d be in this position, the first year he’d leave behind the weight that had dogged him for what seemed a lifetime.

“Ten,” Jonas said, when the second hand drew close, indicating with a wave of his hand for everyone to join in the count.

“Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One,” they all said in unison.

Everyone called out a Happy New Year cheer, but then the room fell silent.

“Happy New Year,” Rachel said softly, their heads drawn close for a more personal wish. Jonas pulled her in and kissed her. She tasted like champagne sweetness and hope, and his future. Vacations and holidays and love. So much love.

After a long minute he came up for air and found his grandmother looking out over all of them with pride shining in her eyes. Pride and love. Her shoulders were relaxed, as she stroked Scott’s back idly, utterly content.

Thank you, Lord. If his grandmother was happy, then Jonas could truly move into this new year without regret. He could lay it down and let it go.

Rachel put her hands on either side of his face and drew his attention back to her. “What’s on your mind?”

“My parents,” he said, an image of them before the accident coming to mind. They’d been happy. Nothing had ever burdened them as much as Jonas’s past would come to. Not that he’d known of, anyway. “And you, and Scott, and how we have a future together.”

Across the room, Tana picked up Lindsey in her arms, gesturing to Chase, who said their good-byes to their grandmother before rushing to hold the door open for Tana. Anna and Gabe sat down on either side of Grandmother. Jonas leaned over and took Scott from his grandmother’s arms, cradling him against his chest in the hopes of letting him stay asleep. Jonas pressed a kiss to the top of his grandmother’s head. “Happy New Year.”

“And many more,” she answered with a wink. “Get that little boy to bed.”

Scott slept on while he and Rachel drove back to his house. Between them, they managed to get him changed into his pajamas and into the crib without waking him. Jonas glanced around the room, thoughts of what needed to be done to turn it into Scott’s room coming to mind. Whether they stayed there or not, it was important for his son to have a space of his own.

In Jonas’s bedroom, they shut the door behind them, and Rachel reached for the hem of her sweater. She pulled it off in one smooth movement, and Jonas followed suit, taking off his shirt—and everything else. Within thirty seconds, there was nothing between them, and she came to his arms