Let It Be (Butler, Vermont #6) - Marie Force Page 0,33
until Christmas, he loved coming home to the house lit up with the lights he’d strung and smoke curling out of the chimney, while knowing the two people he loved the most were inside waiting for him. When he got out of his truck, their dogs, Trevor and Tanner, appeared out of the darkness to welcome him home.
“What’s up, boys?” he asked as they escorted him to the mudroom door through cold air that smelled of snow.
One of them barked, and the other followed suit, both of them running in circles that would’ve tripped someone who wasn’t used to their antics. The dogs were crazy about Chase, who was equally obsessed with them, thank goodness. He stepped into the warmth of home and the scent of the evergreen candles that Cameron burned constantly this time of year.
“Daddy’s home,” he called out as he removed his boots and hung up his coat.
As he did every night, Chase let out a scream of excitement when he heard Will’s voice, making his daddy smile from the thrill of being so loved.
Cameron and Chase were in the new family room, sitting by the huge Christmas tree he’d hauled in, with a fire in the hearth as they played with toys.
Will scooped up his son and spun him around, loving the way the baby’s face lit up with pleasure at the sight of him. “How’s my big boy?”
“He’s great, but don’t shake him up, or you might end up wearing his dinner.”
Will hugged him close, breathing in the clean smell of him. He’d become addicted to the scent of baby since Chase arrived. He sat on the floor with the baby on his lap and leaned in to kiss his gorgeous wife. Her long blonde hair was piled on top of her head in a bun, and her eyes were tired from a long day of trying to work while taking care of a baby. Her smile, however, was joyful.
“We missed you today,” she said.
“I missed you guys like crazy. I need to start working from home more often so you can get a break and I can spend more time with him. There’s no reason it has to fall all on you.”
“We’ve already had this ‘fight,’ remember? You can’t breastfeed him.”
“No, but I can work from home and help you with him while we’re both trying to work. You’re tired, baby. You’ve got dark circles under your eyes.”
She reached up to touch them, and he immediately felt like an ass for mentioning them. “I know. I hate them.”
“You’re the most beautiful girl in the entire world, dark circles or not, but I don’t want you getting run-down trying to do it all.”
“It’s just been really busy with the catalog and the holidays. It’ll get better in January.”
He put his arm around Cameron and brought her into the snuggle with Chase. “I have to go away for a night.”
She looked up at him. “When?”
“Tomorrow.”
“How come?”
“That’s a long story that I want to tell you after we get him down.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, it is, but one night away is something I’ve got to do for my dad.”
Over the next hour, they worked together to get Chase down for the night and then brought the chicken curry she’d made in the Crock-Pot to sit in front of the fire to eat. Will poured the half glass of chardonnay that she allowed herself while breastfeeding and a full glass for himself.
“What’s up with your dad?”
Will told her a condensed version of the story his dad had relayed to them earlier, watching her face go flat with shock and dismay over what had happened so long ago. “And now his dad is dying and apparently wants to see him. We decided to go with him.”
“I can’t believe he’s actually going after what that man did to him.”
“I know. Part of me wishes he wouldn’t subject himself to the potential hurt of it, but I can understand his need for some sort of closure. If he doesn’t go, he might regret it. This way, he’s truly the better person.”
“I guess. It’s just hard to believe his father gave him that kind of ultimatum.”
“It’s horrible. I feel so bad for him. It must’ve been heartbreaking to lose his family that way.”
“I’ve always admired your parents, but now I do even more.”
“My mom said she was concerned for a very long time that he’d one day resent her for what he’d given up for her. I knew he’d given up going to