He led her around the downstairs rooms through the more formal living room, by an office, and into the room he said was his favorite—a library with bookcases lining all the walls and several plush leather chairs strewn about the room, all facing out the huge wall to ceiling windows that overlooked nothing but ocean. It was serene and beautiful and cozy at the same time.
“It would be easy to spend hours in this room,” Gina said.
“I have. Many times over the years. Come over here and see this view.”
Gina walked to where Jared stood by the window.
He took her hand and looked serious for a moment. “I’m really glad that you came today. There’s no one I’d rather spend the day with. I love spending time with you.”
“I feel the same way. I always have fun and just love being with you too.”
“Look up.”
She did and laughed. There was a sprig of mistletoe taped to the window.
He laughed. “Smooth, huh? I thought you’d like that.”
“I do. Very much.”
He kissed her then, and this time it wasn’t a short kiss.
Chapter 18
The children were up early on Christmas Day—which meant that Mandy was up early, too. But, she didn’t mind. The excitement of her children was contagious, and she loved to feel the magic of the day through their eyes. She’d been up late the night before, finishing up her wrapping and chatting with Jill and Billy. Their time with her had gone so quickly and they only had one more week together before they headed home to Manhattan on New Year’s Day. They wanted to be on Nantucket for New Year’s Eve and home the next evening to go into the office and see the team on Tuesday.
Jill and Billy heard the commotion and Mandy could hear them getting up too. She went downstairs to the kitchen first, to start the coffee then into the living room where the kids were sitting on the floor holding their overstuffed stockings. Mandy got the other stockings down and handed them to Jill and Billy when they joined them.
“Okay, you can go ahead and look inside now,” Mandy told them. She had fun with their stockings, and it was a mix of things they needed like socks and underwear and stuff they liked—candy, small toys, and books they’d requested. She and Jill stuffed each other’s stockings with their favorite things. She’d gotten a bag of York Peppermint Patties for Jill and mini Reese’s cups for Billy and they’d gotten her a bag of gummy bears. Mandy got them both soft, fuzzy socks and wasn’t surprised to find a pair from them as well. Jill knew how she loved her warm socks.
When the stockings were emptied. Mandy told the kids to wait one moment and went and got coffee for the three of them.
“Okay, now you can open your gifts.” They gratefully sipped their coffee and watched the kids open their presents. Mandy went around and scooped up the piles of wrapping paper and ribbons and stuffed everything in a giant trash bag. Once the kids had opened all of their gifts and were playing with a new game she’d given Blake, Mandy, Jill and Billy exchanged gifts. They’d agree to just do something small because none of them needed a thing.
Mandy got cashmere sweaters for both of them, rose pink for Jill and hunter green for Billy. She also got each of them a book, the newest Danielle Steel for Jill and a Lee Child mystery for Billy.
Mandy opened her gift bag from Jill and Billy and noticed that they were both trying not to laugh.
“What is it?”
“You’ll see,” Jill said. Mandy smiled when she unwrapped the first gift. It was an identical cashmere sweater to the one she’d given Jill, but a different color, pale lavender. It wasn’t the first time they’d given each other the same gift.
“Great minds,” Jill said. They’d been shopping together and had both admired the sweaters. Their other gift to her was a gorgeous framed print of one of Kristen Hodges’ seaside paintings. Jill knew that Mandy liked Kristen’s work as she had an original watercolor in the living room.
“I thought you might like that for your bedroom or maybe your office?”
“I love it, thank you.”
Mandy put out the traditional Christmas morning coffee cake, cinnamon walnut by the Boston Coffee Cake company. Mandy had never even tried to make coffee cake because this one was so good, and it wouldn’t be Christmas at her house without it.
They spent the morning relaxing, while the kids played with their new games.
Around eleven thirty, Jill and Mandy went to work in the kitchen. Jill peeled potatoes while Mandy made a garlic mixture to rub all over the prime rib before putting it in the oven to roast. They also had leftover lobster casserole and shrimp cocktail from the night before and she was going to make a big salad. Billy wandered in and offered to help, but Jill shooed him away and suggested he see what was on for Christmas movies and they’d be in shortly to join him.