his chest. “Momma, how could you in be on a plan like this?”
“Don’t Momma me.” She wagged her finger at him. “The family’s been waiting for you. We each get to open one present tonight. Now get inside before I change my mind about the present I got you.”
“What is it?” Tyler smiled.
“He’s so easy,” Teri-Lyn said to Michelle. “Been a sucker for presents since he was a little boy.” She squeezed his cheeks.
There was plenty of laughing and talking coming from the living room. A soft jazz rendition of We Three Kings filtered through the postcard perfect house. Stockings hung on the roaring fireplace and a gorgeous, beautifully decorated tree sat in the middle of the room. The tree was so huge the tree topper scraped the ceiling. There was wrapping paper strewn about and the boys were playing with new toys.
Tate greeted them with two glasses of eggnog. “Glad you could make it.”
“Yes, the holidays wouldn’t be the same without you.” J.J. smiled as he tossed Tyler a present from under the tree.
“Michelle, happy holidays. So glad you could make it.” Channing came over and kissed her on the cheek.
Tyler glared at him. “Watch it, little brother.”
Channing laughed and pointed upward. Michelle was standing underneath the mistletoe.
“Channing, you are so adorable.” Michelle smiled.
“Uncle Tyler! Michelle!” The boys yelled and came running over.
The rest of the Blakes came over with hugs and holiday wishes. Michelle could feel the love coming from all of them, but it was the embrace from Morgan that tugged at her heart.
“I’m so happy to see you,” Morgan said. “I have something for you.”
Michelle followed her friend into the dining room where it was quieter.
“I have presents for you back at my house, but I want you to open this one first.” Morgan handed her a box.
“What is it?” Michelle shook it. “It’s awfully quiet in there.”
Morgan rolled her eyes. “Just open the box.”
Michelle tore into the wrapping paper to find a velvet box the size of a ream of paper. She opened it to find documents inside. It was a partnership agreement for Reed Books to become Reed Bradley Books.
“What is this?”
“I just wanted to show you how much I love you and appreciate all the dedication you put into the bookstore and into my life. Shane Bracht said Harold’s old store next door is still available if we want to buy the space. Apparently Harold left mention in his will to see if the nice bookstore girls wanted the space before it went up for sale. We can expand and implement some of the great ideas you’ve been telling me about.”
Tears welled up in Michelle’s eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”
Morgan gave her a tight squeeze. “Say Merry Christmas.”
* * *
Michelle found Tyler sitting on the couch playing with the boys. He kissed her the minute she sat down.
“What’s got you on cloud nine?”
“Morgan and I are going to be business partners. She wants me to own the bookstore with her.”
“That’s great. You’ll have the bookstore and the cooking show, you sure you’ll have time for me?”
“Tyler Blake, you want to get handcuffed again?”
“That depends. What do you have in mind?” He waggled his eyebrows.
“Quiet, children are present.” Michelle smiled at the little Blake boys.
“Michelle, did you see my car? It looks like Uncle Tyler’s.” Jake help up a model of Tyler’s car.
“Awesome.” Michelle pulled the tot onto her lap and gave him a hug. Connor and Colby wedged in between her and Tyler. “Maybe you can work on his pit crew.”
“Hey, Jake, don’t you have a question for Michelle?” Morgan yelled over to them. Jake’s eyes shifted to the side like he was trying to remember his line. “Michelle, are you and Uncle Tyler going to get married?”
Tyler nearly choked on the eggnog he was drinking. Michelle shot a look at the precocious toddler’s parents. Seth and Morgan were over by the
“Don’t Momma me.” She wagged her finger at him. “The family’s been waiting for you. We each get to open one present tonight. Now get inside before I change my mind about the present I got you.”
“What is it?” Tyler smiled.
“He’s so easy,” Teri-Lyn said to Michelle. “Been a sucker for presents since he was a little boy.” She squeezed his cheeks.
There was plenty of laughing and talking coming from the living room. A soft jazz rendition of We Three Kings filtered through the postcard perfect house. Stockings hung on the roaring fireplace and a gorgeous, beautifully decorated tree sat in the middle of the room. The tree was so huge the tree topper scraped the ceiling. There was wrapping paper strewn about and the boys were playing with new toys.
Tate greeted them with two glasses of eggnog. “Glad you could make it.”
“Yes, the holidays wouldn’t be the same without you.” J.J. smiled as he tossed Tyler a present from under the tree.
“Michelle, happy holidays. So glad you could make it.” Channing came over and kissed her on the cheek.
Tyler glared at him. “Watch it, little brother.”
Channing laughed and pointed upward. Michelle was standing underneath the mistletoe.
“Channing, you are so adorable.” Michelle smiled.
“Uncle Tyler! Michelle!” The boys yelled and came running over.
The rest of the Blakes came over with hugs and holiday wishes. Michelle could feel the love coming from all of them, but it was the embrace from Morgan that tugged at her heart.
“I’m so happy to see you,” Morgan said. “I have something for you.”
Michelle followed her friend into the dining room where it was quieter.
“I have presents for you back at my house, but I want you to open this one first.” Morgan handed her a box.
“What is it?” Michelle shook it. “It’s awfully quiet in there.”
Morgan rolled her eyes. “Just open the box.”
Michelle tore into the wrapping paper to find a velvet box the size of a ream of paper. She opened it to find documents inside. It was a partnership agreement for Reed Books to become Reed Bradley Books.
“What is this?”
“I just wanted to show you how much I love you and appreciate all the dedication you put into the bookstore and into my life. Shane Bracht said Harold’s old store next door is still available if we want to buy the space. Apparently Harold left mention in his will to see if the nice bookstore girls wanted the space before it went up for sale. We can expand and implement some of the great ideas you’ve been telling me about.”
Tears welled up in Michelle’s eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”
Morgan gave her a tight squeeze. “Say Merry Christmas.”
* * *
Michelle found Tyler sitting on the couch playing with the boys. He kissed her the minute she sat down.
“What’s got you on cloud nine?”
“Morgan and I are going to be business partners. She wants me to own the bookstore with her.”
“That’s great. You’ll have the bookstore and the cooking show, you sure you’ll have time for me?”
“Tyler Blake, you want to get handcuffed again?”
“That depends. What do you have in mind?” He waggled his eyebrows.
“Quiet, children are present.” Michelle smiled at the little Blake boys.
“Michelle, did you see my car? It looks like Uncle Tyler’s.” Jake help up a model of Tyler’s car.
“Awesome.” Michelle pulled the tot onto her lap and gave him a hug. Connor and Colby wedged in between her and Tyler. “Maybe you can work on his pit crew.”
“Hey, Jake, don’t you have a question for Michelle?” Morgan yelled over to them. Jake’s eyes shifted to the side like he was trying to remember his line. “Michelle, are you and Uncle Tyler going to get married?”
Tyler nearly choked on the eggnog he was drinking. Michelle shot a look at the precocious toddler’s parents. Seth and Morgan were over by the
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