Merry Christmas, My Love

“I did.”

She glanced back at the paper in her hand. “Miss the wedding? You were pretty sure I would say yes.”

Mitch took both of her hands in his. “That’s right. I had some extra ammunition in case you said no.”

“Extra ammunition?”

“Yes. I had Ray call an emergency meeting of the Town Council. They voted unanimously to allow you to stay on as Dogtown’s teacher even after we’re married.”

Priscilla threw her arms around Mitch and was immediately yanked back by two strong hands. “Don’t you think it would be fitting to be properly dressed, daughter?” Papa glowered at her.

Mama took Priscilla by the hand. “Come. Let’s leave the men to fight this out, and you and I will make you presentable.”

“Wait.” Priscilla pulled away and squatted down in front of Andrew. “Hi there, buddy, I sure missed you. Give me a hug.”

Her brother threw his little arms around her neck. “I missed you, too.” He pulled his lip up. “Look, my tooth fell out.”

“Didn’t fall out, little brother, you knocked it out when you fell out of the tree you weren’t supposed to be climbing.” Her twin Henry ruffled Andrew’s hair then turned to Priscilla. “How ya doin’, sis?”

The sight of all her family members, who she never expected to see right here, crowding her little house had her eyes brimming with tears. “I’m doing fine. Missed you.”

They hugged, and Mama finally dragged her away to the sound of Mitch and Papa’s voices raising. “Mama?”

“Don’t worry, sweetie. If your young man is worthy of you, he’ll be able to handle your papa.”

Confusion reigned as the Cochrans became acquainted with Mitch and Ian. Priscilla and her mama stayed busy cooking the huge Christmas dinner and getting it on the table. They caught up with all the family gossip while the men in her family took turns baiting Mitch. Everyone, however, swooped down on Ian, their acceptance of him an immediate thing.

“I’m so happy to have a grandchild,” her mama said, giving Ian a hug.

“I’m your grandchild?”

“Of course you are, dear.” She slipped him another cookie. The child would probably have a stomachache for days. “Now that your papa and Miss Cochran are to be married, you inherit all of us.” She waved her hand around at Mitch who was dodging questions from Papa, Paul, Henry, and Ben. Only four-year-old Andrew seemed happy to eat as many candy canes as he could before Mama took notice.

Actually, Priscilla was quite happy with how Mitch was handling himself. Even her brothers were starting to look impressed. Papa still glowered.

Mama sat alongside Papa on the sofa and took his hand. “Dear, we knew one day Priscilla would fall in love and marry.”

“Yes, darlin’, but I expected it to happen under my nose so I could be sure there were no shenanigans going on.”

Mama leaned toward Papa and whispered in his ear. He grinned at her then pulled a serious face. “Never mind. That was different.”

Mama smoothed out her skirts and grinned back, a slight pink tinting her cheeks.

Well, then.

Mitch had been through some pretty tough spots in his life, but nothing had him sweating like the four Cochran males pelting him with questions. He should have guessed that a woman with four brothers and a highly respected father would be extremely protective of their women. He ran his finger inside his collar once more, wondering if he’d been crazy to extend the invitation to Priscilla’s family to come to Dogtown.

“Jesse, I think you’ve tortured this poor man long enough. It’s time to open Christmas presents.” Tori sat alongside her husband, bumping him with her hip to allow her enough room. He put his arm on her shoulders and tugged her close, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Both Ian and Andrew raced to the tree where a stack of presents sat, most of them hauled into the house from the two cars the Cochran family had arrived in. Mitch was dying to ask to drive one of them, but he thought it would

be a good idea to get on solid ground with the family before he began to ask for favors.

Everything he’d heard about Senator Cochran turned out to be true. He was a man to be respected and admired. If he hadn’t heard from his uncle about the senator’s background, he would never have guessed it. In fact, never would have believed it if it had come from anyone else.

He couldn’t be happier at how quickly Tori had accepted Ian and told him he was her grandchild now. His son could definitely benefit from some soft, female loving. Mitch tried to ignore the gaily wrapped presents from the Cochrans for Ian under the Christmas tree since he’d never mentioned a son in his wire to the senator. He was probably better off not knowing how his future father-in-law had gained that information. Or what else he’d learned.

Speaking of Senator Cochran, Mitch had a strong feeling he wouldn’t even get to kiss his fiancée as long as her family was around so a speedy wedding was definitely in order.