Read A Corisi Christmas (Legacy Collection #7) for Free Online

when their roles flipped. She walked out the door of the dining room and saw Dominic standing near his desk in his office. Without saying a word, Nicole walked to him and wrapped her arms around him. His arms instantly came up to embrace her, and he hugged her tightly.
    In the past Nicole would have said something. She would have tried to fix what was broken between them, but she heeded Abby’s advice. She hugged him back and let her questions and insecurities fall away. She wasn’t turning to him for help or feeling scared he would leave her. This time, if only for a moment, she was the strong one.
    He dropped his arms and stepped back. “I’m sorry, Nicole. I know what you want, but—”
    Nicole saw her brother through Abby’s eyes, and it was a revelation. Dominic wasn’t saying no because he didn’t want to be with her. He was saying no because he was afraid. Fear was something she understood far too well. She touched his arm gently. “I get it now. It’s okay.”
    “No. Stephan was right. I didn’t have to say no the way I did. I don’t want you to think—”
    “I know you love me, Dom. I love you. That’s all that matters.”
    Dominic looked away as he spoke. “I hate him, and I hate who I am because of him.”
    Nicole didn’t have to ask who he was talking about. Dominic only hated one man—their father. Nicole put her arms around her brother again. Abby’s insight into Dominic helped shape what Nicole said next. “We are more than what he did to us, Dom. You are more than whatever you regret doing. You have a temper. I’m a nervous wreck. So what? You have an amazing wife and a beautiful daughter. I have a man I love so much it hurts and a child on the way. Instead of looking back at everything we did wrong, can we remember some of what we did right? This year, I’m going to give you something that is technically already yours and you are going to love it. And I want you to give me something that is already mine. That’s it. That’s all I want for Christmas. Can you do that?”
    Dominic relaxed. “Yes, I can.”
    Nicole took her brother by the arm and together they walked back into the dining room. Abby and Stephan were both carefully quiet.
    Judy rushed back into the room. “Mom, Miss Jan said the yogurt isn’t ready. Can we have cake instead?”
    “Sure,” Abby said without taking her eyes off Dominic.
    Judy’s jaw dropped open. “Yes?” She looked to her father for confirmation. “Really?”
    “Whatever you want, Judy, just go get it,” Abby said.
    Judy hesitated. “It’s a school night. Are you sure you want me to have all that sugar?”
    Abby turned to look at her daughter. “What did you say?”
    Judy’s eyes rounded innocently. “Nothing. Dad, you heard her, she said yes.”
    Dominic stared at Judy for a moment, then a smile spread across his face. “She did. Why don’t you have Miss Jan bring out cake for everyone?” He walked over and slid an arm around Abby’s waist. “Thank you.”
    Nicole watched her brother and his wife exchange a few more words quietly, and it warmed her heart. Stephan came up behind Nicole and wrapped his arms around her. “Did you work things out?”
    Nicole nodded. “We did.”
    “Are we getting together for Christmas?”
    Nicole leaned back against Stephan, loving how safe he made her feel. “I don’t know, but I’m not worried about it anymore. Abby was right; he needed a hug.”
    Stephan made a sound in his throat but didn’t disagree. “I’m sorry I flew at him like that. I don’t know what came over me.”
    Nicole hugged his arms closer around her. In a voice low enough so Abby and Dominic couldn’t hear, Nicole said, “Don’t knock down Dominic’s house on Isola Santos. I want to give it to him for Christmas.”
    “How about we demolish it, but build him a new one? It’s an eyesore.”
    In the past, Nicole would have relented, worried if she said what she really wanted, Stephan would be angry. Embracing her faults,