“You’re spoiling him or her already.” Courtney kissed her cheek. “But thank you. I have yours under the tree.” She walked around the counter to the small living room. She’d put the tree up last week. It was the same plastic one she and Shaun had. They’d bought it the year they married, complete with ornaments that came in the same box. It would always get thrown up at the last minute – they were too busy to do anything else. For the last two years she hadn’t bothered, but this year, even though the baby wasn’t born yet, she felt an urge to put it up.
It looked a little forlorn with its red ornaments, red tinsel, and lights that didn’t even flash. Next year she’d have a real one. And she’d buy new decorations, too. The baby would be almost six months old at Christmas. The thought of it made her feel all warm inside. Even if her baby didn’t know what Christmas was, she couldn’t wait to make new traditions with her child.
“Here you go,” she said, turning to Lainey with a smile. “But don’t open it until Christmas day.”
Lainey grinned. “It doesn’t look like Ryan Reynolds. Unless you vacuum packed him.”
“Never say never.” Courtney winked.
“Well thank you.” Lainey hugged her tight. “And I’m sorry for asking too many questions. Even though as your best friend it’s kind of my duty.”
“It’s all good. They’re things I should be asking myself, anyway.”
“When the holidays are over,” Lainey reminded her. “Right, I’d better go and put vacuum-packed Ryan under my tree.” She gave Courtney a warm smile. “Merry Christmas, sweetie. Enjoy it. It’s your last one before the baby.”
“I know.” Courtney nodded, her lips curling up. No matter what happened, this baby – her and Logan’s – was the most important thing.
And if that meant working out what the heck was happening between her and Logan? Well, she’d have to do that, too.
Chapter Nineteen
The imposing black gates slowly opened, and Logan put his foot on the gas pedal, inching forward onto Gray and Maddie’s graveled driveway. His flight had arrived late that afternoon, thanks to a snowstorm that had lasted longer than predicted. He silently thanked the heavens for the fact the rental company still had some four-wheel drive SUVs available, rather than the usual sports cars he preferred.
Gray and Maddie had gone all out on the Christmas decorations. On either side of their expansive ranch house were two giant fir trees, their boughs wrapped with sparkling lights. The house was lit up, too, strings of bulbs lined across the eaves and around the windows. And in front of the sweeping steps that led up to the front door was a full-size Santa in his sleigh, pulled by eight nodding, lit-up reindeer.
“Oh my,” Courtney said, her voice breathless. “Remind me not to show them my tiny plastic tree. I have décor envy.”
“You’re one up on me. I didn’t even bother to put any decorations up.”
The corner of her lip quirked up. “You’re a philistine.”
“I’m just being green. Plastic trees are bad for the environment.”
“Kind of like giant SUVs?” She arched an eyebrow.
“You got me there.” He grinned. “But at least it’s safe. I don’t like the looks of these clouds.” He glanced out of the window at the grey-and-black colored sky. It looked ominous.
“I don’t either,” Courtney admitted. “I greased up the hens just in case.”
Was it wrong that he loved the way she had a thing for her chickens?
They’d reached the top of the driveway. He turned to the left, pulling into a space next to Tanner’s car.
“You have a big family,” Courtney said, looking around at all the vehicles parked in front of the house. “How many of you are there again?”
“Three brothers and a sister. Gray and Tanner are coupled up, so Maddie and Van will be there. And there’s my dad and Aunt Gina, and Maddie’s family, too.”
“Becca’s the youngest, right?” Courtney’s brows knitted together as though she was trying to remember.
“Yeah. Gray’s the eldest, then a year later came Cam and me. Tanner’s another year younger, and then Becca’s the baby.”
“I thought she was twenty-five.”
“She is.” He shrugged. “But she’s our kid sister.”
“I bet you’re overprotective where she’s concerned.” Courtney couldn’t help but grin at the way his lips twitched.
“She’s been through a lot.” He’d told her about their mom dying when Becca was a tiny child. He and Cam had been nine years old at the time. “We like to take care of her.”