Silver Linings (Collier’s Creek Christmas)

10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Greg

“Of course, I’m looking forward to seeing your mom and dad, but I’m absolutely starving.”

Cam laughs. “Luckily Mom’s been cooking up a storm since yesterday.”

“I can’t wait for her turkey. Mmm. Stuffing, sweet potatoes…”

We make our way to the front door past the fall decorations that adorn the porch. Cam opens the door and tantalizing aromas waft from the house. My stomach growls in anticipation and Cam chuckles.

I’m just about to step inside when my phone buzzes in my coat pocket. I transfer the bottle of wine I’m holding to my other hand and fish out the phone to see Madison’s name on the screen. “Hey babe, you go on in,” I tell Cam. “I’m just gonna take this real quick—it’s Madi.”

“Sure. Wish her happy Thanksgiving.” He kisses my cheek and heads inside.

I swipe to answer, a smile already spreading across my face. “Madi! Happy Thanksgiving!”

“Happy Turkey Day, little bro! How’s it going? You guys at Cam’s folks’ place?”

“Yeah, we just got here. It’s decked out to the nines, as usual.” I lean against the porch railing, admiring the fall decorations. No doubt it’ll be filled to overflowing with Christmas stuff by Monday. “How are things on your end? The kids driving you nuts yet?”

“Oh, you know it! They’re missing their Uncle Greg.” She chuckles wryly. “But we’ll survive.”

“I miss you guys too.”

“Listen, since it’s Thanksgiving I wanted to call and tell you…” Her voice softens. “I’m really grateful to have you in our life, Greg. You’re an amazing brother and a fantastic uncle.”

My throat tightens with emotion. Growing up, Madi was always there for me, and even now she offers so much support. Since our parents’ deaths, she’s become even more important. “Aww, sis… I’m grateful for you too. So much. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“That’s what older sisters are for,” she teases. “Anyway, I won’t keep you. Go stuff your face and give Cam’s family my love, okay? And take lots of pics for me!”

“Will do. Love you, Madi.”

As the call ends, I slip the phone back into my pocket, and it really hits me how lucky I am—my family, an amazing husband, another incredible family who’ve welcomed me with open arms. What more could a guy ask for? With a smile on my face, I turn and push open the front door to be greeted by the sound of laughter and conversation. Once I’ve hung up my coat, I head to the living room.

“There he is!” Cam’s dad, Michael, steps forward.

“Hey, everyone,” I say as I step inside the room. “Happy Thanksgiving!”

Michael shakes my hand and pulls me in to clap my back. “Nice to see you, Greg.”

Cam’s mom Marnie rushes over and pulls me into a tight hug. “Oh, Greg, honey, it’s so wonderful to have you here!”

“Thanks for having me,” I reply.

Marnie waves a dismissive hand. “Pfft, ‘thanks for having me,’ he says! Greg Freeman, you know full well you’re always welcome here, holiday or not.” She pats my cheek affectionately. “Now, let me look at you…”

I laugh as she steps back, eyeing me up and down. You’d think she hadn’t seen me in years instead of only a week ago. “Yep, still devastatingly handsome,” I say, striking a pose. “Cam’s a lucky guy.”

“Damn straight.” Cam appears at my side, slipping an arm around my waist and pressing a kiss to my temple.

Marnie rolls her eyes and giggles. “Oh, you two!” She raises her arms and places a palm on each of our cheeks. Her smile is radiant, eyes shining as she looks between us. “I’m the lucky one, seeing my boys so happy.”

Her boys. My throat tightens at her words. “We’re the lucky ones, Marnie. Seriously. You guys… I can’t even tell you how much you mean to me. You and Michael.”

Michael chuckles, a deep rumble, and claps me on the back again. “Well, maybe you can show us then? How about one of you boys takes over carving the turkey? It’s time this old guy handed over the mantle.”

“Old? Jesus, Dad. You’re not old, you’re more like a classic.”

“Yeah. You’re vintage. Like fine wine,” I joke as I pass over the bottle of red I’m holding. I’m rewarded with Michael’s wide grin.

“You guys are so silly.” Marnie laughs, her blue eyes crinkling. “But speaking of turkey, we’d better eat before the turkey turns to jerky.”

“Well, we couldn’t want that to happen, would we, love?” Michael says, hooking his elbow through hers.

Laughter follows as I enter the dining room, Cam’s hand steady at the small of my back. The table practically groans beneath a glorious spread—golden turkey, mounds of stuffing and mashed potatoes, the obligatory sweet potato with marshmallows and green bean casserole, plus gravy and cranberry sauce.

“Wow. You’ve outdone yourselves. This looks incredible!”

“Nothing but the best for our boys,” Marnie says, her smile betraying her happiness. She gestures to the chairs. “Well, have a seat! Hope you came hungry, because I expect to see those plates clean.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I reply, and Cam salutes, then we take our usual spots side by side. Despite his earlier comment, Michael stands at the head of the table and carves the turkey.

We settle in and pass dishes around, loading plates, falling into the familiar pattern of a family meal with the Walkers—lots of good-natured teasing, and laughter. I’m content to mostly listen, basking in the warmth, the pure joy of sharing this day with Cam. Cam’s an only child, but I think, even if he was one of a dozen, he’d still share a close relationship with his parents—they enjoy each other’s company so much.

Conversation turns to reminiscing about other family celebrations.

“Hey, remember when Greg was grilling that marinated steak at our farewell party before we left for our big trip?” Cam says. He turns to his parents, barely suppressing a grin. “Nearly singed his eyebrows clean off!”

“Oh no.” I groan, covering my face as chuckles erupt around the table. “I thought we agreed never to speak of that again! I was trying to make sure the steak was cooked to perfection.” How was I to know the marinade would drip onto the coals and pretty much explode?

“Aw, cut him some slack, Cam,” Michael says, fighting to keep a straight face. “The boy gets points for trying!”

“More like foolhardiness,” Cam mutters, shaking his head, but he’s still grinning. “God, the smell of that burnt hair.”

I drop my voice for his ears only. “Just you wait, mister. I’ll get you back for this later.”

He leans in close, breath tickling my ear. “Looking forward to it, babe…”

My pulse kicks up a notch. I smirk and arch a brow. “Careful what you wish for…”

Turning back to my plate, I dig in while talk turns to other subjects—Michael’s latest project at the garage, Marnie’s volunteer work at the hospital, the old family recipes used for various dishes. The stuffing is a Walker tradition going back three generations, apparently. It’s nice to see the generations who are no longer with us being honored with these memories.

As I listen and savor each delicious mouthful of the meal, a profound sense of belonging settles deep in my bones. This is what Thanksgiving is truly about—loved ones gathered together, sharing food and stories and laughter. Making precious new memories to cherish always.

After the meal, Cam and I find ourselves alone in the kitchen, rinsing dishes, loading the dishwasher, and washing up the pots. As I hand Cam a serving platter to dry, my gaze lands on the array of framed photos lining the shelf above the sink. One in particular catches my eye—chubby-cheeked toddler with wild brown curls and a megawatt grin, chocolate smeared across his face.

“Aww… so cute!” I tease, nudging Cam playfully. “Looks like someone thoroughly enjoyed their birthday cake.”

Cam groans. “I thought Mom took that one down! So embarrassing…”

“Are you kidding? It’s precious! Baby Cam in all his messy cake-loving glory. That sweet tooth started early.” I press a smacking kiss to his cheek.

Cam shakes his head and reaches for the porcelain baby bowl nestled amongst the frames. His fingertips trace the delicate blue pattern. “I can’t believe she still has this old thing.”

“Of course she does. It’s a treasure, a symbol of her baby boy.” I wrap my arms around Cam from behind, hooking my chin over his shoulder. “Just like that Mother’s Day card on the fridge you made her when you were, what, six? Seven?”

Cam twists to look at the faded cardboard card displayed on the fridge, a child’s wobbly handwriting proclaiming “BEST MOM EVER!” in bright crayon. He huffs a little laugh. “Man, I poured my whole heart into that card. Spent days on it.”

“And she’s cherished it ever since. Because that’s what moms do. They save every precious memory, every little piece of your childhood. It’s all priceless to her.”

Cam turns in my arms, looping his own around my neck. His eyes shine with so much love, it steals my breath. “Yeah, she’s pretty amazing like that. The best mom a guy could ask for.”

“She really is,” I agree softly, leaning in until our foreheads touch. “We’re so lucky, Cam. Your family… they’ve accepted me completely, made me one of their own.”

“Mom and Dad adore you, babe. Because they see how happy you make me, how perfectly you fit in.” Cam smiles, tucking a curl behind my ear. “You’re part of the family, Greg, because you’re mine.”

Emotion clogs my throat. “And you’re mine.”

Our lips meet in a slow, sweet kiss. Cam’s mouth tastes sweet—

A throat clearing makes us jump apart like startled rabbits. I whip around to find Marnie leaning against the doorframe, eyes twinkling.

“Don’t stop on my account, boys! I think it’s wonderful, seeing you two so in love.” She waves a hand when Cam and I both start sputtering. “Oh, hush. Like I didn’t already know my son was a hopeless romantic at heart. You know… seeing you together, it takes me back. Reminds me so much of Michael and me at your age—young and crazy about each other, ready to build a beautiful life.” Her eyes mist over. “You two are going to make such a wonderful family of your own someday.”

Cam squeezes my hand. “You really think so, Mom?”

“Honey, I know so,” Marnie says firmly. “The love you boys have is a special kind of magic. Those will be the luckiest kids in the world, growing up surrounded by so much love.”

“That…” I shallow hard. “That means more than you know. Thank you, Marnie.”

She crosses to us, pulling us both into a tight hug. “It’s simply the truth. You two are going to be amazing fathers. And I can’t wait to spoil my grandbabies rotten!”

Cam grins. “They’ll be the most loved kids ever. By all of us.”

“Darn right they will!” Marnie says. Then she pulls back, swiping her eye with the back of her hand. “But all in good time, of course. No pressure from this mom, I promise. Whenever you’re ready, I’m just excited for the day I’ll have grandbabies to fuss over.”

“And maybe a new generation of Walker troublemakers for the photo shelf?” I add, indicating the frames.

“Oh lord, if they inherit their daddy’s wild streak, we’re all in trouble!” Marnie places a palm on her chest in feigned distress, but her eyes crinkle as she smiles.

Cam gives an indignant huff and swats at his mother with the dishtowel. She ducks away, laughing. I love how the sweet solemn moment eases into playfulness, once again reminded how lucky I am to be part of this family.

Just then, Michael enters the kitchen carrying a platter. “Alright, who’s ready for round two? I’ve got enough turkey here to feed an army!”

I place a hand on my full belly. “I need to digest this lot first. I knew I shouldn’t have eaten that second helping of pie.”

“Nonsense,” Marnie says as she takes the platter from Michael and places it on the counter. “There’s no such thing as too much pie. Now go relax until game time.”

“Can I give you a hand, Marnie?”

She gestures to the living room. “Off with you. I’m just going to pack some of this up for you boys to take home. I’ll join you when I’ve finished.”

Michael grabs some beers from the fridge. “Come along, boys.”

We move to the living room and turn on the television preparing to settle in for a couple of hours, but not long after, Marnie comes in. “Before you get too comfortable, let’s take the family photo,” she says.

Michael hauls over the tripod with his camera mounted on top. He fusses with the camera, setting the timer as Marnie joins us on the couch.

“Okay, everyone, get in close,” Marnie says.

Cam wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me to him. I lean into his touch, feeling the warmth of his body against mine. Michael takes his place beside Marnie, his smile wide. As the camera beeps, signaling the countdown, I squeeze Cam’s knee and know I’m grinning like a fool.

The shutter clicks, capturing this moment forever. A snapshot of love and of family.

Later, when we’re saying our goodbyes, I pull Marnie aside, needing to express the feelings that have been building inside me all day. “I just wanted to thank you for everything. For raising such an amazing son, for welcoming me into your family, for your constant love and support.”

Her eyes shine as she reaches out to squeeze my hand. “Oh, honey,” she murmurs, “you never have to thank me for that. You’re a part of this family, now and always.”

I pull her into a hug, holding on tight, trying to pour all my gratitude and love into the embrace. “Thank you.”

As we pull apart, Marnie wipes at her eyes, laughing softly. “Now, go on.” She shoos me toward the door where Cam is waiting with our coats. “You boys have a safe drive back. And don’t forget to message when you get home.”

I grin, nodding my head. “We will. I promise.”

After one last round of hugs and goodbyes, we head to the car. I put my hand on Cam’s thigh as we pull away from the curb, and as the familiar streets of Collier’s Creek pass by, I replay the events of the day in my mind.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Cam says and I glance over to find him watching me, a soft smile playing at his lips.

I exhale a contented sigh, leaning back against the headrest, my thumb stroking absently over the fabric of his jeans. “I was just thinking about how lucky we are.”

“I know what you mean,” he murmurs, his gaze drifting back to the road. “Growing up, I always knew I was different. That my dreams of falling in love and starting a family might not look like everyone else’s. But my parents never made me feel like that was a bad thing. They just wanted me to be happy, to find someone who loved me as much as they did.”

I swallow hard against the sudden swell of emotion. “And you did. We both did.”