Silver Linings (Collier’s Creek Christmas)

18. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

Greg

I carefully untie the gold ribbon and lift the lid off the long, slim box. Nestled inside on a bed of tissue paper is a leather bracelet, the strands intertwined in an intricate pattern. A silver compass clasp gleams in the center, catching the light from the Christmas tree as I angle the box.

“Oh, Cam, it’s beautiful.” The leather is buttery soft against my fingers as I lift it from the box.

Cam reaches over and takes the bracelet. “May I?”

I nod and hold out my hand. Cam unclasps the bracelet and fastens it around my wrist, his fingers brushing my skin as the compass settles, the silver cool and solid.

“I love it,” I say softly, twisting my arm and admiring how the leather wraps around my wrist. The different shades of brown remind me of Cam’s eyes, earthy and warm.

He traces a finger over the compass. “I’m glad, babe. I saw it and immediately thought of you.”

I lean in and kiss him. “Thank you. I’ll wear it always.”

His fingers brush over the leather strands. “See how the different strands of leather weave together? It’s like us, babe. We’re stronger together, our lives intertwined. And the compass, it’s a reminder that no matter what challenges we face, we’ll always find our way as long as we have each other.”

My heart skips a beat at his words. It’s sentimental but just perfect at this moment. I nod, blinking back the sudden sting of tears at the gift having so much meaning. A lump forms in my throat. “Cam…”

“I know the last couple of years haven’t been easy, with your accident and recovery. But you’ve been so strong, Greg. And every day, I fall more in love with you.”

My emotions threaten to spill over. I swallow hard. “I couldn’t have done it without you. I know I’ve said it before, but you’re my rock, Cam. Thank you. For everything.”

He smiles, that knee-weakening grin of his. “Merry Christmas, babe.”

“Merry Christmas.” I pull him close and kiss him deep. Cam’s mouth is hot, his lips soft, and his tongue tastes of coffee and the pastries we’d shared for breakfast earlier. My blood heats and I want more. So much more. He groans, one hand tangling in my hair as he angles my face. I’m lost in his scent, his taste, his hands on my body—

A knock at the front door breaks the spell.

We pull apart and Cam arches a brow. “Damn! Who on earth could that be?”

I shrug, equally puzzled. “No idea. We’re not expected at Madi’s ’til later, and I can’t think of anyone who’d drop by unannounced on Christmas morning.”

There’s another knock, more insistent this time.

“I hope everything’s okay,” Cam says as we heave ourselves up from the nest of discarded wrapping paper in front of the Christmas tree.

When I swing open the door, there’s Madi, her blonde hair peeking out from under a knitted hat, and her cheeks flushed from the cold. She’s shifting nervously from foot to foot on our welcome mat.

“Madi?” I blink in surprise. “What are you doing here? I thought we were seeing you, Dan, and the kids later?”

She offers a tentative smile. “I know. I’m sorry for just dropping by like this. But I wanted to talk to you and Cam about something… something important.”

My stomach knots in concern as I step aside to let her in. It’s not like Madi to show up unannounced, especially not on Christmas morning when she’s usually home celebrating with her own kids. She’s always been the plan-ahead type, the one who sends out invitations for family get-togethers or calls first.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, searching her face for clues. “Are the kids alright? Dan?”

“Everyone’s fine,” she assures me quickly, stepping inside and placing a hand on my arm. “Really. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

Cam moves forward to take Madi’s coat. “Why don’t you come into the living room and sit down? I’ll make us some coffee. Oh, and Merry Christmas.”

Madi smiles and leans in to peck a kiss on his cheek. “Merry Christmas, Cam.”

She follows us to the living room and perches on the edge of the armchair. I notice the way she twists her wedding ring around her finger, a nervous habit I’ve seen a thousand times before. My mind races with possibilities as Cam disappears into the kitchen to start the coffee. What could be so important that she felt she needed to come over right away? A strange foreboding blooms in my chest, and I find myself suddenly impatient for Cam to hurry back.

I throw Madi an encouraging smile, trying to ignore the unease brewing inside me. “So… what’s going on?”

She meets my gaze, her blue eyes, so much like my own, searching mine. “It’s nothing bad, I promise. I just… I wanted to talk to you and Cam about something important. Something that couldn’t wait.”

I nod slowly. “Okay. Whatever it is, you can tell us, and we’ll support you.”

She smiles then, a real smile that eases some of the tightness in my chest. “I know. That’s why I’m here.”

In the kitchen, I hear Cam pulling down the sugar bowl, the fridge opening and closing as he grabs the cream. I fight the urge to call out to him, to tell him to hurry up. I know he’s giving us space, letting Madi and I have a moment together, but right now, I need him by my side. Plus, it seems she wants to talk to the two of us together.

Finally, he appears in the doorway with a tray of steaming mugs. He sets the tray down on the coffee table and passes a mug to Madi and one to me. Madi wraps her fingers around her mug and holds it tight.

Cam settles next to me on the couch, his thigh pressing against mine. Under different circumstances, the contact would be reassuring, but right now, all I can focus on is the way Madi looks at us over the rim of her mug.

“Okay, Madi,” Cam says gently, “we’re all ears. What’s on your mind?”

She takes a sip of her coffee, then sets the mug back down. She squares her shoulders, like she’s steeling herself for something big. I hold my breath, and Cam tenses beside me.

“Like I said, it’s nothing bad, I promise. I just wanted to give you your Christmas gift in private,” she says. “It’s something just for you.”

My brow furrows. A gift? We normally have fun exchanging presents with the family, but she doesn’t look joyful—she looks… apprehensive.

Cam leans forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “A private gift?”

Madi nods, a small smile starting to play at the corners of her mouth as she looks between Cam and me. “Yes. I didn’t want to do it in front of the kids. It’s not something I wanted to share with everyone. Not yet, anyway.”

My mind races, trying to piece together the puzzle and understand why all the mystery.

Cam’s hand finds mine, and he looks at me, brow furrowed. He’s obviously as confused as I am.

“Okay,” I say, focusing back on Madi. “I’ve got to admit I’m not sure what’s going on, but I’m intrigued.”

She takes a deep breath and looks directly at me.

“I want to be your surrogate.”

Did she just say what I thought she did? Cam’s hand tightens around mine, and I meet his gaze. His eyes are wide.

“You… what?” I say to Madi, needing confirmation that my mind isn’t playing tricks on me. We haven’t even broached the subject with her.

Her smile grows, and her eyes shine. “I want to carry your baby,” she says. “I want to give you both the family you’ve always dreamed of.”

The breath rushes out of me. It’s real. There’s a rush of joy, the kind that makes your heart feel like it’s going to burst right out of your chest.

“Madi, I… I don’t know what to say,” Cam says, his voice thick with emotion. “This is unbelievable… it’s too much.”

She shakes her head. “It’s not too much. It’s what I want to do. For both of you. I also want to donate the eggs.”

“But—”

She holds up her hand. “And I’ve been thinking… Cam should be the sperm donor. That way, the baby will have a genetic link to both of you.”

My mind is reeling, trying to process the magnitude of what she’s offering. A child, a perfect blend of Cam and me, growing inside my sister. It’s more than I ever dared to hope for. “You’ve thought this through, haven’t you?”

Madi nods, her expression turning serious. “I have. I’ve done the research, talked to doctors, spent hours talking it over with Dan… I’m ready for this, Greg. I want to do this for you.”

Tears blur my vision, and I blink them away. “I don’t know how we can ever thank you.” God, my heart is so full it feels like it might shatter.

Madi gets up and comes over to the couch, sitting beside me. She takes my free hand in hers. “You don’t have to thank me. This is what family does. We love each other, we support each other… we give each other the world, if we can.”

Looking into her eyes, seeing the love and determination shining there, I know she means every word.

Cam’s fingers tighten around mine, and I turn to meet his gaze. His eyes are brimming with emotion as we share a smile.

“There’s a lot to discuss,” Cam says, turning to Madi, his voice slightly hoarse. “But right now, I just… I can’t even begin to express how grateful I am, Madi. This is beyond anything we could have ever imagined.”

Her smile is radiant. “I know, and I’m so excited to be a part of this journey with you both. But listen, I’m going to get going. You two need a little time between yourselves.”

She stands up and I rise to my feet, still in shock over her offer. “Let me walk you out.”

She gives Cam a quick hug before heading to the hall. She grabs her coat and when she reaches the front door, she turns and pulls me into a hug. “Merry Christmas, little brother,” she whispers.

I hug her tightly. “Merry Christmas, Madi. I love you so much.”

She pulls back, cupping my face in her hands. “I love you too. Now, go be with your husband. I’ll see you a little bit later, okay?”

I nod, not trusting my voice, and watch as she makes her way down the path. Once she’s safely in her car, I close the door and lean against it for a moment. My mind is spinning. A baby, a family of our own… it’s everything we’ve ever wanted. It feels almost too good to be true. With a deep breath, I push off from the door and make my way back to the living room. Cam is standing by the Christmas tree, his back to me, and I’m sure he’s in shock, just like I am.

“Babe?” I come up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist. “Are you okay?”

He turns in my embrace and smiles. “I’m more than okay. I’m just… overwhelmed. In the best possible way.”

I rest my forehead against his. “Me too. It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?”

His arms tighten around me. “It is. But God, Greg… a baby. Our baby. I can’t even begin to wrap my mind around it. I can’t believe Madi was here just a moment ago giving us such a precious gift.”

“I know. It’s amazing.”

He smiles, that crooked smile that never fails to make my knees weak. “We’re going to be dads.”

I capture his lips in a kiss, pouring all the love and joy I feel into the gentle press of my mouth against his. He responds by melting his body into mine, deepening the kiss. When we finally break apart, I’m breathless.

Cam rests his forehead against mine. “This is turning out to be the best Christmas ever, isn’t it?”

“I’m still in shock, but the very best kind. Damn, how I love you and how damn much I love my sister.”

We stand there for a long moment, just holding each other until finally I glance at the clock on the mantel. “We should probably start getting ready if we’re going to drop the gifts off at your parents’ on the way to Madi’s.”

Cam nods, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead before stepping back. “You’re right. Let’s get this place tidied up and get on our way.”

It doesn’t take long. We stuff our torn wrapping paper into trash bags, then collect the gifts we wrapped for Michael and Marnie from under the tree, plus those for Madi and her family.

Cam holds out my coat. “Ready to go?”

I nod, a grin spreading across my face. “Sure am. Let’s do this.”

Hand in hand, we head out into the crisp air of a snowy Christmas Day, my heart full of love. I’m the luckiest man in the world. With Cam by my side and the promise of a child on the horizon, the future has never looked brighter.