"Of course. Sierra, sweetheart, why don't you show Rielle how to make a wish list, since you're an expert."

"You know it."

As he watched Rielle and Sierra laughing together, oohing and aahing over the catalogues Sierra had dragged over, he had a sense of rightness that he was exactly where he needed to be.

Gavin finally understood why Christmas was referred to as the holiday season-parties, school and family events started at Thanksgiving and stretched through Christmas. Living in Arizona, with the temperatures in the seventies, wreaths, holiday decorations and twinkling lights hung from cacti, Santa sporting a pair of board shorts and fake Christmas trees, he'd never felt that holiday spirit for a day, let alone for an entire month.

But in Wyoming, things were a lot different. First of all, every household in the McKay family had some type of holiday get together at their place. He didn't feel like he'd missed out on longstanding family traditions when Quinn told him that most of these family holiday gatherings had just started in the last few years.

So far he and Sierra had spent time with every one of his cousins and their wives and children. Cider and cookies at Cord and AJ's, which was also a celebration of the birth of their daughter, Avery. All six of Cam and Domini's kids put on a holiday play at their house, followed by a feast of Ukrainian treats, most of which were eaten by their rowdy brood.

Since Carter and Macie lived out of town, they combined forces with Carolyn and Carson at their place for a cookie decorating party. Kade and Skylar opted to hold their shindig at the Sky Blue plant, along with Kane and Ginger, and Colt and India. While the adults gorged on appetizers, Keely spearheaded a Christmas ornament craft session for the kids. She'd enlisted Sierra's help, and Gavin was delighted to see his daughter having fun with glitter, glue and pinecones and the ten billion McKay offspring.

Brandt and Jessie, Tell and Georgia and Dalton hosted a Rocky Mountain oyster feed at the fire pit in Brandt and Jessie's backyard. At Colby and Channing's place, Colby hitched up the team of Morgans to a hay wagon. Carson, Cal and Charlie loaded up the kids for a redneck sleigh ride across snow covered pastures. Gavin wondered if Sierra would think it was lame and refuse to go, since she was the oldest kid by several years, but she'd surprised him once again. In fact, Charlie had told him that Sierra was the one who'd started the Christmas carol sing-along and handed out hot chocolate.

Vi and Charlie a.s.sisted Quinn and Libby with their annual fruitcake throwing contest. Which was such a weird tradition Gavin had to ask Ben about it. Evidently the first year Quinn and Libby had Adam, Libby had tried out a new fruitcake recipe that was so bad Quinn wouldn't eat it. They had a big fight and in a rare fit of anger, Libby had thrown the fruitcake at her husband. He'd taunted her, saying she had terrible aim, so she challenged him to see how far he could throw the dense fruitcake. The story spread through the McKay family and the following year everyone brought fruitcake and joined in the contest.

Ben and Ainsley had an adults only c.o.c.ktail party. No one was surprised that Keely volunteered her babysitting services for all the McKay offspring that night. But everyone was was shocked when Jack announced her pregnancy. shocked when Jack announced her pregnancy.

As much fun as Gavin had at the festivities the past few weeks, getting to know his family a little better, something was missing.

Rielle.

He'd invited her to the first McKay family event since everyone in the gossipy McKay family knew they were in a relationship. But Rielle had demurred. Her reasons were sound; she'd be an intrusion in Gavin and Sierra's family time. It made sense, but he still missed her.

Sometimes he felt theirs was a relationship borne out of their odd living arrangement. Rielle kept that dividing line in place, doing her own thing. She'd decorated her part of the house by herself. He and Sierra put up an enormous Christmas tree and added decorations from years past, plus new ones they'd found at the community bazaar.

But other times, when he and Rielle were alone, there was no her s.p.a.ce or his s.p.a.ce, just their s.p.a.ce.

"Dad, come taste this," Sierra yelled from the kitchen.

Vi had come over to make candy with Sierra. His relationship with Vi had returned to how it'd been before their fight. But now Vi cleared every purchase and activity with him before she mentioned it to Sierra, which wasn't a snarky way to poke at him, but it gave Vi an excuse to call him up and chat whenever she wanted. Strange that he didn't mind.

Upon entering the kitchen, he saw globs of brown on wax paper, a pan of peanut brittle and chocolate b.a.l.l.s topped with fancy red and green icing. "What am I trying?"

"Gram's caramels. They're the best thing ever." Sierra held a square up to his lips. "Try it."

He opened his mouth. b.u.t.tery vanilla goodness melted on his tongue. "Okay. Wow. Those are are incredible." He shook his finger at Vi. "And you're taking them all home because I will sit down in front of the game and eat the entire batch." incredible." He shook his finger at Vi. "And you're taking them all home because I will sit down in front of the game and eat the entire batch."

"I'll save some for Christmas dinner." She wiped a section of the counter. "You're still planning on coming over?"

"Of course. I wish you'd let us bring something."

Vi looked him in the eye. "Having you both there with us and the rest of our family is more than enough."

Our family. She didn't push, but she clearly stated, at every opportunity, that they were family.

"You haven't said what you and Sierra are doing on Christmas Eve."

"We haven't decided. Although I'll bet Little Miss will try and convince me to open presents on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas morning."

Vi frowned. "You don't have a tradition?"

"No. Sierra's been with her mom the last five Christmases. She spends part of Christmas Eve with me. Then I drop her off at Ellen's that night."

"Dad, we're doing the same thing we always do. Drinking eggnog, cooking a batch of chili and watching Santa Claus is Coming to Town Santa Claus is Coming to Town." Sierra grinned. "Then maybe we'll open up a present or ten."

"Don't you have plans with Rielle and Rory?" Vi asked.

Gavin shook his head.

She paused. "I'm sorry. I find that strange."

Me too.

"Speaking of Rielle...let's get this mess cleaned up so she won't have a fit that we destroyed her kitchen," Vi said.

That rubbed Gavin the wrong way. "Maybe it seems like Rielle's kitchen, but I do own this house. So technically it's my my kitchen." kitchen."

Silence.

"Well, I'm glad you cleared that up," Rory said walking past him, overloaded with grocery bags.

s.h.i.t. "Here, let me help you."

"I've got it. Just let me know when I can come back into your your kitchen and put everything away," she retorted. kitchen and put everything away," she retorted.

"Rory. That's uncalled for," Rielle said behind him. Then she too walked past with bags, and she too refused his help. "And Gavin is right. This is his place." She smiled at Vi and Sierra. "But I do appreciate having a clean spot to work in."

"We were just finishing up," Vi said.

"No rush. I'll put the stuff in the refrigerator. Rory and I planned to have a gla.s.s of wine first anyway."

Then they were gone.

Sierra mumbled, "Merry freakin' Christmas," and started to load the dishwasher, humming Christmas tunes.

Gavin leaned against the counter where Vi was dividing all the goodies into Christmas tins. "Like I said, Gavin, I find this situation strange."

"Yeah, well, it is what it is."

"You are are in a serious relationship with Rielle?" in a serious relationship with Rielle?"

He nodded. Yes, they were taking things slow. Normally he'd be fine with that; after all, they had their own lives and interests. But Gavin had almost an obsessive need to define what was growing between them.

The hit and miss nights they spent in each other's beds caused some annoyance, even when he understood she had to be up at the crack of dawn three mornings a week.

Rielle got along well with Sierra. She didn't comment on his parenting practices and she never inserted herself into the time he spent with his daughter. Most men would consider it an ideal relationship: smoking hot s.e.x whenever he wanted, a woman who made no demands of a commitment, and her complete disinterest in the fact he had money. But he wanted more.

"This is what she wants," he said softly.

Vi's eyes took on a defiant gleam. "What about what you you want?" want?"

Such a...defensive and motherly thing to say. "It's complicated. Rielle and I...we've both done our own thing. It's been her and Rory for so long neither of them knows any other way to be. It's sort of the same for Sierra and me."

"But you're adapting. You've embraced all the McKay craziness more than I ever thought you would."

She rubbed his arm in such a loving manner, he nearly hugged her. He missed the easy rapport he'd had with his mother. Her sweetness and generosity. Vi was nothing like her...and yet she was.

"What are you thinking about that's put such a melancholy look in your eyes?" Vi asked.

Gavin hedged. "How much I'm looking forward to having Christmas dinner with the crazy McKays."

That answer pleased her. "We'll eat around two. And open presents afterward."

His smile froze. "Presents?"

"A little untraditional, I know, but Quinn and Libby want to spend Christmas morning with their children. Chase and Ava are staying in Kane's trailer, and for the life of me I can't figure that one out. Ben and Ainsley are feeding cattle so Quinn can be home with his family. So we open our gifts to each other late."

He was so screwed. He'd bought a gift for Vi and Charlie, but no one else.

After he carried Vi's boxes out to the car, he returned to the kitchen just as Sierra started the dishwasher.

She looked up at him and smirked. "So, you forgot to buy presents for your brothers, huh?"

"Dammit. I didn't know there was a mandatory present thing."

"Dad. It's Christmas. Presents are always part of that. Which means you also need to buy gifts for their wives. Oh, and their kids." She flat out laughed at his panicked expression. "Don't worry. I'm a shopping expert, remember? We'll get you loaded up in no time."

"Do you have all of your shopping done?"

"Of course."

How? He hardly ever let her drive anywhere-even after she'd pa.s.sed her driver's test two weeks ago. "I'll get my coat. And if we can really get this done in one night, I'll even let you drive."

Chapter Twenty-Five

Gavin and Sierra spent Christmas Eve stuffing themselves with chili, snacks and cookies. He even listened to the music on her iPod as they played her favorite board games. Including Candyland, which amused him, because she used the same strategy as she had at age six, which allowed him to win.

She'd been so excited to open gifts that he'd let her open them all. The number of presents under the tree from her surprised him. Fun, thoughtful, sweet items that proved she at least listened to him some of the time. His favorite was the hat she'd knitted for him in ASU colors. He'd had no clue that Rielle had taught her how to knit. It must've taken her hours. He immediately put it on and refused to take it off. Even when his head was sweating. Even after she called him a dork.

Her favorite gift was the set of Jeep keys he'd wrapped up with his promise that she could drive whenever she wanted-weather permitting-as soon as they returned from Arizona.

Afterward, she snuggled up to him on the couch and they watched Christmas movies. In a few years, this too would change between them. College. Boyfriends. Eventually a home and family of her own. It made him a little sad even as it reinforced his determination that he'd never let her get so far adrift from him again. As he looked at his bright, beautiful daughter he felt the bond between them had strengthened over the past few months, and he'd made the right decision moving them here.

Around eleven he kissed her forehead. "Better get in bed, girlie, or Santa won't come tonight."

"Dad. Santa? Really?"

"Yep. And he told me he was partial to those frosted cookies you made yesterday, so feel free to leave those out with a gla.s.s of milk."

She snickered. "Okay. But I might skip the carrots for the reindeer this year." She hugged him. "Night, Dad. Merry Christmas. I love you."

"Merry Christmas. Love you too, sweetheart."

"Outstanding meal, Mom. I think you'll have to roll me to the Christmas tree," Chase said, suppressing a burp.

"We should all go for a walk."

Everyone groaned at the suggestion.

"I'm on dish detail," Ainsley announced.

"Me too," Ava chimed in.

"Me three." Libby looked at Quinn. "You wanna put the kids down for a short n-a-p?"

"Sure." He lifted Amelia from her high chair. "Come on, baby girl. Let's get you tucked in."

Thumb in her mouth, she nestled her head in the crook of her dad's neck.

Gavin remembered those sleepy toddler days with more fondness than they probably deserved. Sierra hadn't ever been an easy child.

Thump. Adam raced behind the dining room chairs and jumped in front of Quinn. "Daddy, where you goin'?"

"To a quiet, special place."

"Can I come?"

"Well, I don't know, sport. I'm thinkin' you forgot how to be quiet."