I was now certain I was included in that.
Logan and I had found our way back to the other.
The Little Star and the North Star had aligned.
And as we gathered around the tree to exchange presents, I already knew I’d been given the greatest gift.
A gift that for so long I’d been too fearful to ask for.
Juni crawled over to me and set a present on my lap. The child beamed at me with her adorable dimples. “There you go, Auntie Aster.”
Auntie Aster.
My heart clutched.
“That one is super extra special because I made it alls by myself and because I love you all the way to the stars.”
The roots in my spirit dug deeper.
Logan squeezed me from where he and I were snuggled on the floor together, that man wrapped around me from behind with his legs stretched out on either side of me.
Emotion thick in my throat, I glanced back at him.
To the stars, he mouthed.
“Well hurry it ups then,” Juni Bee said with all her sweet exasperation.
I choked over the lump. “I’d better then.”
“You don’t want to get on that one’s bad side.” Mimi laughed from where she sat on the couch beside Eden’s father, Gary.
“That’s right, my Motorcycle Dad taught me how to take you down, so you don’t want to go messin’ with me.” Juni issued it with pure pride.
Jud chuckled from where he sat on a small, plush chair in the corner with Salem on his lap. “That’s right, Juni Bee. You tell them.”
“That I’m the best wrestler ever?” She grinned with excitement.
“Hey, that’s my title. Champion!” Gage jumped up and threw his hands into the air.
“You’re both the champions,” Logan said, his arms curling tighter around me. “You’re not gonna find me messing with either of you.”
“That’s because you’re the smart one of the bunch, right, Uncle Logan, right?”
Logan roughed out an affectionate chuckle. “That’s right, buddy. Smartest Lawson of the bunch.”
Trent scoffed. “You just go on tellin’ yourself that, man.”
“Says the guy to the one who made him filthy rich.”
“Yeah, yeah. Take all the credit, man, I see how it is.” Trent fought a grin as he scrubbed a tattooed hand over his face.
“Don’t worry, honey, you’re smart, too.” Eden rubbed Trent’s back like she was stroking his ego.
“Well, he married my new mommy, so he’s at least gotta be a little bit smart.” Gage said it so matter of fact.
Tessa cracked up where she was squeezed next to Mimi. “I’m pretty sure it’s Gage here who’s the smartest of the bunch. You tell it like it is, little man.”
“Well, I have to speak the truth because lying is bad and we gotta follow the rules.”