29. Ms. Porter
Chapter twenty-nine
Ms. Porter
Miss Ashley was here to stay. It was only a matter of time before she became Mrs. Reeves, and if Ms. Porter had anything to say about it, there would be a nursery at Winterridge before long.
A house this grand deserved little feet racing through the halls, sticky fingerprints on the windows, and children laughing as they slid down the banisters despite being told not to.
Her gaze drifted toward the foyer where a certain mystery book sat tucked beneath Master Gabe’s arm. She hadn’t been the one to place it beneath the tree, but she had a sneaking suspicion she knew exactly who had. Some Christmas miracles took a little longer to unwrap than others.
Ms. Porter smiled to herself. Next Christmas would be another memorable one.
As for Miss Marilyn and Master Cole…
Well.
Ms. Porter had been at Winterridge long enough to know exactly what happened when two stubborn Wetherbys refused to say what they were thinking:
Fireworks… and not the pretty Fourth of July kind.
With Miss Ashley home, she hoped the rest of the family would find their way back more often. Even Camille.
Winterridge had a funny way of calling people home when they needed it most.
A burst of laughter echoed from the foyer, drawing Ms. Porter’s attention.
Miss Ashley had just walked beneath the mistletoe hanging from the grand archway without so much as a glance overhead. Carter, however, noticed immediately.
He reached for her hand. “Looks like you’re trapped.”
Ashley looked up, spotted the mistletoe, and laughed. “I suppose rules are rules.”
Carter smiled in a way that had been missing for far too many Christmases before cupping her cheek and kissing her with the passion of a man madly in love.
Around them, the family erupted into whistles, applause, and enough teasing to make Miss Ashley’s cheeks rival the ribbons on the garland.
Bill laughed the loudest.
Ms. Porter folded her hands together and smiled.
After eight long years…
Christmas had finally found its way home again.