A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

"Callie, don't say that. You're not an outsider," Horatio said, clearly taken aback. "We've always been family. Why don't you come back home for Christmas

dinner? Bring Mr. Myers with you."

Callie gave him an apologetic shrug. "Sorry, but my family's right here. My brothers are with me."

"Wherever they are, that's home," she added, her voice warm and sure.

"But it's Christmas Eve," Horatio insisted, his tone almost pleading. "Shouldn't you be with your real brothers?"

Callie just smiled and looped her arm through Quentin's. Quentin was tall, strikingly handsome, and had that unmistakable military air about him. He looked at people with a quiet authority that made them instinctively straighten their backs. "Horatio," Quentin said, his voice steady, "Callie doesn't want to spend Christmas with you all."

"If you really thought of her as family, you wouldn't have made things so hard for her all these years. You all had time to take the imposter daughter shopping for groceries, but not your real sister, isn't that right?"

Julius, who had been grabbing other groceries, walked over, their expressions

home," Horatio argued, frowning. "If she was, of course we'd have included her. Callie, if you want anything, we'll buy it for you. It's not right to keep bothering these guys. They're not

offer, like he was telling Quentin and the others that only the Jewell family were Callie's true siblings. If

"He's right, Callie. Let us get you whatever you want. We're your brothers. It's only right that

what I want. You should just focus on being Lisette's brothers. You've only ever been able

then added with a shrug, "Oh, and if you want to buy gifts

sister, I'm afraid you'll never get

their real sister had been gone

things from the grocery store. Of course we can afford it." Don't hold a grudge. Family is about blood ties. There's nothing more real

head. "So, Lisette

faltered, not knowing what

"Callie, these are your real brothers. Hanging around with a bunch of guys who