Hometown Christmas Gift. Kat Brookes

      Jackson looked to Lainie for help, but if she were to put up any sort of protest it would have her parents asking questions she’d rather not have to answer. So he nodded his consent, swept the cowboy hat from his head and stepped the rest of the way inside, closing the door behind him.

      “Lucas, there’s a plate of Christmas cookies on the kitchen table,” her mother said. “Grandma baked them this morning if you’d like to go pick a few out.”

      Lucas’s face lit up and then her son raced off in search of the sugary sweets his grandmother had no doubt prepared for his arrival.

      “Two cookies!” Lainie hollered after him, knowing full well her son would go for the iced cut-out sugar cookies. They were his favorite. And her mother’s tended to be the size of cereal bowls.

      “I thought your brother told me he was off today,” her mother said as she led them into the living room.

      “He was supposed to be,” Lainie replied as she removed her coat and draped it over the arm of the sofa.

      “Deputy Culler fell off a ladder while putting up Christmas lights and had to be taken to the hospital,” Jackson explained further. “Justin had to cover for him last night.”

      Her mother’s hand went to her mouth. “Oh, that poor man,” she groaned in sympathy. “Is he all right?”

      “He fractured his hip and had to have emergency surgery,” he explained. “But he’ll be fine.”

      “Thank the Lord it wasn’t worse,” her father said. “He could’ve broken his neck.”

      Like Will had when the car driven by a very intoxicated teenage boy struck ours. Lainie felt nausea stir in the pit of her stomach.

      “Oh, honey,” her dad said, his face blanching as he realized what he’d just said. “I didn’t mean to stir up old—”

      “It’s okay, Dad,” she said, hurrying to cut him off. Her son didn’t know any of the details about his father’s passing, other than the fact that she had been behind the wheel when the accident had occurred. And he only knew that because one of his friends at school had overheard his mother talking to another mother about Lucas’s father’s accident. That came after a more recent incident in their community that also involved a teen driving recklessly. Thankfully, the other driver’s quick reactions had allowed him to steer clear of what could have been a truly serious outcome—like it had been with her and Will.

      Pulling herself together, as she’d had to do since that night she’d awakened in the hospital to find out her husband hadn’t survived the wreck, she said, “I agree. Deputy Culler was very blessed to have come out of it with only a broken hip. But that means Justin and Deputy Vance are going to be handling all the shifts until he can bring in some backup.” She was shocked to sound so calm when so much guilt and regret was whirling about inside her.

      “What about Deputy Mitchell?” her father asked.

      “Apparently, Deputy Mitchell is on a cruise in Alaska somewhere.”

      “Poor Justin,” her mother said with a worried frown. “He works himself to the bone as it is. And poor Kathy. She’s got to be beside herself with worry. A broken hip will mean a long recovery for Todd. I’ll have to make some soup and corn bread to take over to the Cullers after he gets home. Kathy will no doubt have her hands full taking care of her husband.”

      Lainie smiled. So like her mom, always caring about others. “I’m sure they would appreciate that.”

      “I think I’ll go peek in on my grandson,” her dad said, getting up from his seat. “Wouldn’t want him to spoil his appetite.”

      Her mother laughed as he walked away. “Same goes for you,” she called after him and then turned back to Lainie and Jackson. “Your father is going to be a bad influence on your son, I’m afraid.”

      “A little sugar won’t hurt him, I suppose,” Lainie replied with a shrug. She had learned not to sweat the small stuff. She had much bigger stuff in her life to contend with.

      “You should know,” her mother said with a smile. “Your father ‘snuck’ you and your brother plenty of sweets when the two of you were growing up.”

      “And I loved him for it.” And she loved him for giving her and Justin a place to call home. For making them feel safe and loved. The humor left her eyes. “How’s Dad doing? He’s not moving around as well as he was the last time I saw him.” That had been the previous December, when her parents and Justin had flown to Sacramento the week before Christmas to spend a few days with her and Lucas, because she couldn’t bring herself to come home for the holidays. Guilt at Will’s passing still kept her from wanting to celebrate anything. She’d only done so for her son’s sake, wanting to keep his life as normal as possible.

      Her mother gave a wave of her hand. “Don’t go worrying yourself over us. Your father and I are doing fine. Just the aches and pains that come along with getting old.” She leaned forward, placing a hand on Lainie’s knee. “The question is, how are you doing, honey?”

      Lainie shot a nervous glance in Jackson’s direction, praying he wouldn’t bring up the argument he’d witnessed between her and her son, and then turned to smile at her mother. “I’m home where all my family and friends are. How could I not be happy?”

      “We’re so glad to have you back here with us,” her mother said, tearing up. “It makes me want to move back to Bent Creek.”

      “I’m sure Justin would be more than willing to sell the house back to you and Dad. But keep in mind that he loves that place, which means you’ll more than likely be stuck with him living there with the two of you.”

      Her mother laughed. “He does love the ranch. So did we. But this condo works best with your father’s physical limitations. Not that I wouldn’t love having both you and your brother and my grandson, living under the same roof as us again.”

      “That would be nice,” Lainie concurred. “But as much as I would like to go back to the way things were, I know better. We can’t turn back time. All we can do is move on and accept the fact that nothing stays the same.”

      “I beg to differ,” Jackson said, meeting her gaze. “Some things do remain the same.”

      Lainie stiffened. As if she didn’t already know where his feelings lay where she was concerned. “Another reason not to look back, but to move on.”

      Her mother’s confused gaze shifted back and forth between Lainie and Jackson. “Well,” she said, as if sensing there was more to the conversation than what she was hearing, “one thing that hasn’t changed is the happiness it brings me to have you home for the holidays. And, Jackson, plan on joining us at Justin’s place for Christmas Eve lunch. It’ll be just like old times.” Her brows drew together in worry. “Unless that would interfere with plans you have with your ever-growing family.”

      He looked to Lainie, who was mentally begging him to refuse her mother’s invitation, and then nodded. “I’d like that, Mrs. Dawson. What can I bring?”

      What could he bring? Lainie looked at Jackson in disbelief. He really intended to come to their holiday gathering?

      “Just bring yourself,” her mother said happily. “I’m sure you and Lainie have a lot of catching up to do.”

      “Not really,” Lainie countered. “Justin has kept me up-to-date on Jackson and his rodeo company’s pursuits.”

      Jackson’s dark brows lifted, as did the corner of his mouth with her pronouncement. Then that Wade dimple worked its way to the surface. “Keeping tabs on me, Lainie?”

      Heat crept up her neck. Pushing up from the sofa, Lainie turned to her mom. “I’m going to go check in on Lucas and Dad and make sure they haven’t eaten all your cookies.”

      “Be sure to bring