“He’s had it rough the past couple years,” she explained to Riley after he walked out. “But I sure wish he’d get over Cassandra, stop with the bitterness and move on with his life.”

“With some people it takes awhile.”

“You talking about yourself?”

Riley laughed. “I guess so. I carried a grudge for a long time.”

“But now you’re over it.”

“I did it all wrong, Mrs. Kent. Stacy. I wish I had known then what I know now. I would have done things differently.”

Ethan’s mother held up her hands. “No way to change the past or predict the future.”

“I made a mistake in running. I should have stood my ground and fought for Ethan.”

She smiled. “I’m glad to hear you say that. Did you tell him that?”

“Not exactly.”

Mrs. Kent rolled her eyes. “Hell’s bells. What is it with you kids not telling each other how you feel? You’re talking to the wrong person. Go. Go tell my son you love him.”

Riley smiled. “I will. Sometime today. I promise.”

She gave Ethan’s mother a quick hug, then wandered out to find Ethan. He was on the floor with Zoey, who was playing a handheld game while Ethan frowned over instructions.

“It says to reach Level two—”

“I’m already on Level four, Daddy,” Zoey said, not looking up from her game.

“Oh.” Ethan tossed the instructions in the pile of trash.

Riley laughed. “Technology is for children, you know.” She sat down on the floor on the other side of Zoey.

“So I’m beginning to understand.”

Riley watched Zoey play the game for a while, then Zoey handed it over to Riley to play.

She figured it out after a few rather embarrassing tries and Zoey showing her how it was done. Then she realized she wanted one of these handheld game devices, especially when Ethan showed her the catalog of software that went with it.

“It has cooking recipes. It tells you step-by-step instructions while you’re cooking. And here I thought it was a kid’s device.”

“It’s multifunctional for all ages,” Zoey said.

Riley looked at Ethan, then at Zoey. “How old are you again, kid?”

“Seven.”

“Are you sure? You’re awfully smart for seven.”

Zoey giggled. “That’s what my daddy says, too.”

Riley excused herself to help Mrs. Kent set the table for lunch. They ate an abundance of turkey and dressing with more side dishes than Riley could count. It was the best holiday home-cooked meal she’d had in ages. After they cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher, it was time to sit in the living room and Riley handed out the gifts she’d bought for everyone.

She’d bought Wyatt and Brody new coats, thick down ones that would be great for the job site. She gave Mr. and Mrs. Kent a new television because they’d been complaining their old one was about to give up the ghost. She gave Zoey a guitar and the little girl’s eyes widened. Then she squealed.

“Really?”

“You’re old enough, but you’ll have to take lessons.”

“I’ll practice every day. I want to play like you do.”

“You have a beautiful voice, Zoey. But you only have to play guitar if that’s what you want to do. Otherwise it can just sit in your room and you can look at it and think of me.”

She grinned. “Cool.”

“Now I have a gift for you,” Ethan said, interrupting her. “It’s not as nice as the gifts you gave my family, but I’ve been working on it for the past ten years.”

She tilted her head to the side. “You have?”

“Yeah. You seeing Zoey’s room last night reminded me, so I finished it today.”

He handed her a box. She opened it and inside was a carving much like the ones of Zoey’s Noah’s Ark animals. Only it was a woman sitting on a stool with a guitar.

“It looks just like you, Riley, when you’re singing and playing your guitar,” Zoey said.

Riley’s eyes filled with tears. She lifted her gaze to Ethan. “It does. Thank you. Thank you so much. It’s the best gift ever.”

Ethan leaned over and brushed his lips over hers. “I love you, Riley. I always have. I always will. I don’t have much to offer, but what I have is yours. A home. A family. My family. My love. Forever. I want you with me. I want you to be a part of my life.”

Her heart swelled and soared. The words she needed to hear made joy spring from every pore, from every fiber of her body.

She sniffed, fighting back the tears. “I have a gift for you as well, Ethan.”

She went to get her guitar. “I thought about what it meant to come back here again. To come back and see you again. But now I realize that seeing you was what I needed, and what I wanted the most. And also what I was most afraid of.

“I ran once, but I want you to know I’m never running again, no matter how hard it gets. I love you, Ethan.”

She started the song, the music perfectly clear in her head, soft melody, heart-filled strains of love pouring from her guitar as she sang only to the man she loved. A slow, sweet melody, a pouring out of her heart, her very soul, for Ethan.

“The swing out back where we’d talk for hours

You’d smile, I’d blush, the world was ours

Back then I didn’t know all I had

I threw it all away when it all went black

Girlish dreams are glitter and polish

Up in smoke without a backwards glance

You gave me your heart then you let me go

I thought you didn’t care. I didn’t know

You set me free to give me a chance

I took my heart with me and never looked back

I hurt you then because I didn’t see

What it was you did for me

I was blind and foolish on my own

The lights were bright, it was all for show

Lonely nights, years on the road

It’s not enough anymore. I want to come home.

The world’s a big place with so much to see

I’ve learned a lot, I soared and was free

But the tie still remains, drawing me here

And now I stand next to you without fear

The soul knows who lights the flame

Of love and desire, I know his name

I don’t want to run, I don’t want to roam

I want to come home, I want to come home

My wandering ends but our journey begins

All it takes is for you to let me in

Open the door and give me your love

I want to come home, I want to come home

To you.”

The room fell silent, and Mrs. Kent cleared her throat.

“That was lovely, Riley. Now the rest of you can come help me in the kitchen.”

“But Grandma, I want to hear Riley sing some more.”

“Later, Zoey. Riley and your daddy have some talking to do.”

“Riley, do you love my daddy?”

Riley turned a tear-filled gaze to Zoey. “Yes, Zoey, I do love your daddy.”

Zoey grinned. “I thought so. That’s pretty cool, because he loves you, too, don’t you, Daddy?”

Riley turned back to Ethan to see him nodding at his daughter. “Yes, muffin, I do love Riley.”

“That’s so cool. My daddy loves Riley Jensen.”

Riley laughed through her tears.

After everyone left, Ethan came over to her, took her guitar, and laid it against the sofa. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, a deep kiss filled with all the love she’d always wanted but was afraid she’d never have.

And when he broke the kiss, he said, “I was afraid to ask you to stay. I couldn’t ask it of you.”

“I’ll have to travel. I was afraid to ask that sacrifice of you. I love my career.”

“I’d never make you give it up. Zoey and I can travel with you in the summers.”

“You’d do that?”

“I’d do anything for you.”

She smiled, then laughed, put her hands around his neck. “Anything?”

“Yes.”

“Will you give me babies to fill that huge house of yours?”

He arched a brow. “How soon do you want them?”

“Really soon.”

“Then I guess I’d better put a ring on your finger and marry you. Really soon.”

“I love you, Ethan.”

“I love you, too, Riley.”

As Ethan kissed her, and then as her family—because they were all her family now—crowded in to offer congratulations, she realized she’d been given all she wanted for Christmas. The man she loved, a beautiful daughter, a family who would always be hers, and love.

The best gift of all was always love.