Chapter 22

Chapter

Twenty-Two

December 25 th

6:42 A.M.

This was how he wanted to wake up every morning from here on out.

With Jessica’s warm body snuggled against his side, and her son sleeping in his room across the hall. When he had them close like this, Donovan knew they were okay, although how he was going to cope at the end of winter break when Freddie went back to school and Jessica went back to work, and he had to let them out of his sight he had no idea.

Thankfully, Freddie seemed to have slept through the night without issue, but Jessica had had nightmares. He’d woken a couple of times to her thrashing and whimpering in her sleep. Each time he’d pulled her close, wrapping his body around hers and protecting her the best way he could.

Waking her with soft words and gentle kisses, reassuring her each time that she and her son were safe, that he was there. Each time she would tell him she felt silly reacting the way she was given her job, and he’d remind her being a cop didn't prevent her from being terrified when her own child was in jeopardy. Eventually, she’d fall asleep again, and he’d doze, wanting to be prepared in case she needed him again.

Never would Jessica struggle alone again.

Not on his watch.

From here on out, she had a partner who would support her in any way she needed him to.

The sound of footsteps in the hall had Jessica stretching, blinking open sleepy eyes. “And so it begins,” she mumbled with a grin.

Seconds later, the door to the bedroom was flung open. If Freddie was in any way worried about seeing him in his mom’s bed the kid didn't show it. His face was animated, and he was bouncing about excitedly.

“Mom, Donovan, come on! Let’s go see what Santa left,” Freddie said, buzzing out of the room with as much energy as he’d entered it.

“If you want I can give you two some time alone,” he offered as Jessica climbed out of bed and slipped on her robe. While he wanted to be involved in this morning’s fun and festivities, he didn't want Jessica to feel like he was forcing his way into her and her son’s lives before she was ready.

“I don’t want, but thanks for offering.” Standing on tiptoe, she brushed her lips across his and then took his hand, leading him down the hall and out into the large living room.

Freddie was already there, standing beside the plate with cookie crumbs and the mostly empty glass of milk. “Look, Santa ate the cookies we baked for him!”

“I'm sure he loved them, you're a good baker,” Jessica told him, dropping a kiss to the top of the child’s head before she dropped down onto the couch.

“I'm going to be even better because Sylvia is going to teach me to bake all the things she makes for her restaurant,” Freddie gushed as he dropped down in front of the tree.

“My mom is a great teacher,” he told Freddie as he handed the boy his Christmas stocking.

The next half an hour flew by. It had been a long time since he’d experienced the joy of Christmas morning from a child’s point of view, not since he and his siblings were kids, and then it was only from a child’s perspective. Now as an adult, sharing in the joy and laughter with Freddie as he opened each gift and gushed about his new toys, he realized how much his mom must have enjoyed these precious moments, and understood why she was angling for grandkids.

There was nothing like the pure joy and love filling this room.

By the time all the presents were opened, wrapping paper and empty gift boxes were everywhere. New Lego sets had made up most of Freddie’s gifts, as well as some clothes, a few miscellaneous stocking stuffers, and the new skateboard he’d wanted. With Jessica’s permission he’d given Freddie an iPad. While he would have loved to buy the boy a new one, Jessica had said it wasn't necessary so it was only an old one he had lying around, but it was loaded with apps, and the boy had been ecstatic about it.

“Mom, can I go ride my skateboard?” Freddie asked.

“Breakfast first. Then you can ride for a bit, but we have to leave at noon for lunch with Donovan’s family. Why don’t you get to work on one of those Lego sets while I give Donovan his gift,” Jessica suggested.

“Can I give him my gift now?” Freddie asked, skateboard forgotten.

“Yep, sure can.”

Scrambling under the tree, the little boy came back out with two wrapped packages in his hand. “We made these at school with our art teacher,” he explained. “I always make something for my mom, but this year I made this for you, Donovan.”

His heart swelled in his chest, and he couldn’t wait to see what the boy had made for him, but Jessica went first. Always. “Mom, first,” he said.

Carefully unwrapping the paper to reveal a glass jar decorated with hearts made out of little fingerprints, with a candle inside, Jessica beamed at her son and grabbed hold of him, pulling him into her arms and showering his face with kisses making him giggle and squiggle. “Thank you, baby boy, it’s the most beautiful candle holder ever.”

“I did the hearts all in red because that’s your favorite color,” Freddie told her.

“You know me well, my boy.”

“Open your present now, Donovan,” Freddie ordered.

When he took the gift it was heavier than he’d been expecting, and already from the shape of it he could figure out what it was, but he didn't say anything until he opened it. When he’d removed the paper, he saw that Freddie had painted pictures all around the handle of the hammer, and he beamed at the boy, loving the gift. “Thanks, Freddie boy, I love it.”

“My mom’s not so good at fixing stuff when it breaks,” Freddie informed him. “But now you can help us fix stuff.”

He absolutely would.

Not because Jessica needed him to fix her life for her, she’d been doing just fine on her own, working hard, and raising an amazing kid, but because he wanted to be there with her, sharing in the ups and downs of life.

“Christmas hug,” he said, reaching for Jessica and Freddie and pulling them both into his arms. As excited as he was to give Jessica his gift—a gold locket with a heart made of rubies on the front and a picture of Freddie and his snowman inside from the night of their first family adventure—right now he just wanted to hold onto these two tightly, be grateful not just that they’d survived his stalker’s attempts to kill them, but that they had both been so willing to give him a chance.

He was one lucky guy, and he wanted to make sure he never forgot it.

Will Christmas bring happiness to Donovan’s sister Macy and the single dad who saves her life? Holiday Sorrow coming Christmas 2025

Holiday Sorrow (Christmas Romantic Suspense #9)