"Morning," Billy's throaty voice greeted me before I opened my eyes. He was never still in bed when I woke up. I seized the moment to curl into his chest and was rewarded with a kiss on the top of my head.

"I love you," I murmured in a distant, dreamy voice. "I feel like I haven't woken up in your arms in so long."

The faint breeze of a laugh coursed over my face. "I was thinking the same thing when I woke up this morning. You aren't mad I woke you?"

"Never," I murmured as I let my hand glide over his collarbone.

"I may remind you of that in the future." His voice was so low that it barely registered in my ears.

"Can we stay like this forever?"

"We can, but then Tim will get all my mom's cooking."

"I'm up!" I shot as I pushed myself off his chest, causing a lively laugh to bounce from Billy's lips.

"Do you want the first shower, or do you want me to get you a cup of coffee and the Sunday crossword while I shower?"

"You're the perfect man," as I spoke, I dramatically let my hands cup each side of his face like he was an angel to behold.

"I'll remind you of that as well," he teased, taking my hands in his and kissing both before letting them go. "I'll be back. Do you want a pen or a pencil?"

"You know I like to live dangerously." I smiled.

"Pen it is, wild child."

I watched as he pulled on his jeans and sleepily shuffled to the door before I fell back to the pillows with a heavy sigh while I let the warmth of the blankets further convolute the bits and pieces of thoughts unwilling to form in my mind. Then, finally, I just gave up on coherent thoughts and settled on the peaceful moment surrounding me like a warm hug. My fingers lifted to the two engagement rings that hung from the chain on my neck. I let them slip on my fingers and then off again. The action was closer to my life with Billy Collins than I cared to admit. One moment we were on, the next we were twisting away, but now we were tethered by an invisible chain.

I had avoided who Billy was for twenty years. He built a home, a family, and a career filled with countless platinum records and awards, all while I wished he was a simple mechanic. But now, as the bright December sun sliced through the window, the stage lights felt less scary. Life with Billy Collins felt right.

"What are you thinking about?" Billy asked as he set my coffee on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed. I instinctively formed my body around his as his hand fell over me to steady himself on the bed behind my back.

"How perfect this moment is." I smiled before continuing. "You, the blanket of snow on the ground, the warmth of the blankets in here."

He lifted his free hand to brush a few loose tendrils of hair from my face. "Nothing gives me greater joy than being the first on that list."

He was nearing for a kiss when a hesitant knock came from the door. Billy paused in bewilderment as the interruption crossed his face, causing a giggle from my lips.

"Come in." Billy's voice came hesitantly, but he straightened his back to a less lurid position before Jackson pushed open the door.

"Morning, Dad, Lil," Jackson offered without lifting his eyes from the hardwood floor.

"Hey Jackson, you're up early. Everything okay?" Billy asked as he stood and pulled on a t-shirt. Billy's home voice came as a higher and more lively pitch than when his mind was at work.

"Yeah, sure. I was just... I was wondering if..." he lifted his eyes to his dad before settling on, "do you mind if I have a minute with Lily?"

"With Lily?" Billy cocked his head to the side in surprise. "I mean, of course." His eyes fell on me while still not masking his awe at the unusual turn of events. "I was just going to take a shower." Billy reluctantly moved to the bathroom, slightly pausing before shutting the door behind him.

"Morning." I smiled as I propped myself up on the pillows and grabbed my coffee. "Everything okay?"

"Is that like an adult thing? Asking if I'm okay?" Jackson asked.

"No, it's a caring thing; in any situation, priority one is you're okay. Everything else to secondary."

Jackson nodded. "I guess we're onto secondary then," he mumbled to himself as he sat on the end of the bed. "So, I had this idea for my mom for Christmas. I think she'd like it, but I'd need my dad's help, and I'm afraid he might get mad at me."

"Mad at you for a gift? Is it a tattoo? You're on your own if it's a tattoo," I warned.

Jackson let out an honest laugh that seemed to relax the tension in his shoulders. "No, it's not a tattoo." He used the same tone when Billy told an embarrassing dad joke, causing me to stifle a swell of pride in myself. "So... well... maybe not mad, but hurt."

"Jackson, if you need your dad's help with anything, you can always ask him."

"I know... it's just... this thing...." His voice dropped out as he picked at the blanket.

"Would you be willing to tell me what the thing is? Otherwise, I don't think I can help."

"So, there's this song that my mom loves. She never admits it, but when she's in a really good mood, she hums it, or if she's not in a good mood and it comes on, she's suddenly in a better mood."

"I love those songs. Mine is Cherry Lips by Garbage," I smiled.

"Never heard of it," he said with a shake of his head.

"It's fine, so what's the song? I'm dying from the suspense."

"Okay, so she really likes I Think We're Alone Now."

"That's a great song; even the Tiffany cover is suitable!"

"Yeah... so... I was thinking...." Jackson sucked in a heavy breath as though he were about to dive into the cold ocean and then spat out, "I was thinking of seeing if my dad would help me record it for her."

Suddenly, I felt like I was on the downward slope of a rollercoaster. All the anxiety of the climb was gone and replaced with the joyful exuberance of the descent. "He'd love to help you record it. That'd be a gift to him as much as to your mom. The whole thing would be amazing," I stammered. "Are you sure, though? I know you've been reluctant to share your talent."

"My talent?" Jackson let out a laugh. "It's just a hobby."

"I've heard you play, so agree to disagree. Either way, my question still stands."

"I thought this would be a good way to tell him. We'd have a goal to achieve, a destination."

"My gosh," I whispered as Jackson morphed into Billy before me.

"What? Do you think it's a bad idea?" Jackson's hand shot to the back of his neck as he spoke.

"No, it's just..."

"What?" Jackson's eyes bore into me.

"You just remind me of..."

"Don't say my dad," Jackson groaned.

"I'm sorry. It's just, sometimes, it's so uncanny," I winced. "I don't mean to keep comparing you to your dad."

"It's fine. I supposed you could compare me to someone worse." He shrugged.

"So, you'll want to do it today." My hands rose to my head as I thought through the logistics. "Or if you can't do it today, he'll just stay here and help you."

"What? No!" Jackson immediately protested. "It's one song and just a rough cut... nothing special. It shouldn't take long, and we can do it in the barn. We don't even need to go into the studio. I'd never stop him from going with you. I know it's the first Christmas without...." His eyes dropped, and words fell off.

Tears pricked my eyes. "Your mom will love it and, honestly, helping you record it will be all the gift your dad will ever want for the rest of his life."

"You think?"

"Sweetie, I don't think you'll ever understand how much your dad loves doing anything with you. You're kind of a big deal."

"I don't know. He and Viv are just so similar...."

My laugh cut him off as his dark brown eyes lifted to mine. "I'm sorry. You think your dad and Viv are similar?"

"Yeah, they are both so confident and... I don't know... sparkly."

"Sparkly? Please, for Christmas, can you let me be in the room when you tell your dad he's sparkly?"

"Oh, shut up." Jackson laughed as he threw a pillow at me. "You know what I mean."

"I call it bravado," I noted. "But honestly, you and your dad are borderline twins. I know that's not what you want to hear, and I promise to try to stop comparing you two, but it's true."

"I don't see it." He shrugged again. "My mom says it a lot, too, though."

"You know, it's hard for people to see themselves in their parents. Everyone always used to say I was so much like my dad, but he was my hero... I didn't feel like him at all!"

"So, you were really close to your dad?"

"Yeah, he was the best. He knew so much. We could talk for hours, and I'd never get bored. Well, except for the first time he met your dad."

"Did your dad not like my dad?" A mischievous smile spread across Jackson's face.

"No, they were like instant besties. But, unfortunately, they met over lunch and insisted on discussing taxidermy at length. It was very gross."

"Yeah, my dad gets interested in the weirdest things." Jackson shook his head.

"He likes anything he can do with his hands. It helps give his brain a break."

"Oh, you think?" Jackson's head cocked to the side, and I could see the similarity to his own interests clicking.

"Yeah, haven't you ever been focusing on something so hard that you think your brain will explode?" I prodded.

Jackson scrunched his face up. "I guess so with like school or when I'm trying to figure out the cords to something." Jackson paused for a moment as he pondered a thought before adding, "can you get second-hand brain explosion? I may have gotten it last week from watching Viv try to do her math homework."

I laughed before adding, "the next time you feel a brain explosion, try doing something with your hands that doesn't require much thought... you know, like raking or the dishes or... well, if you are your dad, taxidermy."

"Or tiling, or welding..."

"Wait... welding?"

"Oh yeah, that was last winter. The plow hit the fence, so he taught himself to weld."

"He's so weird." I shook my head.

"Tell me about it," Jackson agreed.

"Tell you about what?" Billy asked as he joined us from the bathroom.

"Nothing," I quickly offered.

"Mmkay, don't care for that. What are you two talking about?" Billy prodded.

"A little of this, a little of that," I offered as I pulled myself off the bed. "I'm going to hit the shower," I added over my shoulder as I escaped with a wink at Jackson.