It wasn’t until the bacon, eggs, and muffins were eaten, and the kids had opened Willow’s presents whileHenry dozed off on her chest, that the three adults were able to settle in and talk.
Willow settled in at the center of the sofa. She had Henry in her arms and her two men on either side while the kids worked on their train under the tree, and for the first time in a long time, everything felt just right.
“How did this happen?” Willow asked, gesturing between the two of them.
“Yesterday,” Jensen said. “When you left, we got to talking.”
“Really?” she asked.
“Everything you said really hit home,” Ransom told her, his voice gruff. “You were right. I’ve been unreasonable. Nothing should be more important to me than the happiness of the people I love.”
“It’s not unreasonable to feel betrayed that your best friend and your sister have gotten together without talking to you,” she said. “And that’s what it looked like, didn’t it?”
“It’s what I wanted,” Jensen admitted. “And what I still want.”
His words sent a shiver down her spine.
“What do you want, Willow?” Ransom asked quietly.
“I don’t want to lose my big brother,” she told him.
“You won’t lose me,” he told her. “As a matter of fact, you two have my blessing, if you still want it.”
“We do?” she asked, turning to Ransom.
It was one thing to say it, but was he really going to be okay with this?
“You do,” he told her with a sad smile. “I’ll probablyalways have the instinct to be overprotective, especially when it comes to you being with someone. But honestly, you chose someone I already like and respect more than any other man in the world. You made it easy for me, Willow.”
“We put it all on the table after you left,” Jensen said softly. “We talked about the Army, the pact, and about everything you said. I think we all understand each other a lot better now.”
“The short version is that I was an idiot,” Ransom said with a smile of chagrin.
“A well-meaning, good-hearted idiot,” Jensen amended. “Who cares about his family.”
Ransom reached past Willow to give his best friend a gentle punch in the shoulder.
“Well, the whole pact thing was pretty silly, but I get it,” Willow said. “And I was a coward not to tell you how I really felt about Jensen. Back in school, and also these last few weeks.”
“Don’t worry,” Ransom said. “Everyoneknew how you felt about Jensen back then.”
Willow shoved him gently and he ruffled her hair, just the way she always hated, making her laugh.
“Hopefully, everyone is going to know howIfeel aboutyounow, Willow,” Jensen said. “If you still want me. I know a single dad isn’t every girl’s first choice for a boyfriend.”
“You willalwaysbe my first choice for a boyfriend,” she told him. “And Henry is at least half the draw, so you’d better watch what you say about my favorite baby.”
She kissed the top of the little one’s silky head, and when she looked up again Jensen was gazing at her, his jaw tight and his eyes glittering, as if with unshed tears.
“Want to see ourtrain,Dad?”Mae sang out happily.
Willow looked over to see that they kids had a full loop of track put together.
“Definitely,” Ransom told them, clasping Willow’s shoulder warmly before jumping up to join his kids on the floor.
“Is this really happening?” Willow whispered to Jensen.
“It’s a Christmas miracle,” he whispered back, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and giving her a gentle squeeze.
