She laughed through her tears at the understatement of the century.

  “This is for our new president and first lady, with all my best wishes,” Jon said.

  As he sang the beautiful song, Sam’s heart was filled with so many emotions—love, gratitude and joy for the people closest to her and sorrow for the ones who were gone.

  Jon performed an entire set of many of his biggest hits and then asked Sam and Nick to join him.

  “This song might bring back some memories from one of our earlier meetings.” He performed their wedding song, “Thank You for Loving Me.”

  Nick wrapped his arms around Sam, and for a few minutes, there was only him, only them as they danced to the song that meant so much to them.

  “Thank you so much,” Sam said, blowing a kiss to Jon when the song ended.

  Next, Jon asked Dr. Harry Flynn to join him.

  Knowing what was coming, Sam was on pins and needles as Harry walked up to take the microphone from Jon. He looked ridiculously handsome in his tuxedo, and his big smile put his adorable dimples on full display.

  “I gotta say that I never expected to be in the White House taking the microphone from Jon Bon Jovi and looking on as two of my best friends have made us so very proud as our new president and first lady.”

  Harry led a warm round of applause that embarrassed Sam and Nick.

  “Since we were going to be together tonight, I asked my buddy Nick if I could borrow his house for a minute to take care of some very important business. Lilia, would you mind joining me up here?”

  Lilia looked around with a confused expression as she made her way to Harry. Her shock was further compounded when her parents, grandparents and siblings, as well as Harry’s parents and brother, came in to join the party.

  “What is happening?” Lilia asked.

  “Come here, and I’ll tell you,” Harry said.

  “This is so freaking exciting,” Sam whispered to Nick.

  Nick put his arm around her as they watched Harry hold out a hand to Lilia.

  “Lilia, my sweet love, you’ve changed my entire life since we met by chance in Sam’s office at the police department, and I’ll be forever thankful to her for bringing you to me. For so long, I’d been searching for something, and I had no idea what it was until I had you and realized I’d been looking for you.”

  He dropped to one knee as Lilia contended with a flood of tears. “Will you please marry me and make everything even more perfect than it’s been since the day I met you?”

  “Yes.” Lilia covered her heart as tears fell from her eyes. “God, yes.”

  Harry rose to his feet to kiss and hug her before sliding a ring on her finger while everyone else exploded in applause.

  Sam wiped away her own tears as she clapped and whistled as loudly as she could for two of her favorite people. She’d wanted this for Harry for as long as she’d known him, and Lilia was simply the best. She’d done some good work with those two, if she said so herself. “That was perfect.”

  “Couldn’t agree more,” Nick said.

  They went to congratulate the happy couple with hugs and more champagne.

  “Did you know about this?” Lilia asked Sam, who’d never seen her friend look happier.

  “I might’ve heard a rumbling or two. I’m so happy for you guys. He’s the best of the best, and so are you.”

  “Thank you for introducing us. He’s the best thing to ever happen to me.”

  Sam glanced at Nick, who had one of his five-year-old brothers on his shoulders as he talked to his dad, Leo, and stepmother, Stacy. “There’s nothing better than seeing two great people who deserve all good things finding each other in this crazy world.”

  “Couldn’t agree more,” Lilia said. “Best night of my life.”

  Then Sam got to hug Jon Bon Jovi, which made her year and her Christmas. “Thank you so much for taking time away from your own family to be here.”

  “It’s a tremendous honor to perform for you guys,” he said. “We wish you all the best during your stay in the White House.”

  Nick shook his hand and thanked him for coming.

  “When the president calls and asks for a favor that’ll earn him a year’s worth of points with the first lady, I couldn’t say no to that.”

  Sam and Nick laughed and walked him out to fly home to New Jersey to join his own family for the holidays.

  As they returned to the East Room, where the party had moved for dancing, Jeannie asked for a moment with Sam.

  “I’ll be right in,” she told Nick.

  “I won’t keep her too long,” Jeannie said.

  “Take your time, ladies,” Nick said as he walked away.

  “You two look beautiful tonight,” Jeannie said.

  “So do you. You’re positively glowing in that gown.” Jeannie’s dress was a midnight blue with the faintest hint of sparkle.

  “The glow is because of one of the things I wanted to tell you.” She paused before she said, “I’m pregnant.”

  Sam hugged her friend and colleague. “That’s wonderful, Jeannie. Congratulations! I’m so happy for you and Michael.”

  “Thank you. I was almost afraid to tell you…”

  “Please don’t feel that way. I have what I need with Nick and the kids. My life is very complete. Things don’t always happen the way you plan, but they work out the way they’re meant to.”

  “Yes, I guess that’s true. The other thing I wanted to tell you is I think I’ve located Daniella Brown, the woman believed to have abducted Carisma Deasly.”

  Sam glanced into the East Room, where the chief was laughing at something the captain was saying. “Where?”

  “She’s living in the Richmond area. I’m almost one hundred percent sure it’s her, but I won’t know for certain until I go there and dig a little deeper. I know this isn’t the time, but I’d be happy to walk you through the evidence.”

  “Let’s talk the day after Christmas about how best to handle this. As much as I hate to make Carisma’s family wait one more day, we need to be very careful how we proceed in light of the clear orders we were given.”

  “Understood.”

  “We’ll find a way to make this right. I just need to figure out how.”

  “You know where to find me when you’re ready.”

  “I don’t have to tell you how important it is that we keep this quiet until we have a plan.”

  “I haven’t told anyone else, and I don’t plan to.”

  “Thanks for the great work, Detective.”

  “I wish I could say it was a pleasure, but it’s an outrage.”

  “It sure is. We’ll do everything we can to fix this. Somehow.”

  Sam walked with Jeannie to the East Room, where a local band had everyone up and dancing. Over the next few hours, they danced, drank too much champagne, exchanged gifts with friends and laughed—a lot. Sam noticed Cameron dancing with Gigi and thought about how great the two of them looked together. She hoped that whatever was starting between them would bring them both nothing but happiness.

  At nine p.m., Sam stepped up to the microphone. “I hope everyone is having a good time!”

  The cheers of their guests confirmed that their party was a huge hit.

  “There’s been tremendous competition for the honor of sleeping in the Lincoln Bedroom tonight. Nick and I have given this some significant thought and have decided on a contest. A dance contest.” The announcement was met with equal parts groans and cheers. “Everyone on the dance floor will be considered a contestant. If either Nick or I tap you on the shoulder, you’re eliminated. Are you ready to dance?”

  She gave the band leader the signal. They’d prepped the band in advance, asking them to play some old-time swing music for the contest, and when they launched into “In the Mood,” the younger members of the party had no idea what to do, so they stepped aside, yielding the floor to the older folks.

  Within minutes, it became clear that Joe and Marnie Farnsworth had been preparing for this moment their entire married lives and were quickly and unanimously declared the winners by Sam, Nick and everyone else in the room.

  “Holy crap, Uncle Joe,” Sam said. “That was awesome.”

  “Your old uncle still has a little gas in the tank,” he said, breathing hard from the exertion.

  “Congratulations, guys,” Nick said. “I’m super impressed.”

  They’d no sooner crowned the winners with stovepipe hats reminiscent of President Lincoln than Andy came over to them, smiling and holding his phone.

  Sam could barely breathe as she, Nick and Elijah waited to hear what he would say. “The judge has denied the Lawsons’ petition for custody. The twins will be staying right where they belong.”

  Upon hearing the news, Elijah broke down.

  Sam hugged him tightly as relief flooded her entire body.

  “This is what he said,” Andy added. “‘The twins’ parents were very clear about what they wanted for their minor children. They put their faith in their son, Elijah, and I must do the same. While Elijah has chosen an unconventional arrangement for his brother and sister, it’s one that seems to be working for everyone involved, and the children are obviously well loved and cared for in their new home. This court can find no reason to disrupt the current custody arrangement. The petition is denied.’”

  As Sam wiped away tears, Nick hugged Elijah and said, “I guess that makes us officially a family.”

  “We were a family long before this,” Eli said. “Thank you so much, Andy, Nick, Sam… Thank you for going to bat for us.”

  “We’ve got your backs,” Sam said, hugging him again. “Always.”

  Scotty came over with Alden and Aubrey each holding one of his hands. “What’s going on?” he asked, his brows furrowing with concern when he saw tears on the faces of Eli, Sam and Nick.

  “Good news from the judge,” Sam told him, picking up Aubrey as Nick reached for Alden.

  “Oh, thank God,” Scotty said, his shoulders sagging with relief.

  “You said it, buddy,” Nick said.

  “First family,” the White House photographer said, “everyone say, ‘Happy holidays.’”

  The six of them stood together, arms around each other, wearing smiles of relief and innocent joy, as the photographer captured the moment for history, having no idea whatsoever that they had just officially became a family forever.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  A short time later, they moved the party up to the third-floor conservatory, where Nick gathered the kids around him to read “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” The photographer took numerous pictures of the president with Alden and Aubrey on his lap, his brothers, nieces, nephews and friends’ kids on the floor, in front of a ten-foot Christmas tree.

  As Sam watched and listened, her heart was so full of love for him and the kids they’d made their own. They’d never dared to dream of the family they now had.

  Elijah came to stand next to her. “I’m so fucking relieved,” he whispered.

  “Right there with you, pal.” She slipped an arm around him and rested her head on his shoulder as he put his arm around her. They hadn’t known him or the twins a year ago, and now they were firmly woven into the fabric of their lives, as if they’d always been there.

  After the story, Terry appeared with a printout that he handed to Nick.

  “You know what this is?” Nick asked the wide-eyed kids.

  They shook their heads.

  “It’s a map from NORAD that shows Santa is on his way.”

  The kids scooted closer so they could see.

  “He’s coming across the ocean right now,” Nick said, pointing to the picture of the sleigh on the map, “which means all good boys and girls need to be tucked into bed before he gets here.”

  “Are you sure he knows where to find us?” Angela’s son, Jack, asked.

  “I’m positive. I sent a letter from the president to the North Pole with a full list of all the good boys and girls who’d be sleeping at the White House tonight. Now it’s time for everyone to go to bed and get to sleep so Santa can come.”

  Reginald appeared with cookies and milk that the children put on plates for Santa and special White House reindeer food Sam and the kids had made that was left for Santa’s team.

  Parents claimed their children and took them off to the rooms they’d been assigned earlier as Gideon and several of the butlers stood by to offer help and directions to bedrooms.

  “This was the most fantastic night ever,” Freddie declared as he and Elin said good night to Sam with hugs.

  “It was absolutely magical,” Elin declared.

  “I’m so glad you enjoyed it,” Sam said.

  “Thanks so much for including my parents,” Freddie said. “They’re going to dine out on this for years.”

  “Of course we included them. Family is family.”

  Freddie hugged Sam. “Love ya.”

  “Love you, too,” she said as she hugged him tighter than she usually did. “Merry Christmas.” Then she hugged Elin. “No sex in the White House, you two.”

  “Whatever,” Freddie said, laughing as he took his wife’s hand to head to one of the third-floor bedrooms.

  Sam went downstairs to check on Elijah and the twins, who were tucked into the bed they shared.

  Sam leaned over to kiss them both good night. “Sweet dreams, my loves.”

  Aubrey looked up at her with tears shimmering in her expressive eyes. “I wish Mommy and Daddy were here.”

  “I know, sweetheart. But I think they’re somewhere nearby keeping a close eye on you and Alden and Elijah. They know you’re so loved by all of us.”

  Seemingly satisfied to hear that, the little girl popped her thumb in her mouth and snuggled up to her twin, who put an arm around her.

  Alden was wise beyond his years and took care of his sister with a tenderness that never failed to move Sam to tears.

  “We’ll see you in the morning,” Nick said when he came in to kiss them good night.

  “What time do you think they’ll be up?” Sam asked Elijah when the three of them were in the hallway.

  “They were up at five last year.”

  “Oh my Lord,” Sam said. “We’d better get some sleep while we can.”

  Elijah hugged them both. “I know I keep saying thank you, but… I just… You guys are the best, and I’m so, so grateful to have you in our lives.”

  “Right back at you, buddy,” Nick said. “We can’t remember what life was like without the three of you.”

  “Merry Christmas,” Eli said.

  “Sleep well,” Sam said.

  “I’ll sleep very well knowing that damned custody case is over.”

  After Eli walked away, Nick said, “So will I.”

  “No kidding.”

  “Gideon and the staff have all the Santa stuff set out in the conservatory,” Nick said. “They made the cutest signs so each child will know which gifts belong to them.”

  “They’re the best. Tomorrow is going to be crazy.”

  “I can’t wait to see all the excitement,” Nick said. “Let’s check on Scotty and then hit the sack. I hear we’re in for an early wakeup.”

  Scotty was in bed with Skippy, who was curled up next to him. Parts and pieces of his tuxedo were scattered about the room. “I know she’s not supposed to be in my bed, but you try telling her that. The woman has a mind of her own.”

  “She’s good training for your future wife,” Nick said, earning him an elbow to the gut from his wife.

  “Oof,” Nick said, grinning at Sam.

  “I’m so happy the judge saw things our way,” Scotty said. “I kept worrying about how we’d ever give them up.”

  “Now we don’t have to,” Nick said.

  “Are you guys as relieved as I am?”

  “We sure are,” Sam said. “Even though we knew we had the advantage because of their parents appointing Elijah, you just never know what a judge is going to decide.” She leaned over to kiss Scotty’s forehead as she scratched Skippy’s silky head. “Get some sleep, pal. Elijah told us to expect a five a.m. wakeup.”

  “Oh jeez. That’s too early.”

  “Welcome to big brotherhood,” Sam said.

  “Best job I ever had. Merry Christmas.”

  “Same to you, buddy,” Nick said as they headed for the door.

  Gideon was still in the hallway, checking a clipboard and speaking into a walkie-talkie.

  “How’s it going?” Sam asked him.

  “All good. Everyone is settled, and we’re just making sure there’re no last-minute requests before I send everyone home.”

  “We can’t thank you enough for such a wonderful evening,” Sam said.

  “We all enjoyed it. Everyone appreciated you inviting the staff families in for the reception last weekend. They loved meeting you both and the kids. And, of course, Skippy, the internet superstar.”

  “She’s the most famous one in the family,” Nick said, offering his hand to Gideon. “Thank you for all you do. We’re blown away every day by the incredible staff.”

  Gideon shook his hand. “We aim to please, sir. We’ll see you in the morning.”

  With their guests settled in for the night, Sam followed Nick into their bedroom and closed the door, leaning against it with a deep sigh. “That was one hell of a Christmas Eve,” she said.

  “I’d say it was the best ever, but I sure did miss having your dad with us.”

  “Me, too, but it’s okay to say it was the best ever. He’d certainly agree with that.”

  “It’s nice to be able to have everyone here with us, even if I feel a little guilty about putting so much on the staff at Christmas.”

  “Gideon said they were happy to do it. They know about the twins and what they’ve been through. Everyone wants to see them have a magical Christmas.”

  Nick came to her and ran his hands down her bare arms, careful to avoid the bandage on her left arm, before linking their fingers. “Most beautiful wife I’ve ever had,” he said, kissing her neck.

  Sam laughed. “I’d better be the only wife you ever have, mister.”

  “Only one I’ve ever wanted, and you know it. How do I get you out of this getup?”