"Thank you." Luis dropped to his knees next to the bed, his eyes flying up to the ceiling. "Thank you for keeping them safe."
Swallowing a lump in his throat, Luis turned his attention back to Sheridan, a smile inching up his cheeks as he watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest.
His father had been right: There had been no point in worrying.
Sheridan and their daughter were both okay.
The lump in his throat thickening, Luis traced his fingers over Sheridan's sleeping form and pressed a kiss to her belly. "I love you," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "I love you both so much."
"We love you, too, Luis."
"Sher?" Luis looked up, a rush of joy diffusing through his chest.
Sheridan smiled as he leaned up to kiss her. "How long have I been sleeping? When did you get back?"
Luis kissed her and brushed a tendril of hair from her face. "Our plane landed about an hour ago. We brought Paloma back."
"Are you serious, Luis?" Sheridan propped herself up on her elbows.
His eyes glistening at Sheridan's, Luis nodded and stroked her cheek.
Her smile growing, Sheridan pushed herself up to a seated position and curled her fingers around her belly. "Luis, your mother's prayers have been answered!"
"They certainly have been, Sher." Scooting in next to her, he slipped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. "You should have seen her face when Paloma walked through the door."
"I can only imagine," Sheridan smiled, her eyes twinkling.
"How did your mother do it?" Luis asked, adjusting the pillow behind Sheridan's back and helping her settle into a more comfortable position. "How did she change Paloma's mind?"
"She told Paloma how much she missed me all those years she was away." Sheridan's eyes welled with tears. "She told her how much she loved me—how she had thought about me every single day."
"Oh, Sher . . ." Luis breathed, tracing his thumb down the side of her face.
Sheridan's voice cracked. "I feel like I've been waiting my entire life to hear something like that, Luis."
Luis kissed Sheridan's forehead and pulled her back into his arms. "I know, Sheridan. I know."
Julian squeezed Eve's hand as they strolled through the snow.
"This has been such a wonderful day, Julian," Eve smiled. "I love this town at Christmas—the lights, all the snow."
"I've never appreciated it as much as I have today," Julian beamed. "For the first time in my life, it really feels like Christmas Eve to me."
"I feel the same way." Eve's face fell. "Given that tomorrow is the anniversary of our son's birth and alleged death, this time of year has always been atrocious for me. Feeling like I had to hide that from my family only made it ten times worse . . ."
Wrapping his arms around her, Julian squeezed her against him and kissed the top of her head. "I should have been there for you, Eve. I should have been there for everything."
Her eyes glistening, Eve looked at Julian. "Is it crazy that I finally have hope that we're going to be reunited with our son? That, this time next year, we might be celebrating with him?"
"I'm going to make that happen, Eve." Julian laid his head on top of hers and tightened his arms around her. "Trust me—by this time next year—you'll have him in your arms again."
"Oh, Julian," Eve whispered, her voice thickening, "I hope you're right about that."
"I know I'm right, Eve." His eyes sparkling at hers, Julian smiled and kissed her cheek. "Having you back in my arms, having my mother back home at last—it's proven to me that anything's possible."
"Sheridan, are you almost ready?" Luis asked as he strolled into the bedroom. "We're going to be late for the tree-lighting ceremony."
"I know. I'm almost ready."
Luis's breath caught in his throat as she turned around to face him.
"Sher . . . you look beautiful," Luis breathed.
Sheridan smiled coyly at him. "I was hoping you'd like this dress."
"Like it? I love it." Luis swallowed hard as he raked his eyes over the curves of her body. "But, Sher . . . aren't you going to be cold?" Luis's gaze darkened as he approached her and slid his hands down her arms.
"I have a cardigan and heavy coat to wear over it, Luis." Sheridan snuggled in closer to him. "And I was thinking you might help keep me warm."
"Oh, I can definitely do that," Luis smiled, leaning down to kiss her neck.
"I thought you were worried that we're going to be late," Sheridan breathed, as he feathered his lips over her skin and kneaded her shoulder blades.
Luis responded by trailing kisses down her curves.
Sheridan shuddered, her breath growing ragged as his fingers followed suit down her sides. "What about us promising to get to the tree-lighting ceremony early?"
"What tree-lighting ceremony?" Luis slipped his fingers up under her dress.
"Oh, Luis . . ." Sheridan gripped his shoulders.
Luis pulled her in close with his free arm and captured her lips in a sensuous kiss.
Trembling as Luis's fingers delved deeper inside of her, Sheridan clung to him as he continued his exploration. "Oh, screw getting there early—" she gasped. "They can always start without us."
Hank wrapped one arm around Gwen, snuggled her in close, and handed her a cup of hot chocolate.
Gwen thanked him and kissed his nose.
He had never thought that seeing someone's smile could make him so happy, but he couldn't imagine feeling better than he did in this moment.
This was all going to turn out all right, wasn't it? Just like Gwen promised him?
He was going to meet her father, and her father was going to like him. Her father wouldn't even remember Ethan.
"Hey, look, Sheridan and Luis are finally here," Gwen said, her face lighting up.
Hank's heart lifted as he looked up and spotted his best buddy and his wife strolling over to them, snuggling and cuddling like giggling teenagers. "You'd never know you two are an old married couple now," he laughed. "What took you so long? We thought you might miss the entire ceremony."
Luis grinned and locked eyes with Sheridan, a blush creeping up on her cheeks.
"Never mind—I don't want to know." Hank's cheeks burned. "It's good to know you two still have got it, though—even though you're married and pregnant."
Luis tugged Sheridan in closer and pressed a kiss to her head. "What can I say? I married a beautiful woman." Stroking Sheridan's belly, Luis smiled down at his wife. "With every new day that she carries my baby, she becomes even more exquisite to me . . ."
"Okay, Romeo, knock it off." The flush on his face deepening, Hank dug his toe into the snow. "You're making the rest of us chumps look bad."
Gwen squeezed Hank's waist and laughed softly. "You have nothing to be nervous about."
But didn't he, though?
Hank's stomach flipped.
Truth be told, he had never put much stock in the domestic scene until right this very moment.
But seeing Luis so crazy in love with his wife and the life they were building together: God, he wanted that with Gwen.
The secret smiles meant just for each other; the gentle nuzzles; the pure, unadulterated bliss . . .
Hank's smile grew as Luis and Sheridan caressed her blossoming belly, their faces shining with unadorned happiness.
That could be him and Gwen. That could be them, beaming at one another, adoring their unborn child . . .
Hank's heart swelled with love as the picture formed in his head—the image of Gwen's smile lighting up his soul.
That was it—he had to get over himself and find some way to impress her father.
He already had a lot hanging in the balance, but—given the sheer joy he was witnessing tonight—suddenly, the stakes seemed so much higher.
Eve squeezed Julian's hand as they strolled into the tree-lighting ceremony. On the other side of Julian, Katherine sighed and leaned her head against her son's arm.
Tonight was going to be wonderful, Eve thought, just like the day had been.
Julian was right. They were going to find their son. They were going to spend his next birthday with him.
She was actually starting to have faith in that. She was actually starting to believe that everything would turn out all right—that life would finally be happy and good.
Her eyes wandering across the snow, Eve saw his shoes first.
His lucky navy sneakers—she'd recognize them anywhere.
Her heart lodged in her throat.
Swallowing hard, she lifted her eyes.
Her heart stopped as she caught TC's gaze.
"Eve." Shifting on his feet, TC cleared his throat. "Eve, we need to talk."
