As a new bride, I’d been overwhelmed and in awe of Mark’s parents. Their house was straight out of a magazine, and I did my best to emulate Fran’s holiday efforts. She taught me a lot about holiday decorating and entertaining, and I’d leaned on her talents every year. This time I was on my own, and I wasn’t measuring up.

I sat at the dining room table on Christmas Eve. With great effort, I’d finally tucked my excited twins in bed. They’d fallen asleep after I read The Night Before Christmas.

Now to wrap their presents and fill the stockings. I’d bought each of them one extravagant present, hoping this would be a Christmas they might remember fondly despite the absence of one very important person. I was weary, mentally and physically. These past few months had been a time of upheaval and change. My first concern had been and always would be my children’s well-being, which meant my needs were usually ignored, but that was what a good mother did. I never regretted one sacrifice I made for my precious, rambunctious babies.

There was a rap on my door, and I rose to answer it. Easton stood there, gripping a paper bag in one hand. My heart rate bumped up a few notches at the sight of him in all his masculine glory. No one rocked a pair of faded blue jeans like this man. He was even too sexy for words in a mere hoodie.

“Hey, you’re here all alone on Christmas Eve?”

“Where else did you expect a single mother to be?”

He shrugged. “Don’t know. Can I come in?”

“Okay.” I stood back and let him in the door.

“Where are the kids?”

“In bed with visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads.”

“What the hell are sugarplums anyway?” He grinned at me. His dark eyes sparkled with mischief, and I’d always adored his brand of mischief.

“No idea.”

He pulled a bottle of eggnog out of the bag and held it up for my inspection. The bottle contained brandy, too, and I had to smile.

I snagged a couple Christmas mugs from the cupboard. He filled them with eggnog, and I sprinkled nutmeg on top. I held up my mug. “To a good Christmas.”

“The best,” Easton responded with one of his knock-your-socks-and-panties-off smiles. We clicked mugs and sipped the creamy liquid.

“This is yummy but surprisingly strong.”

“It is.” His eyes lit up like the lights on my tree. “You are joining us for Christmas dinner tomorrow, right?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Nope.” He grinned. “You don’t want to miss Kaden’s cooking. The guy is a genius in the kitchen. I’m salivating thinking about his prime rib.”

“Why aren’t you going to your cousin Cooper’s house for Christmas?”

“They took a short family vacation and won’t be back until the day after Christmas. So, are you going to join us?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Fran had always served prime rib for Christmas dinner. It’d been absolutely to die for. I doubted Kaden would be able to top it, but I was actually looking forward to the meal. Prime rib sounded way better than the ham dinner I’d planned.