A Highlander Christmas

Camry walked to Luke, her own eyes spilling tears. He handed Tigger to whoever was standing next to him, and pulled her into his arms.

The front door suddenly slammed, shaking the chandeliers. “I’m here!” a woman shouted. “You better not have started without me! Fiona threw up all over my birthday dress just as we were leaving, and I had to go back in and change,” she continued, rushing into the dining room. “I swear she did it on purp—” She came to a sliding stop. “What did I miss?”

Apparently no one thought to answer her.

“What’s wrong? Mama, are you crying?” she asked, rushing around the table toward her parents. She suddenly skidded to a halt beside Luke. She looked at Camry still in his embrace, then up at him. “Who are you?” she asked.

“If you’re Winter, then I guess I’m your newest brother-in-law, Luke Renoir.”

“My what!” She shifted the infant in her arms to free up one hand, which she used to pull Camry around to face her. “My what?” she repeated. “You’re married?” She touched Camry’s wet cheek, then swung toward the head of the table. “Why is everyone crying? What did I miss!”

The infant she was holding suddenly gave a loud wail and burst into tears.

“Oh, give her to me,” Camry said, shoving the data bank at Luke so she could take the baby. “Go see Mom and Dad. They’ll tell you what’s going on.”

As Winter bolted for the head of the table, Camry nudged Luke with her hip. “Come on, let’s go into the living room where it’s quiet. I have someone very special I want you to meet.”

Luke followed her through the crowd of whispering people, smiling sinisterly at Kate as she held up her cell phone and snapped his picture again on his way by, then stopped to gently close his mother’s gaping mouth. He gave her a kiss on the cheek, then stayed leaning close. “You think this is amazing,” he whispered, “you wait until you meet some of her distant relatives.”

With a nod to André, he followed Camry out to the foyer, where he found her smiling up at a tall, handsome, rather . . . intense-looking man.

No worry he would mix up this brother-in-law with the others.

“This is Winter’s husband, Matt Gregor. Matt, this is my husband, Luke Renoir.”

Matt extended his hand. “Welcome to the family, Luke.” His piercing golden eyes, glinting with amusement, darted to Camry as she walked away with his now-sniffling daughter, then returned to Luke—specifically to his hat—before leveling directly on him. “How is good old Roger?” he asked.

“As outrageous as I assume he always is.”

Matt’s grin broadened. “Yes, but he means well. So what did he con you and Cam out of?”

“Greylen’s best snowcat.”

Matt arched a brow. “Really? In exchange for what?”

“Marrying us.” Luke glanced toward the living room, then back at Matt. “And your enchanting daughter signed as our witness, along with your grandson, Thomas Gregor Smythe.”

Matt also glanced toward the living room, then heaved a heavy sigh. “That girl is going to be the death of me,” he muttered. He looked back at Luke, shaking his head. “You and Cam decide to have children, pray they’re boys.” He gestured toward the once-again-boisterous dining room. “I swear I don’t know how Greylen survived raising seven daughters.” With a shudder, apparently to shrug off his fatherly terror, Matt slapped Luke on the shoulder and nudged him toward the living room. “You better go save your wife from Fiona, before the little imp gives Cam the idea that she needs a baby of her own.

“Oh, and Luke?” Matt said just as Luke was about to enter the living room. “Thanks for keeping a close eye on my daughter last week.”

“Trust me, it was my pleasure,” Luke said with a nod.

When Matt nodded back, then turned and walked into the dining room, Luke went over and sat down beside Camry on the couch.

She immediately plopped Fiona on his lap. “Where’s the data bank?” she asked.

Luke peered down at the large blue eyes peering up at him, and smiled. “I left it on the table,” he said absently, gently bouncing his knee. “Hello there, Miss Fiona. Been doing much traveling lately? And have you decided yet what you want to be when you grow up?”

Fiona’s answer was to pat her hands together—though she missed more times than she co

“She’s going to be a rocket scientist like her auntie Cam,” Camry murmured, leaning on Luke’s arm as she smoothed down Fiona’s soft blond hair. “Isn’t she beautiful?” she whispered. She tilted her head back to look up at him. “Wouldn’t you love to have a daughter just like her?”

Just as Matt had, Luke shuddered in terror.

Which made Fiona clap her hands together again with even louder belly laughs. But then the infant suddenly looked down at Luke’s hand and touched the ring. Camry held her hand next to his, and the baby awkwardly went after her ring.

“They’re really lovely, Fiona,” Camry whispered. “And every time we look at them, we’ll think of you.”

“Five minutes to solstice!” someone shouted from the dining room. “Cam, get in here. Mom’s lighting the candles!”

Still leaning heavily on Luke’s arm, Camry tilted her head again to smile at him. “I guess that means you pulled off your miracle, Dr. Renoir, and we’re legally married. Forever and ever.”

He kissed the tip of her upturned nose. “Uncompromisingly, unpretentiously, and unconditionally, Dr. MacKeage-Renoir. Forever and ever.”

She melted against him with a sigh. “Thanks to this little girl,” she said, leaning forward to kiss Fiona’s rosy plump cheek. She suddenly stood up. “Come on then,” she said, heading out of the room. “I don’t care if my birthday cake is ruined, I intend to eat every last crumb.” She glanced at him from the door, her eyes sparkling. “I figure the sugar should kick in about an hour from now. Vroom-vroom, husband,” she purred as she disappeared into the foyer.

Luke immediately covered Fiona’s ears with his hands. “You didn’t hear that!” He hugged her to him with a sigh. “Thank you,” he whispered.

He finally stood up and held her facing him. “So, Miss Imp, when do you think I should tell Camry not to waste her time deciphering the data in Podly’s data bank?”

The sweet little cherub closed one of her beautiful blue eyes in a wink.

“I thought so,” he chortled, tucking her against him and heading after his wife. “So it is on the wrapping paper you gave Roger!”

Merry Christmas

and

Happy Winter Solstice!

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