Free A Daughter for Christmas by Margaret Daley Page B

hurrying toward the stairs. Rachel increased her pace as a crash reverberated down the corridor. She appeared in the den at the exact moment Will and Sam were playing tug-of-war with a book. Her gaze fell upon a chair on its side, and she inhaled a relieved breath.
    â€œBoys, stop it.”
    â€œI had this first.” Will yanked on the book and a couple of pages ripped off in his hand.
    â€œI did.”
    Rachel stepped between them, snatched the book before it was completely ruined, and wondered what she had gotten herself into. How was she going to keep Taylor focused on her schoolwork and be a referee for her two sons at the same time?
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    â€œThis is the best pizza I’ve ever had.” Taylor polished off her fourth slice and collapsed back against her chair. “I’m stuffed.”
    Will reached for the last piece in the center of Rachel’s kitchen table. “I claim this.”
    â€œNo, I want it.” Sam managed to get his hand on the pizza a second after his brother and a tug-of-war began again.
    â€œStop right now.” Rachel schooled her voice into the calmest level possible under the circumstances of a war being played between the twins—a war that had spilled over from earlier in the den through the whole dinner with poor Max sitting and taking it all in quietly. Neither boy would let go of the piece. “Put it back on the plate.”
    â€œBut I claimed it first.” Will glared at Sam.
    â€œI’m still hungry.” Sam narrowed his eyes to slits and sent daggers toward Will. “I’m not letting go until he does.”
    While the two were staring each other down, Rachel rose slightly from her seat and snatched the slice from both of them. They turned their looks on her. “Obviously, it’s time for bed. Go get ready, and I’ll come up to tuck you in.”
    â€œI’m not sleepy.” Sam glanced at Will. “This is all your fault.”
    â€œNo, it’s yours.”
    â€œNow, and I don’t want to hear another word from either one of you.”
    The twins stood, pouts descending. They spun around and raced for the door.
    â€œHaven’t you two forgotten your manners? What do you say to Dr. Connors for fixing the pizza?”
    Near the kitchen entrance, each jockeying for being the first through the doorway, both boys came to an abrupt halt and slowly turned, slanting a look toward the other to make sure he did the same thing.
    â€œThanks,” Will and Sam said together, then whirled around and bumped shoulders while hurrying out of the room.
    The pounding of their footsteps up the stairs echoed through the house. The slamming of their bedroom doors quickly followed. Then silence.
    â€œNow you see why I asked you to come over here to eat. I had a feeling something like this would happen.” Rachel leaned back and relaxed for the first time, her stomach muscles releasing their tension. “I’m sorry you had to hear that. They’ve been at each other’s throat all day. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better.”
    â€œIt kind of reminds me of my brother and me when we fought.” Max sat at the head of the table where Lawrence had. The sight of Max there startled her at first, but as so much that had occurred in the past two years, it was something she got used to quickly. Lawrence wasn’t coming back, and she had to move on. Make a new life.
    â€œIf no one’s gonna eat that last piece, then I will.” Taylor grabbed the slice, part of it falling apart from the tug-of-war. That didn’t stop her from taking a big bite of it.
    â€œI thought you were stuffed,” Max said with a chuckle.
    â€œI just needed to wait a few minutes. Can’t let pizza go to waste.”
    â€œI’m glad you liked it.” A pleased expression eased the tired lines on his face.
    â€œOne of my friends’ dads cooks a lot, too. But my dad never did except to barbecue steaks every once and a