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“Tell you what,” Sloan said quickly, breaking the aard silence to address Chase “As the patriarch, you deserve a photo with every member of the faround for each Plus one or two of you alone”

Chase snorted “The patriarch? Me? Guess I better grow a long white beard and exchange this damned cane for a shepherd’s crook”

Jessy had to smile

Her father-in-law had a twinkle in his eyes as he nodded his agreenarled hand on the quilt Sloan had just folded up “Use this one for me It’s plain No fancy stuff”

“You got it”

Chapter 12

With Christsters were a bundle of eagerness As far as they were concerned, the tih For those who hadn’t finished their shopping, the holiday was approaching way too quickly But everywhere, smiles abounded, marked by a certain cheeriness that made the season so merry

Nowhere was it so apparent than at the Hoirls on their winter break fro the extra bedroo members of the Calder family To carry the Christmas spirit a step further, Cat added a holiday candle wreathed with holly to each roo with childhood pictures of Laura and Quint taken at Christned rooms

After placing a framed photo of Quint on a dresser, she stepped back to assess the dresser top arrange bath

“Miss Cat, there isn’t an extra set of bath towels in here”

“There’s soet them while you and Sarah finish up here”

When she reached the top of the stairs, she heard the fauessed that her father had the radio on As she started down the steps, she auto

Fro, “Bells on bobtails ring, ht”

Chase was singing! The towels could wait This she had to see

She ran lightly the rest of the way down the steps and crossed to the roo at the fireplace, singing away, one hand braced on the head of his cane while he jabbed at the burning logs with a poker