A/N Thanks for your patience with this story and for all your kind comments!

...

I laughed when I walked into the kitchen. "Babe, please tell me you're planning to change before everyone gets here."

"What? You don't like this?" He closed the oven and turned slowly, showing off his outfit which consisted of nothing but boxers and an apron.

"I do like it, but I'm the only one who should get to see you like this." I put my hands on his arms and stood on my toes to kiss him.

"You can't even talk. This isn't appropriate Thanksgiving attire, either." He slipped his fingers under my robe, brushing across my bare shoulder. He leaned toward me, his breath tickling my ear as he quietly spoke. "Although I'm very thankful for it."

"I'm glad, since I got it for you."

"Where's Teddy?"

"I just put him down for his nap."

He kissed my cheek. "And we still have a few hours before everyone will get here, right?"

"Mhmm." I slid my arms around his back and started untying the apron.

"What do you say we go make another baby?"

I smiled and kissed him more deeply. "You read my mind."

...

"Elizabeth, we need to get up." Jack kissed the top of my head and started to move.

"Mm, but I'm so comfortable." I snuggled into his chest, tucking my head beneath his chin.

"I know, but we need to start getting the rest of the food ready, and Teddy will be up soon, and the dogs probably need to go out."

"So many excuses. It doesn't sound like the dogs or Teddy need our attention right now, and there will be plenty of time to finish the food later." I tilted my head up to press my lips to his. "Just a few more minutes. Please?"

"Fine. A few more minutes. Just because you're adorable." He brushed his fingers through my hair. "But then we really do need to get up."

"I know." As we lay there, I started dozing off.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Bronte let out a deep bark and ran from the nursery down to the front door, startling Teddy awake.

"Of course, someone's early." I jumped out of bed and started throwing clothes on. I tossed a shirt and a pair of jeans to Jack. "We told everyone to come at noon, right? Who's here already?"

He finished buttoning up his shirt. "I'll go see." As he walked out, I noticed that his hair was sticking up.

"Babe, your hair!" I spoke up too late, and he was already halfway down the stairs.

I ran a brush through my own hair and padded across the hall to check on Teddy, who was now fully awake and crying.

"Hi, Teddy Bear." I lifted him to my shoulder, and his cries quieted to whimpers. "I'm sorry that your nap got interrupted. How about we go see who's here?"

I carried him down the hall and stopped at the top of the stairs when I heard Jack talking to his mother.

"What's going on with your hair, son?"

"Oh, uh, well, we weren't expecting anyone until noon, so Elizabeth and I were just resting for a bit while Teddy napped."

"Uh huh. Resting. A few of your buttons are in the wrong holes, too." I heard her set down her bag. "I interrupted something, didn't I?"

My face burned as I waited for Jack to answer. "Oh, Teddy Bear," I whispered. "This is so embarrassing. How about we just stay up here for a little while?"

"Mom! I already told you, we were just resting."

"Whatever you say. Just let me know when there's another grandbaby on the way."

"Mom, please, whatever you do, don't make comments like this to Elizabeth."

"Okay, son. I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable."

"Speaking of Elizabeth, I'm going to see what she's up to."

"Run a comb through your hair while you're up there," she called after him.

I hurried back to the nursery, settling into the glider before Jack discovered that I overheard the whole conversation. I shifted Teddy to eat when he started sucking on his fist.

"Hi." Jack appeared in the doorway. "What's going on in here?"

"Nothing much. Teddy decided he was hungry, so we thought we'd stay up here for a while."

He raised his eyebrows. "Mhmm, sure. You're using our son as an excuse to hide from my mom."

"Maybe a little."

"You heard what she was saying?" He made his way across the room and knelt beside the glider.

I nodded. "It's so embarrassing, Jack. Our parents shouldn't know these things about us."

"I hate to break it to you, Beth, but the fact that our son exists means that everyone knows that we've done more than just kiss." He stroked the top of Teddy's head.

"You're not helping, babe."

He chuckled and kissed my temple. "Sorry. I did ask her not to say anything to you, though, so hopefully she'll actually listen to me. And if you bring Teddy down there, she'll probably forget all about it."

"That's a good point. Tell her I'll be down as soon as Teddy's finished."

"On it." He kissed me softly.

"Comb your hair before you go back down, though."

"Right." I could hear him laugh as he walked down the hall.

...

"Okay, Teddy Bear. Time to go see grandma Charlotte." I lifted him off of the changing table. "Now, you better do a good job distracting her by being extra cute so she doesn't say more things to embarrass me or your daddy."

She greeted me as soon as I came down the stairs. "Hi, Lizzy." She pulled me into a hug, being careful not to squish Teddy.

"Hi, Charlotte. It's good to see you."

"I'm sorry for showing up early. I was just eager to see my grandson." She smiled and held out her hands for Teddy. He gladly went to her.

"I don't blame you. He's pretty great."

"Hello, sweet boy. You just look exactly like your daddy, don't you?" She stroked his cheek, and he giggled. "I swear, it's like déjà vu with this little one. Just like baby Jack all over again."

We both looked over at Jack, and he rolled his eyes.

"Hey, you should be happy that he looks like you. No one can deny that he's yours."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Charlotte, are you okay holding him for a while? I need to get started on dessert."

"I'm happy to hold him all day long." She smiled as she settled into the chair with her grandson.

"I'll be in to help in a minute." Jack kissed my cheek and nudged me toward the kitchen.

I put on an apron and turned on some music on my phone before I pulled out all of the ingredients. I found the worn-out recipe card for gooey butter cake—though I could probably make it in my sleep.

"Hey, that's my apron."

I chuckled. "Every apron in this house belongs to you, babe. I think you can afford to let me borrow one every once in a while."

"Fine. But only because you look so good in it." He slid his arms around my waist, kissing the side of my neck. "I like this music. Is this the guy who sings that Christmas song?"

"'The guy who sings that Christmas song?' I assume you mean It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, and yes, this is Andy Williams."

He shifted his hands to my arms and turned me to face him. "Dance with me."

"I need to get this dessert made."

"It can wait." He took my right hand in his left, resting his other hand on the small of my back. He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. "I love you, Beth."

I smiled and moved closer to him, closing the space between us as we swayed in the middle of the kitchen. "I love you, too."

We were quiet for a few more minutes as we slowly turned together, until the song ended.

He pulled back from me. "I have some news, Beth."

"Please don't tell me you have to leave again."

"No." He kissed my forehead. "I figured with the kids here, we'll probably go around the dinner table saying what we're thankful for, and I want to tell you first. Remember that promotion I was telling you about a few months back? The one with fewer out-of-town assignments?"

"You got it?"

He grinned and nodded. "I got it."

"Jack!" I threw my arms around his neck, and he lifted me off the ground briefly.

"I might still have to go out of town sometimes, but it won't be as often, and it won't be for weeks at a time. Plus," he brushed his lips against mine, "I get a raise, which is always a good thing. Especially if we might have another little one soon." He slipped his hands down to my hips, his thumbs rubbing against my stomach out of habit. "You aren't hiding anything from me, are you? You still aren't…?"

I shook my head. "Not yet, but we've only been trying for a month. It'll happen when it's supposed to."

"I can't wait." He kissed me again. "Now," he stepped away and grabbed an apron from the hook, "what are we making in here?"

...

Abigail and I shuffled around the kitchen, trying to make sure that all of our dishes were ready to go into the oven.

"I hope this is enough for everyone." Abigail looked over the pans of food sitting on the counter.

"It should be plenty. Don't forget there are some things already in the oven, and Rosemary is bringing over sweet potatoes and green bean casserole."

"I heard my name." Rosemary entered the kitchen, placing a bag on the counter. "I also brought some mashed sweet potatoes for Alina, and there's a little extra if you want to give some to Teddy."

"Thank you. He's been refusing solid food the times we've tried it, but maybe today will be the day he changes his mind about it."

Abigail wiped her hands on her apron. "Okay, I think everything just needs to go in the oven, and we should be ready to eat around four."

"Sounds good."

After fitting as much as we could into the oven, we all headed into the living room. Clara and Becky were playing cards around the coffee table. Alina was sitting on the floor, trying to play with Rip, who was just stretched out and trying to rest. Charlotte was still snuggling Teddy against her shoulder; he was whimpering quietly, fighting sleep.

"Where are the guys?"

Clara glanced up. "Outside."

Abigail stayed in the living room, while Rosemary and I headed to the backyard.

Jack, Lee, and Jesse were running around with Cody, tossing a football back and forth. Bronte was chasing them, tail wagging hard.

Jack looked up when he heard the door close. "Dinner ready?"

"Not yet. Everything just went in the oven. Abigail said it should be ready by four."

Lee glanced at his watch. "Okay. Thanks for letting us know."

...

"Who's ready for dessert?" Rosemary started clearing empty plates.

A collective groan sounded around the table.

"I don't think I can eat anything for a week." Jack put his hands on his stomach and let out a breath.

I nudged him. "More gooey butter cake for the rest of us, then."

"Did I say a week? I meant twenty minutes."

Teddy started fussing in Clara's arms. "Oh, honey, what's wrong?"

"He's probably tired. He hasn't napped much today with everything going on. I'll take him up to his room, see if he'll sleep with fewer distractions around."

I took my son from her and headed up to the nursery.

"Hi, Teddy Bear. Are you just a little overwhelmed today? There are a lot of people down there. And I know you're sleepy." I sank into the glider and held him against me. "Are you hungry, too? Someday, you'll decide that solid food isn't all that bad, but for now, you still have me." I smiled and stroked his cheek.

He quieted down when I settled him in to eat. I sang softly until he was finished eating and fast asleep.

By the time I came down the stairs, everyone had moved out of the dining room.

I took a seat on the arm of the chair beside Jack.

"How's little man?"

"Sleeping with a full belly."

"Good." He slipped his arm behind me, rubbing my back. "I can't believe his first Thanksgiving is almost over already."

"But then we get to start planning his first Christmas, his first New Year," I leaned over, my lips brushing against his ear, "and when we have another little one, we'll get to do the first holidays all over again."

"What are you two whispering about over there?" Rosemary shifted Alina in her arms as she spoke.

"Nothing. Just talking about how crazy it is that last Thanksgiving, we were just starting to tell people about Teddy, and now he's already five and a half months old."

"It does go by so quickly." She touched Alina's cheek. "Take note, Clara. Enjoy every moment."

Clara looked at Jesse and smiled, dropping her hand to her stomach.

"You know," Abigail glanced around the room at everyone, "we all have a lot to be thankful for this year."

...

Charlotte was the last of our guests to leave.

"Thank you for inviting me."

"Of course, mom." Jack hugged her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"We'll try to bring Teddy into the city to visit you soon."

"I would love that." She put her arms around me. "And next time I come by, I'll be sure to call, so you won't have to worry about being interrupted."

"Ma!"

She shrugged. "What? I'm just trying to make sure it doesn't happen again." She touched his cheek. "I'll see you soon."

As soon as she was gone, I sank onto the sofa.

"Your mom is never going to let us live that down, is she?" I covered my face with a throw pillow.

"Probably not." He chuckled and pulled the pillow off of me. "At least she didn't actually interrupt anything."

"That doesn't make it any better, babe. She still believes she did."

"Well, if it ever happens again, we're just going to stay in bed and pretend we aren't home." He kissed my cheek.

"Good plan."

"I'm just glad she didn't relay the story to everyone else. That would've made for a very interesting Thanksgiving."

"Can you imagine if it had been Rosemary at the door? She would've told everyone else as soon as they arrived."

He laughed. "We'd probably have to move if that ever happened."

I leaned in and kissed him. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He offered his hand to help me up. "Let's go check on our boy."