“Why don’t we open a few gifts before Laurie’s sister, Pam, and her boys get here,” Mark said, leading them to the tree and, Harper knew, trying to ensure Jak didn’t feel awkward about spitting out the eggnog. He didn’t look awkward exactly—yet—more aggrieved that they’d all tried to poison him on Christmas. But Jak was self-conscious, and as soon as he had a moment to wonder if he’d reacted wrongly, he would. Not that he had done anything inappropriate, considering they should have thought a few things through—but regardless, Jak would wonder and she was glad Mark was moving on quickly to something else.
“Great idea, Mark,” Laurie said, heading toward a grouping of bags under the tree near the back.
Harper grabbed the pile of gifts she’d brought and when she went to hand Jak the gift she’d gotten for him, he was standing at the tree, a look of utter bafflement on his face as he rubbed the “needles” of the fake tree between his fingers. He leaned forward and tentatively sniffed at it.
“It’s not real,” she whispered, leaning toward him.
He glanced at her. “Not real?”
“Right, it’s um, made of . . .” Plastic? Nylon? Harper actually had no idea.
Jak’s brow wrinkled, but then his fingers found one of the twinkle lights and he touched it lightly as though he thought it might burn him. “They’re like tiny stars, cold enough to hold in your hand,” he murmured. He seemed pleased by them and Harper’s lips tipped as she watched him. She gazed at him, studying the look of childlike wonder on his strong, handsome face. I’m in love with him, she thought. It was too quick, too much too soon, too risky in so many ways, too . . . oh, so many “toos,” but it was true and real. I love you, she thought as he gazed at the fake tree, a look of awe and perplexity mingling in his open expression. The strength of the feeling almost brought tears to her eyes.
When did it happen? she wondered, trying to pinpoint the exact moment she had fallen. It should have been . . . momentous, wasn’t that true? But no, she realized dreamily, it hadn’t been one singular stopping of time. It was a beautiful string of moments, each one opening her heart to him little by little. And this was one. Watching Jak under the twinkling lights of his first Christmas tree, it was suddenly clear. Sometimes miracles—like love—arrived gently. Softly. Without fanfare. Without a lightning strike. For true miracles needed no such thing. Their eyes met and her heart sang. I love you, she thought again. And it was as simple and as wondrous as that.
“Here,” she whispered, and his gaze moved downward as she placed a wrapped gift in his hands.
He blinked at her, then considered the package wrapped in bright red shiny paper, tied with a white and red bow, a look of pure delight coming over his face. “Thank you,” he said. “I love it.”
She laughed softly. “There’s something inside.”
“Inside?” He turned it over.
“Have you never received a gift before, Jak? Even when you were a child?”
He shook his head. “No.”
Her heart squeezed—even she, a foster child, had received a few Christmas gifts—but she didn’t want to make him feel strange and so she smiled. “I’m honored that I’m giving you your first one then. Let’s sit and you can open it.”
Laurie had collected her bags and was seated on the couch and the rest of them joined her, passing gifts around. Jak watched them, the first hint of uncertainty coming into his eyes. Harper knew what he was thinking, he had nothing to give to them. I should have helped him with the whole gift thing. She hadn’t anticipated that he’d feel bad for not reciprocating. God, she really needed to start considering his situation more. Considering that he watched everything so closely, that he wanted so much to fit in. She was just really getting to know him, but she should have realized that.
“This is from me and Jak,” she said quickly, handing the gift she’d brought for the Gallagher’s. It was a beautifully photographed coffee table book of Montana, done by a local photographer.
Laurie ran her hand over the top of it. “Oh, Harper, Jak, it’s lovely. It’s the perfect addition to our new home. Thank you.”
She smiled. “In the summer, if you’d like, I’d be happy to show you some of those spots. There’s a beautiful waterfall a short distance from here. You can see a picture of it in there.”
Laurie glanced at Mark, and Harper thought she saw something that looked like hope in the older woman’s eyes. Had her gift made her glad—even for a moment—that they’d moved to Montana? Oh, she hoped so. “We would absolutely love that.”
Harper turned toward Jak. “Open yours,” she said softly.
Jak looked down at the gift in his lap and then slowly, so slowly, and painstakingly, removed the bow, and then the wrapping paper, turning over the book she’d picked for him. The Montana Wildlife Guide. “I . . . thought you could look up the names of the things you’ve come to know,?
?? she said very softly.
Jak stared at it, touching it lovingly before looking at her. “Thank you,” he said, and the absolute and utter joy on his face made her heart skip a beat.
“You’re welcome.”
“I . . . don’t have anything for you.”
She took his hand, squeezing it. “Oh, Jak, you’ve already given me so much. You gave me my life back.” She smiled at him, tears springing to her eyes, and he smiled back, so sweetly it broke her heart. This big, strong and competent man was so very out of his depth.
The Gallagher’s gave Harper and Jak gifts next—beautiful handmade scarves each, that Jak touched delightedly and then put around his neck, smiling at them, and not removing it. They all grinned and then talked and laughed and snacked on the appetizers for a while before the doorbell rang and Laurie jumped up. “Oh, goodness, time got away from me. That’ll be my sister, and I need to check the turkey. Mark, will you grab the door?”
Once they were alone for a moment, Harper took Jak’s hand in hers and leaned over, kissing him quickly on the mouth. “You okay?”
He nodded, his gaze lingering on her lips and making her wish they could leave right that second. She wanted him. In a way she’d never wanted anyone before. And the joyful anticipation of making love with him set off a burst of fireworks in her belly.