It's a Wonderful Tangled Christmas Carol (Tangled, #4.5) (17)

She’s a perfect wife. And she’s the most amazing mother.

But here, now, she didn’t get to be any of those things.

And that’s so f*cking wrong.

Kate glances at her glass of champagne and whispers, “Merry Christmas, Kate.” Then she takes a sip.

“Hey, Dee?”

“Yeah?”

“Remember when I said I was happy that Kate wasn’t involved with anyone?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not happy about it anymore.”

Delores walks to me and takes my arm. “Then it’s time to go.”



We’re back in my office—my real office. The family portrait of me, Kate, and James sitting on my desk proves that this is my time, my reality—where Kate and I met, fell in love, spawned, and married.

And I sigh with blessed f*cking relief.

I’m at my desk while Delores sits cross-legged in one of the chairs across from me.

“You were thinking about soul mates before. Remember? The truth is, soul mates are real: halves of the same coin. They can live without each other, go on to have successful, content existences. But they’ll never be as perfectly happy as they would’ve been, and could be, if they find their other half. That’s what you and Kate are like.”

I smile. “That sounds just about right to me.” I rub a hand down my face. “I want to go home, Dee. I want to hug my kid and kiss my wife and just . . . be with them. I want to look back and remember having this awesome night—with them.”

Delores grins and she almost looks proud of me. “First you have to wake up, Drew.”

And she snaps her fingers.





chapter 6


I jolt violently awake at my desk, nailing my shin on the drawer in the process. “Goddamn it!”

I rub my leg and check the time. Seven thirty. Though it feels like a lot longer, only an hour and a half has passed since I arrived at the office.

I still have time.

I rattle off a quick email, canceling my conference with Media Solutions and attaching a PDF of my proposal. I tell them, in a professional sounding way, that they can take it or leave it, and if they leave it—it’s their loss.

Then I grab my stuff and sprint through the city.

I walk through my sister’s apartment door twenty minutes later, brushing snowflakes off my shoulders from the storm that just started. I head right for the family room—and see everyone there, just like I knew they would be.

A dark-haired little blur runs toward me. “Daddy!”

Laughing, I scoop him up and hug James until he squeaks. He leans back and gifts me with a faultless smile. “I knew you’d come.”

A lump clogs my throat.

I push past it to tell him, “And I’m so happy that you knew that. I love you, buddy. More than anything else in the whole world.”

He giggles. “I know.”

I keep him in my arms as Alexandra comes to greet me. “It’s about time.”

“Sorry I’m late.” And I hug her just a little longer than usual. “I don’t think I’ve told you lately, but you’re the best sister ever, Lexi.”

She ruffles my hair. “How sweet are you?”

From across the room, Mackenzie raises her shot glass of apple cider. “Glad you could make it, Uncle Drew.”

“Glad to be here, sweetheart! You and I need to talk—I owe you. I’ll explain later.”

My sister insists, “No ponies, or farm animals of any kind!”

And the whole room laughs.

I pass Delores and shock the shit out of her by kissing her on the cheek. “Merry Christmas, Dee.”

She looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Are you drunk?”

I chuckle. “Kind of feels like it.”

Then I spot Kate. And every fiber of my being hums with devotion and relief.

She eyes me warily. Stiffly. Still annoyed.

I set James on his feet. “You want to kick Uncle Matthew’s and Uncle Steven’s asses in Ping-Pong?”

“Definitely!”

I jerk my head to the table. “Go set it up. I’m going to talk to your mom a sec.”

I walk up to Kate and guide her to a corner of the room, out of the others’ earshot.

“Did your meeting finish up early?” she asks in a steely voice.

Can’t really blame her.

“I canceled the meeting.”

Her big, gorgeous brown eyes look surprised. And hopeful. “Why?”

“Because being here with you is more important than any deal. I never should’ve scheduled work on Christmas Eve. I never should’ve left the apartment when you were upset about it. I won’t do it again. I’m sorry.”

Kate gazes into my eyes, reading my sincerity. Then she smiles. With so much love, it makes my knees tremble.

“I forgive you.”

I pull her to me and kiss her deeply. Tenderly. Stroking her cheek with my thumb.

Then Kate looks up into my face. “Are you okay? You seem different.”

“I had this really screwed-up dream. I’ll tell you about it later.” Then I think of something else. “Hey—what do you think of going to Bumf*ck, Ohio, for New Year’s Eve?”

She smiles even brighter. “I would love that.”