Chapter 28 Justin
JUSTIN
You can do this. You were invited.
Justin chanted the phrase in his head as he turned into the drive leading to Taylor Ranch.
He’d passed this place a thousand times, fantasizing what it would be like to walk up to Caroline’s parents and confess his love.
In all the daydreams her parents had shut the door.
If today proved anything, it was that real life didn’t always follow the playbook.
His stomach flipped like a bad pitch. Caroline slipped her hand away from his with a quiet laugh. “Your hands are sweaty.”
He wiped his palm on his jeans. “Sorry. It’s one thing to meet your parents, another to be invited to the family Christmas.”
Her fingers found the nape of his neck, feather-light and steady. “You’re overthinking this. Pretend it’s just brunch. My brothers’ families live on the ranch—they have meals there all the time.”
“What about you?” he asked.
“I don’t get a lot of chances during the Christmas season. I spend too many hours at the bakery.”
Justin leaned into her touch, desperate for more of the steadiness she gave. “Have you considered hiring more help during the holidays?”
“I have, but I got so caught up in the problems that I didn’t feel like I had time to bring on someone new, much less train them.”
“You know I’ll help whenever I can.”
“I do,” she said, twisting her fingers into the short hair on the nape of his neck. “You’re the best unpaid employee I have.”
“I think that means I’m a volunteer.”
The Taylors’ house sat on a gentle rise, windows glowing like beacons. Caroline pointed. “Park beside Clint’s truck. Hey, look! Alicia made it back from her holiday show in time.”
The joy Caroline radiated at the mere thought of her family being together in one place was a sight to behold. It was a benchmark for the kind of life he wanted to give her—more family with more happiness. A life that had none of the scraping, hollowed-out corners Chuck had left in his.
As soon as Justin shifted into Park, Caroline dove over the console, sliding her hands behind his neck and pulling him in for a kiss that scorched his skin despite the cool morning.
This was what made her different from everyone else in the world. She saw his nervous insecurities and met them with unapologetic reassurances.
“I love you,” he murmured, before she could scramble out of the truck in that way she had when she was excited.
“I love you more,” she shot over her shoulder. Before he could clear the clouds from his head, she was bouncing on her toes, waiting for him to join her.
He reached for the brown paper bags of gifts behind his seat. The bags strained under the weight of the presents. He’d agreed with Caroline’s suggestion that they give each other smaller, meaningful gifts, but he’d made no promises to hold back on presents for her nephews.
As she tugged him by the hand across the porch, he focused on the steady thump of his boots on the wood, trying to breathe through the sudden scramble of nerves.
He knew they’d love anyone Caroline loved.
Was he even worthy of their acceptance? Still, invited or not, the first step across that threshold felt heavy.
Alicia was the first to notice him as they stepped into the room with the large Christmas tree and the garland on every surface. “You’re here!” Alicia rushed at him, wrapping him in a quick hug before moving on to Caroline.
Clint’s voice cut through the bustle. He crossed the room and held out his hand. “Hey, man. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Justin blinked. Nice? Not a clipped warning, not a closed fist. Nice rattled something hopeful in him. “Nice to meet you too.”
“Caroline speaks highly of you,” Clint said, glancing at his sister. “I’ve never seen her this happy.”
Hearing that from her brother was all it took to boost Justin’s mood. Caroline’s eyes glistened as if she might burst. He wasn’t the only one who’d been waiting for this moment.
Clint hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “Want to ride to the woodshop before we eat? I want you to see the crib I just finished.”
A dark-haired woman entered the room, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “Not everyone cares about our baby’s crib.”
Clint opened his arms to the woman. “Justin, this is my wife, Nora. Have you met each other?”
Nora tried to hide her smile by biting her lips. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
The muscles in his shoulders tensed just before he shook Nora’s hand. There were whole books of things these people could have heard about him, and the mix of topics wasn’t good.
“Caroline has been talking you up. Thanks for being so good to her,” Nora said.
“What about me?” Clint asked, faking offense. “I’m always good to you. Where’s my thanks?”
Nora slapped a hand on her husband’s chest. “Thank you for being so good to me. Now, will you run to our house and get the extra gallon of milk? Max insists he needs it with his pancakes.”
“Your wish is my command,” Clint said before turning back to Justin and Caroline. “Stop by the woodshop on the way?”
Justin and Caroline squished into the cab of Clint’s truck. He held her hand tightly, thinking of Clint’s dedication to building something for his child who hadn’t even been born yet. What would it be like to have a dad like that?
The woodshop smelled of sawdust and oil when they walked in. Clint flipped on the lights and the crib stood in the middle of the floor. Caroline gasped and eased forward like it was an animal that might be scared away. “It’s gorgeous.”
Closer, he could see the edges sanded with care, the slats all precise and exact, the dark wood stained evenly.
“You’re such a good dad,” she breathed.
Clint shrugged. “Learned from the best.”
He thought of his own childhood, not examples of hard work or affection, but lessons of how to duck and survive.
Chuck had been a storm to navigate. He never bothered to show how he cared, because he didn’t.
This was the complete opposite of Justin’s upbringing, but if one of them got to have a good father, he was glad it was Caroline.
Her hand slid up his arm, reminding him that she knew his mind and heart better than anyone else. “You okay?” she asked quietly.
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
Clint leaned on the side of the crib. “You heard from your old man lately?”
“Clint!” Caroline shouted as she rounded on her brother.
Justin wrapped his arm around her waist and tugged her against him. “It’s alright.”
“You think he’s still alive?” Clint asked.
“Will you please stop talking?” Caroline ground out through gritted teeth.
“I checked on him a little while ago. He’s in bad shape, actually. Liver failure.”
Caroline tensed in his arms. “You didn’t tell me that.”
“I like to think about him as little as possible,” he said.
Clint ran his hand along the crib railing. “I’m sorry, man. I bet it sucked growing up with him.”
“Sucked is putting it mildly,” Caroline interjected.
It was so rare to hear Caroline show any emotion that resembled anger. Bringing up his dad always brought out a little heat. Justin tightened his hold on her. “It’s okay, sweetheart.”
“He’s leaving us alone, but I hate to hear he’s sick,” Caroline said as she pushed away from him.
Justin pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Let’s go get the milk so we can eat.”
Brunch was riotous in the best possible way. Bowls passed, football on the TV, blankets thrown over knees, the tree glowing in the corner. Grant thanked God for family and for the love that kept them together, and there was a genuine peace of those words.
After the meal, Grant got everyone’s attention with a powerful clear of his throat. As if that were the cue they’d all been waiting for, kids and adults alike moved into the living room on chairs, couches, and the rug on the floor.
Caroline grabbed Justin’s hand and led him to a recliner where she made herself comfortable curled up in his lap with her head resting on his shoulder.
Grant leaned forward and scooted to the edge of his seat. “It’s Christmas, and we all know what that’s really about.”
“Not presents!” Drew shouted.
A chorus of laughter swept through the room as Alicia hugged her oldest child.
Grant’s mustache lifted as he winked at his grandson. “That’s right. It’s about Jesus. We’re celebrating the birth of the Savior who lived, died, and rose from the grave. He saved us from our sins.”
“Happy birthday, Jesus!” the kids sang in unison.
Grant rested his elbows on his knees as he looked at the kids gathered by the tree. “And what is the greatest gift of all?”
“Love!” Bentley chimed in.
“The love that God has for us. We don’t deserve it, but he gives it to us anyway,” Grant said.
Caroline pressed a kiss to Justin’s cheek, reminding him that he had way more than he deserved.
Grant led the family in prayer, and the kids ripped into the gifts like the paper was on fire.
Shouts followed every gift reveal, and Justin was called on to help open boxes and toys with his pocket knife.
Alicia appeared with a box of batteries in various sizes, and Clint worked hard installing batteries and piecing toys together.
Justin stood to move out of the way as paper continued flying around the room, and someone grabbed his arm. It was Caroline’s mom looking at him with eyes that were so much like her daughter’s.
“Merry Christmas,” Vicci said. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Justin couldn’t have been more off-balance if he’d taken a line-drive to the chest. Not only had Vicci welcomed him into her family, but she’d shown him how easily she loved in the way Christ told us to. There was no question where Caroline had learned to love. It filled every inch of this home.
“Thank you for inviting me.”
Grant made his way over and stood beside Justin. He kept his attention on the kids, but his words were for Justin. “Take care of my baby.”
Justin met him straight on. “I will. It’ll be an honor.” He wanted to be worthy of their trust. He wanted to be the kind of man who deserved to be trusted.