Page 67 of Finally Moore
Well, she knows. I don’t need to explain about my parents and dampen the mood on Christmas.
“This looks amazing. What’s in it?” Scarlett asks, and I appreciate her ability to steer the conversation into safer waters.
“Apples, cinnamon, lots of butter. I promise, once you take a bite, the holidays will never be the same without it.”
“Sorry, sorry,” Ginny apologizes, waving a dramatic hand as she enters the room. “That egg nogg was a bit stronger than I thought. What did I miss?”
“Nothing.” Scarlett kisses her mom on the cheek. “Scott was just showing us the delicious spread he made while we waited for you to open presents.”
“Well, let’s start our first of many family holidays together,” her mother says, and she begins dishing up plates.
The morning goes surprisingly well. Everyone is smiling, happy. Even I seem to fit in to this group as though we’ve done this several times before. Trisha and Scarlett have been talking and laughing with each other, which makes me believe something happened between them at the party—something cathartic. It only proves how amazing Scarlett is, because anyone else would hold that grudge until the day they died.
My eyes land on Scarlett’s niece, who scarfs down her food without taking a breath. While everyone else’s plate is still full, the seven-year-old declares breakfast over and runs from the table. “Brittany Marie Valentine,” Trisha scolds. “Get your butt back here—”
“Trish.” Kasey grips his fiancée’s hand, and her mood immediately shifts. “It’s Christmas morning and she’s seven. Can you blame her?”
“I know, but Scott took all this time and made us a wonderful meal. She should show more respect.”
“Don’t worry about it. My brother is thirty and does the exact same thing,” I assure her. “As long as you don’t mind waiting to eat, the food will keep.”
“Please, Mom,” Brittany begs with a gift in her hands. “Here. This one is for you.”
“Oh, fine,” Trisha concedes.
We all relocate to the open area as gifts are passed around. To no one’s surprise, most of them are for Scarlett’s niece and very few are for us adults. Though I am shocked to find a few with my name on them, and not just from Scar. As the tree empties and the pile of wrapping paper forms, everyone shifts back to eating and conversing. Especially with Trisha’s announcement that Brittany will become a big sister next year.
“Oh, Auntie Scar, it looks like you have one more,” Brittany says when she finds the small box I tucked away on a tree limb. Since it hadn’t been found, I thought about letting it go until later, but it seems fate had other plans.
“For me?” Scarlett looks down at the gift, her brows knit in confusion.
“Well, open it,” her mom urges.
Scarlett looks for a name as to who it’s from and doesn’t find one. She shrugs before tearing open the decorative wrapping. But as soon as she opens the box and sees the jewelry case inside, she stalls, and I take that moment to drop to a knee in front of her.
Her mom and sister gasp while Scarlett looks at me with tears in her eyes. “Scott?”
“May I?” I ask her. Scarlett hands me the box. I open it and hold out the ring for her to see.
“What is this?”
“It came back from the jeweler’s sooner than expected and I thought this would be the perfect Christmas present.”
“You shouldn’t have.” Her hand hovers over the ring.
I take it and slide it onto her finger. “See? perfect fit,” I tell her.
“Let me see.” Ginny snatches her daughter’s ring finger as Scarlett continues to stare at me. “That is incredible. Where did you get it? It looks vintage.”
“It was my grandmother’s—actually my great-great grandmother’s—but my grandmother passed it down to my sister and, well, Tilly gave it to me.”
Scarlett shakes her head as tears roll down her cheeks. At first, I assume… or maybe just hope that they’re happy tears but when she excuses herself, I realize that I’m way off.
“Scarlett, honey,” her mom calls out.
“I’ll be right back,” I say before chasing after my runaway bride into the snowy morning. “Scarlett, please.”
“Your grandmother’s ring!” she shouts. “Sorry… I mean,your great-great grandmother’sring. Scott, what are you doing?”