A Hamilton Christmas (HIS Series Book 9) Read online

  While some may try, no one ruins a Hamilton family Christmas.

  Showing Blake the sign with his name, Jason asked, “I thought this was just to hang somewhere. Why did you give me a room? I’m not even your real grandson.” His head dropped again.

  Ah. The crux of the problem. “Look at me, Jason.” Once he had, he continued, “You are in every way, except by birth, my grandson, Jesse and Kate’s son, a nephew and cousin to so many, and a brother to a sister who adores you. It doesn’t matter that you aren’t of our blood. Your Uncle Matt knew your dad. He believes that your father would be happy with us as your new family. We’ll never ask you to forget them, we only ask that you embrace us as your second and final family.” He waited a heartbeat or two. “Do you remember how Kate spent time with you at the hospital?”

  He nodded. “She was so great. I loved her right away. I’d wanted—” When he cut himself off, Blake had a feeling Jason’d just remembered when he’d told Kate that he’d like her to be his new mom.

  “You wanted her to be your new mom, didn’t you? It’s okay to admit the truth. In fact, everyone should live by that rule.”

  With a trembling lip, he nearly mumbled, “I did, but my mom had just died and it was wrong of me to want another one that quick. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I do now.”

  “And why do you feel it now?”

  “Everything’s changing. Everyone wants so much for me and I feel guilty because I’m not really a Hamilton.”

  “What Sheila Kell does is create a series that would be intriguing to read and find out the story of every member of HIS.” –The Romance Reviews

  HIS SERIES

  His Desire

  His Choice

  His Return

  His Chance

  His Destiny

  His Family

  His Heart

  His Fantasy

  A HAMILTON CHRISTMAS

  Copyright © 2018 by Sheila Kell

  Publisher: Cunningham Books

  Coordinated by: Hot Tree Self-Publishing

  Editor: Hot Tree Editing

  Interior Design: RMGraphX

  Cover Designer: RMGraphX

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, Cunningham Books, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN 978-0-9992496-6-6

  To

  Sheila’s Smokin’ Hot Heroines Facebook Reader Group

  Your continued support and inspiration mean the world to me.

  This book was written with your love of the HIS family in mind.

  Acknowledgments

  Cast of Characters

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Join the Newsletter

  HIS Series

  Putting A Hamilton Christmas to paper was enjoyable, especially as I’ve envisioned the story many times over the years. After Reagan and Jason appeared in His Desire, readers have asked whether the Hamilton children would have their own stories when they were older. At this time, I can’t say whether they will or won’t, but they are active in this story.

  Since this isn’t a traditional love story and I wanted the entire family involved, I kept shelving A Hamilton Christmas. After discussing the idea with Becky Johnson and Olivia Ventura at Hot Tree Self-Publishing, I sat down and wrote this book. This end of the series is a perfect place to bring the Hamilton family together.

  Thanks to the entire Hot Tree family for helping prepare this for the holidays.

  Listed alphabetically

  Allen, Robert “Butch”: porter

  Bruback, Aaron: businessman

  Cavanaugh, Amber: daughter of Jake and Emily Cavanaugh

  Cavanaugh (Hamilton), Emily: CPA, co-owner of HIS, wife of Jake Cavanaugh, mother of Amber and Leslie (story: His Return, appears in all HIS books)

  Cavanaugh, Jake: former FBI agent, co-owner HIS, husband of Emily Hamilton Cavanaugh, foster son of Blake Hamilton, father of Amber and Leslie (story: His Return, also appears in His Chance, His Destiny, His Family, His Heart, His Fantasy, and mentioned in His Desire, His Choice)

  Hamilton, Alexander “Blake”: retired U.S. Senator, owner of Lodge at Timber Ridge, wife of Elizabeth Hamilton and father of Jesse, Devon, Brad, Matt, Trent, AJ, and Emily, foster father of Jake Cavanaugh, uncle of Lee Walker, cancer survivor (story: His Family, also appears in His Return, His Destiny, His Fantasy, and mentioned in His Destiny, His Choice, His Heart)

  Hamilton, Alexander Joshua “AJ”: former FBI agent, co-owner of HIS, husband of Megan Hamilton, father of Alexander Jacob “Ace” and Pamela (story: His Choice, appears in all HIS books)

  Hamilton, Bradley “Brad”: former U.S. Secret Service, co-owner of HIS, husband of Madison Hamilton, father of Jamie and Dillon (story: His Fantasy, appears in all HIS books)

  Hamilton, Caitlyn: founder of Helping Paws nonprofit organization, wife of Matt Hamilton, mother of Travis and Scott (story: His Heart, also appears in His Fantasy)

  Hamilton, Devon: former CIA, computer guru, co-owner of HIS, husband of Rylee Hamilton, father of Mitch and Theresa (story: His Chance, appears in all HIS books)

  Hamilton, Elizabeth: fundraiser for Diamond Blackfan Anemia Awareness nonprofit organizations, wife of Blake Hamilton (story: His Family, also appears in His Fantasy)

  Hamilton, Jason: High school student, football player, cancer survivor, adopted son of Kate and Jesse, adopted brother of Reagan (appears in His Desire, His Return, His Family, His Fantasy, mentioned in His Choice, His Chance, His Destiny, His Heart)

  Hamilton, Jesse: former special forces, former FBI, founder and co-owner of Hamilton Investigation & Security “HIS,” husband of Kate Hamilton, father of Reagan, adopted father of Jason (story: His Desire, appears in all HIS books)

  Hamilton, Kate: former FBI agent, co-owner of Ross Communications, HIS team member, wife of Jesse Hamilton, stepmother of Reagan, adopted mother of Jason (story: His Desire, appears in all HIS books)

  Hamilton, Madison: model, wife of Brad Hamilton, sister to Rylee Hamilton, mother of Jamie and Dillon (story: His Fantasy, mentioned in His Chance)

  Hamilton, Matthew “Matt”: former U.S. Navy SEAL, co-owner of HIS, husband of Caitlyn Hamilton, father of Travis and Scott (story: His Heart, appears in all HIS books)

  Hamilton, Megan: newspaper investigative reporter, wife of AJ Hamilton, mother of Alexander Jacob “Ace” and Pamela (story: His Choice, also appears in His Return, His Destiny, His Family, His Fantasy, and mentioned in His Chance)

  Hamilton, Reagan: daughter of Jesse Hamilton, stepdaughter of Kate Hamilton, adopted sister to Jas
on (appears in His Desire, His Choice, His Return, His Destiny, His Family, His Heart, His Fantasy, mentioned in His Chance)

  Hamilton, Rylee: former FBI agent, HIS team member, wife of Devon Hamilton, mother of Mitch and Theresa, sister to Madison Hamilton (story: His Chance, also appears in His Desire, His Destiny, His Family, His Fantasy, and mentioned in His Heart)

  Manner, Jacob: doctor, husband of Stacy Manner

  Manner, Stacy: pregnant wife of Jacob Manner

  McKenzie, Kelly: former newspaper reporter, wife of Trent Mackenzie, mother of Ashley and Roger (story: His Destiny, also appears in His Desire, His Family, His Fantasy)

  McKenzie, Trent: former FBI agent, ranch owner, biological son of Blake Hamilton, wife of Kelly McKenzie, stepfather of Ashley, father of Roger (story: His Destiny, also appears in His Desire, His Choice, His Return, His Family, His Fantasy and mentioned in His Chance and His Heart)

  Michaels, Morgan “Chef”: executive chef

  Robertson, Duncan: maintenance

  St. John, Charlie: businessman

  Sterling, Margaret: wife of Stanley Sterling

  Sterling, Stanley: husband of Margaret Sterling

  Store, Ronald: front desk clerk / concierge

  Walker, Brandon: son of Lee Walker

  Walker, Lee: owner Walker, Inc., nephew of Blake Hamilton, father of Brandon

  White, Molly: housekeeper

  DRESSED IN JEANS and a sweater, and strapped into the back seat of an SUV, Reagan Hamilton rolled her eyes in disbelief. Her parents—while über smart—could sometimes be clueless. She understood what her parents said when speaking about presents in some made-up code. How could she not? She was ten years old after all. It embarrassed her that they still thought she didn’t understand their conversations when they spoke like that. Most of the time, she discovered what her birthday and Christmas presents would be just by sitting at the breakfast table. While knowing made her happy, she had a harder time looking surprised each year.

  Even though her big brother, Jason, didn’t seem to mind their parents using their not-so-subtle code, Reagan decided she’d tell her parents that she understood what they were talking about. For one, they’d stop the code, that while kind of sweet, made her roll her eyes, and two, she’d like to be surprised. Maybe not this year though. She wanted to know if they’d filled some or part of her Santa list. She almost rolled her eyes again. Santa.

  Christmas—without a Santa—sent excitement bouncing through her. Like last year, all the family would be together. Maybe she could sit at the grown-up table this year. Jason would get to. She heard her dad telling him. Instead of sharing the great news with her, Jason had called his girlfriend, who Reagan didn’t like. She hoped Jason didn’t marry her. Then she’d never get to see him.

  Her dad would offer her a seat at the grown-up table. She just knew he’d forgotten to tell her, as he’d been so busy.

  Her dad—Jesse Hamilton—had been away for nearly a month this time. The op, as the people in her family’s company, HIS, called it, had extended a week, bringing her dad and her uncles home last night. He’d looked tired, and while he’d given her a kiss on the cheek, holding her in a tight hug that she loved, that funny look his dad and mom made when they wanted to go in the bedroom was his next move.

  She’d shuddered last night, imagining what her mom and dad did together in their bedroom. Based on the noises they made, she couldn’t decide if it was all good or bad. She had discerned sounds of pain, yet they liked to smile a lot afterward.

  One morning, when it’d been only Reagan and her dad for breakfast, Reagan asked, “Dad, what do you and Mom do in your bedroom at night that’s so noisy? I mean, I know it’s sex, but I don’t understand why it’s so noisy. It sounds like you’re hurting Mom. Are you?”

  Her dad had spat a mouthful of coffee all over the kitchen table and some on the floor. Then he’d shifted around like he’d had ants in his pants before he jumped up to get paper towels to clean up his mess. He hadn’t fooled her; he’d been stalling. “Pumpkin, you know about—” His face turned red, and she worried he might have a fever. Before he spoke again, he cleared his throat. “When you’re older—much older—I’ll explain it all to you. Or maybe your mom will.”

  He’d treated her like a kid, and she wasn’t. She’d just turned ten, which was almost a teenager. She wasn’t a baby. In fact, she’d asked him to stop calling her “pumpkin,” because it sounded like a baby’s name. They’d gone back and forth and compromised. He wouldn’t stop calling her that, but he would call her Reagan when her friends were around. He didn’t know she only agreed because she wanted to talk him into letting her go to softball camp over the summer.

  She’d learned a lot about compromising while watching her mom and dad “discuss” things. It’d always intrigued her how mom would walk away with a big smile and her dad would also. Then he’d stop and growl. She almost giggled at his growl. Mom told her that growl had been when he’d realized he’d lost to the master negotiator in the family. Sometimes she watched her dad win, and her mom still smile. She hadn’t understood that, but she’d ask her mom sometime.

  Dad’s words interrupted what she’d been thinking. No, contemplating. Since she was nearly a teenager, she needed to use those big words they were being taught in school.

  “Did you get the first five?” he asked Mom. Even though Kate was technically her step-mom, she called her “Mom” because that’s what she was to her.

  One of the best days of her life and been when her dad married Kate. She’d been without a mom all her life. Her mom had died in a robbery when she’d been a little baby. Dad had never let her forget her mother though, and Kate did what she could to keep that memory alive, even though she hadn’t known her mother.

  Noticing the snow falling thicker, Reagan turned to Jason with a concerned look on her face. He winked and put his fingers on her lips before he reached out and covered her hand with his big one. Once she settled, he tilted his head to the front of the cab.

  Understanding that he was listening and she should get back to it, her ears perked up so she didn’t miss a thing. Top five. It had to be from their Christmas lists. That would be so cool if she got the top five things on her list.

  She knew they were the ones who decided and bought them because she’d learned there was no Santa Claus three years ago when Mary Hopkins told her. When she said she didn’t believe her, Jeremy Neil happily burst her bubble. She’d run off and cried in her room, not understanding why her parents had lied to her about it.

  Then she remembered the joy they had when she sat on a fake Santa’s lap. So, she’d pretended she didn’t know the truth. She accepted the presents and smiled for them when she sat for the big picture. She wondered how long they’d keep the secret. Now that she was ten, she wasn’t sitting on another Santa’s lap. Decision made, even though she knew the truth, she’d play along for her parents’ happiness.

  “For one list,” Mom replied, and every muscle in Reagan’s body tensed, waiting for her mom’s answer, “I was able to get the top five, but the other, I only go the four due to the cost of one item.”

  Why would there be a problem with the cost? Mom had, what she’d come to understand, millions, and Dad had gobs of it too. Her parents didn’t buy them everything they wanted because they didn’t want them to get spoiled. They’d been told to put any big wishes on Santa Claus’s list. Then, like a softball coming in fast to her chest, hitting her without a glove, she realized she was getting her top five—Apple Watch, MacBook Air, hoverboard (not the ones that caught on fire), the newest iPhone—heck she wanted the whole Apple store, and to be signed up for MMA classes. She needed the MMA training to become strong for when she was a HIS agent.

  She wanted to jump up and down, but she was seat belted in, and then noticed that Jason wasn’t smiling.

  He must’ve only got four of what he’d wanted since Mom said the cost of one meant she didn’t buy one of his. She’d bet her last nickel it was Jason’s car.
Reagan couldn’t believe he’d been so bold. When he’d added it to the list, she’d asked about it.

  “I know I won’t get it, but there’s hope. If not, it’ll start the conversation,” Jason had told her.

  Reagan couldn’t understand why her brother—adopted brother who’d been really sick most of his life—would not fill the list with things he’d probably get.

  He’d ruffled her hair—she hated that—and told her, “You’ll understand when you’re my age.” Why was seventeen some magic number? Is that when her dad would tell her everything she needed to know? Since he wouldn’t answer her question about him, Mom, noises, and sex, she was even more curious about what he wasn’t telling her.

  With a shrug, she’d let the conversation with Jason go. He’d just lose out on a present, but she’d get all of hers. That made her sad for him and feeling bad for being so happy about her list.

  Dad’s phone rang on the SUV Bluetooth, and she peered around the driver seat to see who was calling. Uncle AJ. She brightened because although she loved all her uncles, she really liked Uncle AJ, Uncle Trent, and Uncle Devon the best. Uncle Jake was cool, but he gave Aunt Em all his attention since she was pregnant. Uncle Matt was too quiet and serious. Uncle Brad was… well, Uncle Brad. He tended to get her in trouble. But he did get her out of it. She had to admit whatever mischief they got up to together was fun, but not worth her dad’s wrath.

  With a grunt of sorts, Dad answered the phone. She’d never understand why her uncles acted like they did. And Uncle AJ got the worst of it. Her other uncles tended to give him a hard time or play tricks on him. When she was at headquarters, although she usually sat with Uncle Devon, she kept an eye on Uncle AJ, so no one messed with him.