When Claire’s father-in-law arrives unannounced for Christmas, he brings more than just a cane and a fragile smile. As his charm begins to crack, Claire uncovers a bitter truth hiding beneath the holiday lights — and she’ll have to decide what peace really costs, and who’s worth keeping around.
Christmas was supposed to be calm this year.
After years of scrambling, overcommitting, and trying to prove something to people who never noticed, I had finally decided that this holiday would be quiet. I wanted twinkle lights around the windows, cocoa in mismatched mugs with lots of tiny marshmallows, and absolutely no forced cheer.
I just wanted to live in the bubble that screamed that Ethan and I had built something solid together.