Christmas Surprises Read Online Free

it made Rachel wonder what exactly was going on with her mother-in-law.
     
    "Yes, actually," Natalie said, a tiny uncertain laugh in the answer.  "But if it's going to cause a big fuss, I don't want to bring the drama on you and all --"
     
    "No drama in bringing a nice little widow over for dinner," Rachel grinned, thinking about how glad Micah would be to see that his mother had made a new friend, given how much he worried about her now that she was a widow.  Rachel hadn't been in the picture when they lost his father, but she'd seen the concern and responsibility Micah carried ever since grow more and more.
     
    "But, Rachel," Natalie said, "my guest is --"
     
    "Knock, knock..."
     
    And all talk of Natalie's guest was forgotten as yet another guest came into the room, held closely in Micah's arms.
     
    "Surprise, surprise," he whispered, looking to the girls' room, where the door was still shut and the twins were still sleeping.
     
    Rachel put down all that she was working on in the kitchen, the snacks that she planned on having out before the meal Grant was making, the snacks that he would likely criticize.  Rachel, did you just pick up that awful ready made cookie dough?!  I could have made you better stuff!
     
    But it would give him five minutes with his wife to have someone else do it, something that he didn't have all that often, given his time constraints with the restaurant.
     
    (None of her business, of course, but anyone could see how lonely Maddie was after spending just five minutes with her.  Five minutes that she wasn't getting with her husband, but hadn't Rachel already mentioned that?)
     
    Pushing her brother's troubles to a back corner of her mind, Rachel made her way over to her husband, her hand to her mouth, barely concealing her grin.
     
    "Hey, Natalie, I gotta let you go.  Micah just came home with the girls' gift!"
     
    "Oh," Natalie breathed, and Rachel could hear the smile in her voice.  "Well, then, we'll see you tonight, okay?"
     
    "Sounds good," Rachel said, hanging up the phone and grinning at her husband.
     
    "What do you think?," he asked.
     
    "Aww," she whispered, looking at what he held.  "She's perfect!"
     
    "Told you this would be the most amazing Christmas gift," he said, leaning over to kiss her, such pride in the smile he gave.  "Are the girls still asleep?"
     
    "Sure are," she said, reaching out for the small bundle.  The towel Micah had been holding fell open to reveal a ball of white fuzz, a quivering little nose, and a tiny pink tongue, which darted out and licked Rachel as she cuddled the bundle close.
     
    "A puppy for Christmas," Micah murmured.  "Best dad of the year, right here."
     
    "Except it was my idea, too," Rachel insisted, looking the puppy over.  "Any special instructions from the breeder?  Any particular type of food she needs to eat?"
     
    "Taylor's bringing it in, along with the crate, the leash, the collar, the food bowls, the puppy pads, the pet bed, the toys, the paperwork for her vet visits... already spent a fortune on this dog," he said.
     
    "And it's just starting!," Rachel murmured, her nose right on the furry little dog's nose.  "Maybe Seth will give us a discount on the shots, huh?"
     
    "Doubtful," Micah muttered.  "Even though I give him a discount on all of the dental work all of his kids are always needing."
     
    "You do that for him, and yet you charged Grant full price for his root canal," she chided.
     
    Micah grinned.  "That's payback for all the meals he's refused to comp us over the years.  The tightwad.  The lack of family discounts goes both ways, you know."
     
    "Family discounts?"  Taylor had heard that as he'd come through the door, his arms full of puppy products.  "Who's giving family discounts?"
     
    "Not Micah," Rachel answered, reaching over to put her arm around her brother-in-law and hug him close.  "Taylor, what do you think about the puppy?"
     
    "She peed on me in the truck," he said, frowning,