Free 1225 Christmas Tree Lane by Debbie Macomber Page B

arms, he kissed her deeply, and with an exaggerated flourish bent her backward over his arm. He might be middle-aged, but he wasn’t dead yet and he loved his wife.
    Anson and Allison hooted and cheered, but he didn’t need any encouragement.
    â€œZach.” Rosie was breathless by the time he released her.
    So was he.
    She planted her hand over her heart as though to slow its beat.
    Zach winked at his son, who’d just joined them.
    â€œI remember when we never used to see you and Mom kiss,” Eddie reminded them.
    Disbelief on his face, Anson looked from Allison to Eddie.
    â€œMy parents were divorced for a while,” Allison explained. “I’m sure I told you.”
    â€œYou did, but…it’s hard to believe, seeing them now.”
    Eddie pulled out a stool on Anson’s other side and propped his elbows on the counter. “It wasn’t a good year for our family, but it all turned out okay in the end.”
    Anson shook his head incredulously.
    â€œIt was a long time ago,” Eddie said.
    â€œNot that long,” Rosie countered.
    â€œWhat happened?” Anson asked. “I mean, if you don’t mind talking about it.”
    â€œBasically the divorce just didn’t work out for us,” Zach teased, his eyes meeting Rosie’s. That had been a difficult period in their marriage, but, as Eddie had said, it’d all turned out in the end, due in large part to…
    â€œThe judge… Well, she…” Rosie looked at her husband. “You tell them.”
    â€œIt was Judge Lockhart. That was her name back then. She’s Judge Griffin now. I think she could see that the divorce was a mistake for us, but she didn’t have any grounds for denying it the way she did with another couple we heard about.”
    â€œActually, I don’t think either of us would have accepted a denial. At the time, we were pretty much at loggerheads.”
    That was putting it mildly, Zach thought, but kept quiet. No point in mentioning it.
    â€œMom and Dad wanted joint custody of Allison and me,” Eddie said. “If Judge Olivia okayed their parenting plan, it meant Allison and I would’ve had to change houses every few days. Three days with Dad, four days with Mom—that sort of thing.”
    â€œThey would’ve stayed in the same school district,” Rosie added. She closed the refrigerator and leaned against the kitchen counter, facing the three of them, all sitting at the breakfast bar. “Zach got an apartment a few miles from the house.”
    â€œJudge Olivia told Mom and Dad they weren’t the ones who needed a stable life,” Allison went on to tell him. “Eddie and I were. The judge didn’t want us changing residences every few days, so she gave us the family home. Mom and Dad had to move in and out.”
    â€œIn other words,” Eddie said, “when Dad was with us, Mom stayed at his apartment, and vice versa.”
    â€œZach and I weren’t too keen on this plan,” Rosie inserted.
    Anson grinned. “But apparently it worked.”
    Zach had to agree. “I remember the night Allison and Eddie brought us together, arranging for us to have a romantic dinner here at the house.”
    â€œOur parents needed our help,” Eddie said, smiling at his sister. “Actually, that was Allison’s idea and it was a good one.”
    â€œIt was indeed.” Zach reached across the counter to take Rosie’s hand. He raised it to his lips and kissed her fingers. “And I’m very grateful.”
    â€œI am, too,” Rosie whispered.
    â€œWe owe the judge a big debt of thanks,” Allison said.
    â€œAnd I owe you one,” Anson said in a low voice, his gaze connecting with hers. “You always had faith in me.”
    â€œOh, Anson, I had my moments. I so badly wanted to believe you didn’t have anything to do with the fire that burned down the Lighthouse