Call Me Michigan (26 page)

She stood by the window, watching the snowfall outside. Her expression was serene and made Mason breathe a little easier.

“Just a few more minutes and we can bring the gifts down,” he commented.

“And eat the cookies?” she wanted to know, turning in his arms.

“That, too.” He laughed, cuddling her closer.

“Are you okay?” he wanted to know, and she nodded against his shoulder.

“Surprisingly, I am. I can’t even tell you why. It just feels as if nothing bad is coming anymore. Call me naïve, but it doesn’t feel as if Dad’s here to cause trouble. In fact, he has been nothing but awesome, hasn’t he?”

Mason had to agree. Wayne had helped wherever he could, preparing the turkey together with Stella, had wrapped gifts with Becca and Tim, and all around had made sure to stay out of their way. Besides that, he had dropped by the Collins’ farm and taken care of the horses and cows together with Daniel, the only farmhand who didn’t have a family.

“Oh, which reminds me, he asked Stella if she was okay with Daniel coming by for Christmas dinner. It seems that otherwise he’d be alone at home, and Wayne obviously didn’t want that,” Mason explained, pulling back to watch Taylor’s face, not being surprised as it lit up.

“Oh God, yes. I’m so happy he made that suggestion! Stella was okay with it, right?” Now came the part that actually made Mason choke.

“Well, Stella actually said it was our decision since soon this would be your house and your home. After all, you’re becoming a Stiles,” he whispered, seeing her eyes widen.

“No, Mason! This is your mother’s house, and I’d never ever …” She shook her head at a loss for words, and Mason framed her face.

“She wants this to be our house, and says she’d be more than happy to find a cute little apartment in town,” he explained, and Taylor stepped around him, still shaking her head.

“No, Mason, no way. This is her home, the place where she lived with your father, and where she raised you. No, I’d feel terrible to know that I forced her out of her home.”

“Forced her? Taylor, no way in hell did you force her! She wants this for us because we have our own family now,” he protested. He was surprised that Taylor took the news every way but well when he’d been over the moon with the prospect of making this their very own home – even though he had reassured himself ten times at least that it was really okay with his mom.

“If Dad hadn’t returned, I’d have suggested she moves into that house, but now … no, she’s staying right where she is,” Taylor insisted, and Mason rested his forehead against the cold glass, sighing.

He loved his mother, he really did, but if she was ready and okay with moving out, he was totally on board with this being his house.

“Look, we –”

“Let’s go and bring the presents down,” she interrupted him, and he groaned. Taylor was too stubborn for her own good, and sometimes, Mason wished she’d be just a little more compliant.

Before she had reached the door, Mason pulled her back.

“Hey, I want to give you somethin’ before everyone else does. You are the biggest gift for me in my entire life, and therefore, I decided that today you’ll be getting the first gift I get and the last. Just give me a second.”

“You gave me everything, Mase, I don’t need more from you,” she whispered, and he already heard that her voice was thick with emotion. He knelt next to the bedside table and pulled out a slender package.

He smiled to himself, knowing that Taylor would scold him for the money he’d spent. But she was worth that and so much more.

“You shouldn’t have,” she started before he had even handed her the little box.

“I should have,” he gave back and then let her open the first gift of the season.

“Mason,” she whispered, her fingers trembling as her fingertips went over the silver bracelet. The charms were intricate, and Mason loved each and every one of them.

“We have a tiny truck for all the times we spent in mine. There’s a pair of cowboy boots because we love those. There’s a musical note because …”

“You kept serenading me,” she added, and he nodded, moving further.

“These are baby shoes because Becca is our daughter now. I picked a bow because we’re going to tie the knot and the sign for eternity because I want to spend the rest of my life with you and last but not least…”

“A heart because that’s where we’ll be forever connected?” she suggested, and he nodded.

“Exactly.”

“Will you put it on for me?” she wanted to know, and he happily complied, smiling as she softly jingled the charms. “I don’t know what to say,” she sniffed, happy tears glittering in her eyes.

“How about thank you and let’s go eat some cookies?” he suggested and then saw her nod, before she padded back to the door, her bare feet looking strangely homey on the wooden floors. “Damn, I cannot wait until you are my wife,” he growled, making her throw him a glance over her shoulder that told him how much she couldn’t wait for that either.

***

Taylor grinned to herself as her newest possession tinkled like little bells around her wrist. Nothing she could say to Mason would make him understand how much she loved the gift, but she figured that being a mom and the best damn woman he could wish for was better than anything she could ever buy him.

Grabbing the gifts from the laundry room on the way to the living room, she paused as she heard murmured voices coming from there. The glow of the Christmas tree lit up the hallway, and Taylor loved it. She wished it would be Christmas every day because there were no other reasons to have the lights on at all times.

Peeking around the corner, she saw her father sitting on the sofa, twirling a long-stemmed wine glass in his hand. It was empty, and Taylor took the moment to watch his expression. He looked worn out, tired even, and not as vibrant as he had back when she had left the farm. Across from him sat Stella, telling him in a hushed, but animated voice about a trip she had taken with Becca on one of the horses. Seemingly, it had ended with both of them soaked. Her father smiled and then lowered his gaze, something flashing in his eyes.

“When Taylor was really little, she loved being on a horse with me. I think she was a better rider at five than I ever was.”

“Should you be eavesdropping?” Mason playfully scolded from behind her, making her jump, but Taylor just gave him an irritated look, focusing back on the talk in front of her.

“She loved being outside so much. I never worried that she could leave the farm,” her father just added. “One time, we found an injured squirrel, and it bit her four times before realizing that she was just trying to help. Taylor was too stubborn to just leave it be.” He chuckled slightly.

“She’s still stubborn,” Stella pointed out in an obvious attempt to soothe his heartache, and it made Taylor wonder if she had come up before in their discussion.

“I …”

She decided not to listen any further, figuring that if he had something to say, she’d rather hear it directly from him.

“So you think Santa left any cookies?” she asked, loud enough to alert the other two to their presence. She arched a brow at Mason and saw humor sparkle in his eyes. While cookies were left for Santa, someone had to eat them to keep the illusion alive … and Taylor clearly was willing and ready. The conversation in the living room instantly ceased, and Mason shook his head. She rounded the corner and acted surprised as she saw the other two. “Oh,” she made, and Mason passed her, kissing her hair with a chuckle.

“Hey, Mom. Mr. Collins?”

“Someone wants to play Santa.” Stella grinned, and Taylor nodded.

“Actually, I just want to eat the cookies.” Taylor laughed and then leaned in to kiss her dad’s hair. “Hey, Daddy,” she whispered. Having let go of her anger made her feel grown up and smart, and it warmed her heart; even though she was determined to one day get the whole story. She had mentioned that while she forgave him, she wouldn’t forget. His only reply had been that he’d make it right. Somehow, the words had held so much conviction she had instantly believed them.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he replied, shifting in his seat. “We’re sharing a bottle of wine and old stories. You care for some?”

“Wine or old stories?” she teased while kneeling down next to the tree to put all the gifts under it. She couldn’t believe how many there were as she had to go back two more times, but then she figured that for Tamara, it had been important to buy many because it was her first real family Christmas in a while. Stella had compensated all the years that she didn’t have a big girl to spoil, and well, Taylor’s father clearly had a guilty conscience. And the other presents most likely were from Mason. “We need to tell them that this is not going to be the norm,” Taylor fussed then, and Mason laughed, settling down on the recliner as he watched her.

“They deserve to be spoiled once for Christmas,” Stella mumbled.

As Taylor arranged everything to her satisfaction, she scooted over to Mason’s side, pulling the plate of cookies and the glass of milk closer. “Passing on the wine and the old stories. But I do take those goodies here.” She winked.

“I’ll take more of the wine,” Stella decided, and Taylor’s father poured them some more of the nearly clear liquid.

“Stella, Mason mentioned you thought I should decide if it was okay to have Daniel over. It’s not my house, and I sure as hell don’t want it without you in it, so your house, your rules. If you think he should be here, then by all means,” Taylor mumbled around a mouthful of cookies. She knew it wasn’t polite, but she hoped it would lighten the mood at least a little.

“Taylor …” Uh, she didn’t like that tone.

“No, don’t Taylor me. It’s your house, Stella. Your home, your life.”

Stella turned to her father, rolling her eyes while Mason started to rub her neck, almost making Taylor purr.

“See, stubborn,” Stella mumbled, and Wayne laughed quietly. “Where do you wanna live then, Taylor? You, your family, and I? Or you, your dad, and your family?”

So he planned to stay. Taylor wasn’t exactly sure how she felt about that. “I don’t care, but I won’t be the reason you leave,” Taylor fussed, and Stella sighed.

“You aren’t. It was always my plan to give Mason this house and everything. And I won’t be out of this world. I plan to find a space in town, so I’ll be just around the corner, and …”

“Are you gonna keep Timothy here, or do you want me to take him?” her father interrupted, and Taylor stiffened. She hadn’t even thought about that. Stella watched her father with a calculating expression, and Taylor got up, walking over to the fireplace.

“She is his legal guardian,” Mason pointed out, clearly knowing very well that Taylor wasn’t ready to give him up.

“It’s his choice, Dad. Wherever he wants to stay, he’ll stay,” Taylor decided.

“See, you’ll have a room problem then,” Wayne went on as if she hadn’t spoken.

“Won’t. I already talked to a contractor about making the house a little bigger. It’ll give us more space here, and the chance to add at least two rooms upstairs,” Mason injected, and Taylor turned to him, surprised. “I couldn’t wait,” he admitted sheepishly, and she went over, sitting down on his lap. He kissed her shoulder, and she shook her head.

“See, Stella? There’s enough room for you here. And about Tim … we’ll decide that after the holidays. I just want peace for a few days,” she whispered and then cuddled into Mason as if he could make all her problems vanish suddenly.

“Of course, daughter. I’m sorry. Either way, I was about to suggest that if Tim stays, maybe Stella and I could open up a shared house of sorts. I suck at cooking, but I’d be willing to pass on the rent then. Of course, we don’t need food every day. I just …” Her father blushed, and Taylor bit her cheeks not to burst out laughing.

“I actually like that,” Stella exclaimed, looking excited at the prospect.

Taylor knew that those two had been in school together and close when Taylor’s parents were both still around, but she wasn’t sure this was really what Mason’s mother wanted.

“Maybe we should go to sleep,” Mason just then suggested, as if feeling her discomfort. “The morning will come early enough, and no life-changing decisions need to be made tonight.”

“True,” Stella agreed and then emptied her glass of wine before getting up as well.

“I’m gonna get you some blankets, Wayne. You will stay, right?” she wondered, and her father nodded, accepting the offer gratefully.

“Good night, Dad. Stella?” Taylor kissed them both on the cheek and then waited until Mason, too, had kissed his mother. He was a little too quiet for her taste, and she couldn’t wait to pick his brain. He closed the bedroom door behind him quietly while Taylor put on the lamp on the nightstand, holding out her hand for him.

“What’s up?” she wanted to know, and he moved back until he was seated against the headboard, then he drew her close.

“Did you know that my mother and your dad were friends in high school? He was the year above her, yet they hung out a lot. Maybe it’s not such a bad idea. First, neither of them would be alone, and second, Mom would still be on a farm, in a house.”

“Mason, my mother is in town,” she reminded him and then felt him nodding.

“I didn’t have the feeling that your dad planned to share that house with her. Besides, you’re the rightful owner, and I didn’t have the impression you wanted her in it. Stella and your dad can welcome their grandkids, have sleepovers even, and if you’re worried about Tamara, I planned to offer her a room here.”

“She wants our farm, Mason,” Taylor whispered, and her fiancé brushed his lips across the top of her head.

“And she will get that, too. Your property, remember? And no one says your dad has to leave for that. God, Tay, don’t be so serious. If my mom wants to do that, she will. She’s a lot like you in many aspects of life. You won’t get to her to do a damn thing she doesn’t want. Trust me on that. And you won’t be able to change it if she wants it,” he insisted.

“I just want everyone to be happy,” she mumbled, almost feeling bad for that wish.

“And that’s what makes you so amazing,” Mason promised and then moved her until he could kiss her. Taylor willingly melted into him until breaking away with a groan.