A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

Calliope was home before anyone even noticed she'd been gone.

Silas and the others were busy getting dinner ready in the kitchen, chopping and sautéing, everyone working together like a well-oiled machine.

Calliope popped her head in, acting like nothing was out of the ordinary.

"I'm back!" she called out, grinning.

Her brothers and Silas barely glanced up from their prep work. One was rinsing potatoes, another was slicing up a roast, someone else was stirring a pot on the stove. The whole scene could have come straight out of a movie-everyone pitched in, laughing and joking as they went.

"Let me help out!" Calliope said, grabbing an apron and tying it around her waist.

Silas looked up with a gentle smile. "No need, Callie. Why don't you relax in the living room? We've got this under control. Besides, with all the oil and smoke, you'll be better off out there."

Quentin nodded. "He's right. You'll just distract us with your culinary genius. How about you let us show off for once?"

"Yep, all good," Calliope

dealt with. It was Christmas Eve, after all, no point in ruining the mood with drama. Especially not with

family, she thought. That mess was officially not her problem anymore, not since her grandfather told her to stay out of it. If anyone deserved

about to let Silas get mixed up with Oliver. That guy just radiated bad news, and Calliope was fiercely protective of the people

the kitchen crew, but the guys practically shooed her out, insisting the kitchen was their domain tonight. "Go grab some snacks and chill," they said. "We'll

other choice, Calliope flopped onto the couch and grabbed her phone.

Portia Sutton sent back a photo of her own family crowded into their kitchen, her dad carving a turkey while

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together, flour

Your brothers and Mr. Myers are

"Dinner looks amazing over there. Mind if I crash

didn't you say you had

hoped

them for Christmas dinner.