“Kate just took her time getting ready. You know women,” hejoked.
“I did not,” Kate said as she playfully slappedhisarm.
“I made huckleberry hot cocoa, eggnog, and winter peppermint tea. Which would you like?” Madisonasked.
“The huckleberry hot cocoa sounds amazing,”Katesaid.
“I’ll have some too,”Logansaid.
He didn’t normally drink girly drinks, but what the hell, why not? It would go well with the cookies he knew were coming. The scent of gingerbread permeated the air. He inhaled deeply. His bear loved snapping the arms, legs, and head off the gingerbread men before devouring their torsos. It was a bearthing.
“I’ve never seen such a huge tree,” Kate said as she pulled him toward theChristmastree.
“We cut it down yesterday,”Macksaid.
“It must be fun being able to cut down whichever tree you want,”Katesaid.
“Actually, a lot of the forest around here is protected. It’s illegal to cut down trees without a permit. But there’s a Christmas tree farm just up the road. They grow the trees year-round and replant them as they’re cut down,”Logansaid.
Brady walked in from the hall with Rachel and Jimmy in tow. After everyone greeted each other, Jimmy hurled himself at the huge box of family ornaments in the center oftheroom.
Rachel ran over and grabbed his hand. “Hang on honey, we need to wait for everyone else toarrive.”
“Let him put one on,” Logan said. “I’m sure Hank, Drew, and Codywon’tmind.”
As if on cue, his other brothers came in through the front door. They stomped their boots and shook snow out oftheirhair.
“It just started snowing again,”Hanksaid.
“We checked the fence lines on both properties. Everything looks fine for now, but we’ll take turns keeping watch. But I think we can spare an hour for the tree-trimming party, right?” Drewasked.
“I don’t see why not,”Logansaid.
“The gingerbread men are ready,” Madison said as she swooped into the room with their mom’s oldcookietray.
“Those look amazing,”Katesaid.
Logan loved the way Kate’s eyes lit up as she picked up one of the finely decorated cookies. When she snapped an arm off, he couldn’t help butchuckle.
“What?” Kateasked.
“You’re so cute when you’referocious.”
“Wait until you see me take its head off.” She grinned as she chose a seat onthesofa.
After sitting next to her, he leaned over and whispered, “I’m glad I’m not acookie.”
“Mommy, can I have a snowflake and a gingerbread man?” Jimmyasked.
“Absolutely,” Rachel said. She set one of each cookie on a small plate and handed it to her son. She passed a gingerbread man over to Brady. “I know this one is your favorite. I still remember that time you bought all of them from me at the high school bake sale. I couldn’t figure out why you needed so manycookies.”
“And I ate every one of them that night. I thought I was going to die,” Brady said. He chuckled and wrapped an arm around his mate’s waist. He drew her toward their father’s old overstuffed chair. She squealed as he pulled her intohislap.
Logan glanced at Kate out of the corner of his eye. He wanted to pull her into his lap too, but didn’t want to embarrass her in front of his family. Instead, he inched closer to her onthesofa.
When all six brothers, Rachel, Jimmy, and Madison finally found seats, Mack stood. While balancing a cup of eggnog in one hand, he struck a dramatic pose with his other hand. He held it outstretched as if he was about to decree something. It was a stance their father had perfected. After his death, they’d carried on thetradition.
“In the great tradition of our ancestors…” Mack waited until all the laughter died down. “I now decree this the official start of the annual tree-trimmingparty.”
