Sharon whistled and got everyone’s attention, even the puppy. “Santa’s superbusy, and he’s appointed Poppa to do his job. So let’s go on into the living room.”

Natalie loved presents. Loved the process of finding the exactly perfect thing for each person. Over the course of the year, she was on the lookout for everyone. For holidays big and small. The closet in her bedroom was full of presents she’d found here and there.

And she loved wrapping them, too. Each present under the tree from her was something she’d genuinely thought about, from the awesome veterinary kit for Vaughan’s oldest daughter, to the new gloves, three pairs, for Sharon, who lost them all the time. Mary’s present was in the form of a promise. She was having a blanket made because she was awful at such things herself. But the blanket had little sayings all over it from songs and poems and things his or her parents and family said.

And while she was long past a crappy childhood full of disappointing Christmases, she wasn’t prepared for what it felt like to be treated like one of the Hurleys.

Michael brought her a present from him and Sharon, a brooch to pin her scarves, a scarf to pin it to and a jewelry box Michael had made. There was a season pass to the theater in Portland from Damien and Mary, a coffee mug with art the girls had done; Vaughan had donated a sizable sum to the library in her name, and Ezra gave her gift certificates for a massage every month for the next year.

There’d been perfume and books—lots and lots of books—movies, cosmetics, pretty pins for her hair and then once the girls had been gifted enough to be sucked into playing with stuff, the couples gave each other gifts.

Paddy brought out a tier of boxes. She cocked her head. “What did you do, Patrick?”

“Open up and see.”

It was...hats. Lots and lots of hats. Summer hats and winter hats. Knit caps, a beret, a beautiful hat he whispered she could wear to the Kentucky Derby because that was part of the present, too. Lastly, he gave her a cowboy hat. A simple, classic, elegant cowboy hat. Gray. She’d been admiring that hat two months before in town on a person at a table across from where she and Damien had been sitting.

“How?”

“When you went to the bathroom, I went over and asked where she got the hat. No big deal.”

She hugged him. “Total big deal.”

“You missed this.” He handed her the box again, and she saw the envelope. She opened it to find an itinerary. Paris for a week. “I’d sweep you away for more, but I didn’t know how much vacation time you had.”

“Wow. You sure know how to give presents.”

He grinned. “I did okay, then?”

“More than okay.”

“Good. Gimme my present!”

Ezra groaned. “He’s been like this since we were kids.”

“Hang on. Close your eyes.”

She got up and headed into the laundry room where she’d stashed it, knowing a guitar case was pretty recognizable, even wrapped in colorful paper.

By the time she returned, everyone had turned to watch as they’d finished their gift giving. She blushed, cursing that she hadn’t done this earlier. She put it down on Paddy’s knees. “You can open up.”

He did and made a happy little sound when he saw the shape. He tore the paper like a wild man and it made her laugh.

“Love the case,” he murmured and then flipped the latches, opening it up. He gasped, as did Damien and Vaughan. Paddy pulled it out and set the case aside, examining the guitar. “Sweet baby Jesus. Is this Ed Chasen’s Gibson?”

She nodded.

“How did you even get him... Wow. Wow. Gorgeous, this is...wow.” He kept looking down at it, brushing his fingers over the curves, against the strings, over the neck. He placed it back in the case and then grabbed her in a hug. “You’re the best girlfriend in the whole world. Thank you. I’m going to take this on tour with me. I can’t wait to play it.”

He kept on and let her go, kissing her soundly right before he stepped away.

“She’s not going to tell you the story of how she convinced Ed to sell her the guitar, so I’m going to because it’s the best story ever.” Ezra winked at her and proceeded to tell the room how she’d done it.

* * *

A FEW HOURS LATER, Sharon approached, putting her arm around Natalie. “You made his entire life. Thank you for being so good to my boy.”

“Well, he’s... It’s not hard.”

Sharon laughed. “Sure it is. He’s a pain in the butt. But he’s worth it, and you see through all that outer stuff straight into the heart of who he is.”

She blushed. “Thank you.”

“I should also tell you we met our goals two weeks early with the collection drive. Paddy and the rest have been so busy finishing up their record, Michael went with me to drop it all off. We made a lot of happy families at a time of major need. You were so integral to those efforts.”

Sharon hugged her.

“That’s great news! I have ideas for some things we can do next year, too. There are some food pantries in dire need, and I’ve spoken with a few of the restaurants in town about maybe doing a themed night where people can choose certain restaurants where a percentage of the receipts can go to the food banks.”

Sharon beamed. “Let’s meet after the New Year. Come over for dinner and we’ll work on some plans. I’ll invite some of the folks I’ve worked with in the past on different charity drives, too. Never hurts to have lots of ideas.”