An Imperfect Christmas With Love: The Imperfection Series, #6

By Shaniel Watson

Wanting it all can cost you everything.

 

Against all odds, Nicholas Alexander finally has everything he wants---the woman he loves as his wife and their perfect, healthy son.

 

Catherine Reed, now Alexander, is blissfully happy married to her childhood crush and caring for their beautiful baby boy, Jace, who's as stubborn and strong-willed as his father. It's all she ever dreamed of, but one thing is missing: her family.

 

Determined to heal from the past and give Jace the extended family she feels he deserves, Cat works hard to reconcile with her relatives, spending time getting reacquainted and mending fences. But Nicholas can't just forgive and forget what her family almost cost them. He wants Cat and Jace to be safe and he wants to keep them to himself. He also yearns for another child, but Cat's focus is elsewhere.

 

A storm is brewing between them. Will they be able to weather it together or will Cat's desire to have it all cost them what they already have?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shaniel Watson
• Release date: Nov 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393596561

Book preview

Cat

M ommy! Jace yells before I shut the door with a bag of groceries in my hand.

Hey, baby! I give him a big smile and put my bag and the groceries on the floor by the door. Did you have fun with Daddy? I scoop him up out of what looks like a thousand blocks and toy instruments.

Can’t you tell? Nick looks up from his spot of scattered toys on the floor. His arm over one bent knee, looking entirely too sexy for a man in his disheveled state. Your son has been running me ragged with his demands and relentless energy for someone so small.

I smack a loud kiss on Jace’s chubby cheek. To which he laughs and squirms to get back down. I love how he’s my son when he’s having a demanding fit like his father.

I don’t have fits. I take offense to your description of me and my son. We are superior individuals who know what we want, exactly when we want it.

That’s what all the tyrants say. I laugh, sitting down in front of him with Jace. He smiles at me and leans over and kisses me on my lips. And just like that, I feel the warmth and love of my home surrounding me as always when we touch. The anxiety of my day and everything else melts away with the touch of our lips.

No! We both laugh as Jace pushes his way between our faces with his surprisingly strong little fingers. No kisses. He looks at Nick with a scowl and identical beautiful gray-blue eyes like his father.

Excuse you, little man, but that is the one thing you will be denied of today. No one, not even you, my boy, tells me I can’t kiss my wife. This is one thing I’ve earned and has made it possible for you to be here today. So, deal with it, buddy.

They have a mini stare down. Which is entertaining to watch. My two determined Alexander men. But as usual, my husband prevails when our son huffs, turns away, crawls out of my arms without further objections, and starts playing with his blocks.

That’s what I thought, Nick says, leaning over and kissing me again. This time, swiping his tongue over the seam of my lips in that familiar way that makes me shiver as I lean in for more.

No!

Startled, we pull apart and look over at the stern look on our son’s face, directed toward his father. We both laugh and look at each other and I say, He is your son.

I can’t and wouldn’t even deny it. He is my son. The determined little blocker. He sits back and turns to Jace again. The scowl gone from his cute little face, replaced with a triumphant smile.

I love him so much, I muse. Sometimes he’s exactly like you.

I know. My mother is thrilled. As she likes to say, ‘I will now know what she went through.’ He sighs, the corner of his lips tilting up. How was your appointment?

It went well, I say, glancing over at Jace. She said everything looks good.

Did you ask her when it would be okay to maybe start trying again?

Mmm. Yeah, so I knew this was going to come up again when I had my annual gyn appointment. I’m not opposed to the idea… but he’s more concerned since we haven’t been that careful about contraception. As far as she knows, we’re good to go. No complications from Jace.

That’s great! He leans over and brushes my hair out of my face and kisses me on the cheek.

Yeah. I reach down, fiddling with one of Jace’s toys. So… what do you want for dinner?

You know if it happens it won’t be like before.

Sure, I know. I know—can—let’s talk about this later. I look down, taking apart a few of Jace’s blocks.

There’s a silent pause before he says, Okay. Even though I can feel his reluctance to let it go.

I also have something else I need to talk to you about. And I need you to have an open mind about it.

I’m always open to anything you want to discuss.

Sure you are. I drop one of the blocks and stare at him.

What’s that face for?

Really?

Really. He reaches over, bopping my nose. I playfully push his hand away.

Well, the thing is, I was talking to my dad today—

Mm.

And my mother—

Here we go. He sighs, taking a block out of my hand.

Don’t do that.

I did nothing. I’m listening as I said. Open mind.

The door to that open mind is rapidly shrinking at the mention of my parents. Things are better between us now, and I thought it would be a good idea if we could all come together for something special.

Which would be?

Open mind. I move closer, wrapping my arms around his waist.

It’s open, but you were right. It’s rapidly closing the more time I have to think about what your mother could have possibly had to say to you.

All good things, bringing us closer together as one big happy family like I’ve always wanted.

Cat, the longer you procrastinate with this, the more likely it is I’m not going to be happy. Just say it.

It’s easier saying it in my head, especially when I have to say two of my three siblings’ names he’d rather forget out loud. I want to host Christmas dinner this year with my entire family here—at our house. Including Jay and Caitlin.

And this was your idea? Your mother had nothing to do with this?

The last few years haven’t been great—

His hand rises, cutting me off. Whose fault was that?

Let’s not do this, please? They’re sorry. They’re trying, and I see how hard they are trying to make up for what they did to us.

"That thing that they did… trying to keep us apart. What they almost did to you and Jace before he was born."

Forget it. My voice wavers. I move my arm from his waist and turn away from him. I just thought since everyone seems to be getting along better and no one has physically attacked anyone in such a long time, and Chris and Ava are married now… it would be a great time to have all the people in my life I care about together in the same room for once. It would be good for our son to grow up seeing his family get along in love instead of anger and resentment from past hurt. I see that’s too much to ask, so forget it.

Baby, turn around, please. I’m not going to talk to your back.

I don’t say anything or move. But his voice softens, and I feel the brush of his fingers across my shoulder.

You know I’d do almost anything you asked if it would make you happy. But… come on, I’ll agree things between your family—especially with me—have been… better. But can we really spend an entire night together in close proximity without Jay and me antagonizing each other, and your mother slipping in a snide remark every chance she gets?

"Shouldn’t be too hard. We did it at Jace’s christening. No punches were thrown between you and my brother, and my mother controlled herself for the most part, with some reminders from my father. She was on her best behavior. Even Caitlin was almost cordial, for once.

Would it be so bad to try to be like a normal family for one holiday? Christmas is special to me. It’s my birthday. I have a lot of good memories as a kid that time of year. I want that for Jace too. I want happy memories for him to feel loved by all of his family.

I know you do, baby.

I hear the blocks clanking against each other, shuffled around, then the warmth of his hands caressing my shoulders. Even upset, I can’t resist leaning into his touch.

"It might not seem like it, but I want that too. I would like for him to get to know some of his family as he gets older. Chances are he’ll be around them more and more as he gets older, especially with Chris and Ava being married. It’s inevitable we’ll all have to be in the