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“You do those.” He gets busy stacking firewood in the fireplace and when the fire is going, he drags his hands through his hair and shoots me a glance. I look down to close the crate, but in my peripheral vision see how he sneaks something from his jeans pocket, something that has been poking at me—and no, it wasn’t his cock—every time I brushed against his hip. Hunter thinks I don’t notice him slipping whatever that is into my stocking—Men! Ha! So sweetly innocent sometimes—but I do notice, and now I’m intrigued.
“It’s almost seven. They’re all going to arrive at the same time,” he says as he helps me stack the crates to pack them away. “We’ve got fifteen minutes. Can I get you a drink?”
“Sure, just some water for now. I’m going to take the fastest shower in history.”
“Damn. Does that mean I don’t get to join you?”
“You’ve already showered, but if you want…” I let myself trail away, flicking my eyebrows in a cheeky invitation.
Hunter laughs, pulls me into his arms for a quick kiss and sends me on my way. “Let’s not let the whole family walk in on us. That’s still a recurring nightmare from my teenage years.”
I’m still chuckling twenty minutes later when I come down the stairs in my ugly Christmas sweater and jeans because it’s Vermont and there’s snow outside and I missed this all so much—sorry, San Francisco. The living room is a hive of people plus one dog, although with Mycroft, who is so busy, it’s like having five dogs in one. Hannah is squealing in excitement and hyping Mycroft up more and more.
Raiden and Derek are pouring drinks—Georgiana and Lucy are also in fugly sweaters… God, I love these girls—and I slot right in as I do the rounds.
“Thank you for doing such an amazing job today,” I say to Georgiana as we hug close. “It looks gorgeous.”
“I’ve been totally giddy. It’s my first white Christmas and I love doing this type of thing,” Georgiana says. “And with most of the family here it makes for such a spirited Christmas.”
“Yes. And a Brodie bash is always Logan loud.” I smile as I step up to Bill and May. Not everybody’s here, but what can you do? Ethan is deployed, Liam is working over Christmas and Rachel is doing the night shift at the hotel but will have the day off to join us for Christmas dinner. “Are you all set for tomorrow?” I ask as I pull May in for a hug and a kiss.
“Oh God, Lucy’s a terror in the kitchen. She’s making me so nervous,” May whispers in my ear. “I have total performance anxiety and that for a turkey I’ve been making for over thirty years!”
I chuckle as I pull back and look her in the eye. “The first cooking that girl ever learned was from you! And one thing I can promise you is that nobody will ever make a better May Brodie Christmas turkey than May Brodie, and Lucy can’t wait to taste her mom’s original recipe. You do you and we’ll all love it.” I lean closer to whisper low, “Plus, if you keep her up until late tonight, Lucy is going to be sleeping way past that turkey’s time to be in the oven, so you’ll be at peace in your own kitchen.”
With a smile and a wink to May, since we’re back in cahoots just like we were all those years ago, I pull Bill close.
“Ah, my darling girl,” he says softly. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Me too.” Our hug is long and hard and speaks more words than anything else. October was a close call.
Bill stands back and holds me at arm’s length. “I think Lucy is just as stressed to impress, to be honest. What with cooking in France, she’s put the bar sky high for herself. So, tonight’s her night. Tomorrow May will shine with her traditional Christmas dinner.”
“I can’t wait. Let me know what I can do to help,” I say as Hunter comes up to us and holds out a glass of sparkling wine to me.
“Here,” he says with a soft kiss to my cheek. “What can I get you both?” he asks Bill and May.
Soon follows the distraction of Mycroft—he might have sniffed out his bone present under the tree, what were you thinking Hunter?—and Hannah, in the cutest little ballerina tutu trying to show everybody her take on the Sugar Plum Fairy solo dance.
Derek is recording her whole performance and takes photos right through dinner as we enjoy the most delectable and delicious four-course meal that Lucy’s prepared. Every course is light, perfectly presented, and an absolute dream for our tastebuds. I poke my way around a few ingredients, but so far so good. Nobody has even noticed that my sparkling wine has turned into a Perrier and apple juice mix. I’m feeling smugger by the minute.
When the dessert—not ice cream but a croquembouche, a choux pastry tower filled with a delicious creamy custard—is finally served, Lucy leans back with a groan. “I did it! Hashtag personal goals! Hashtag Christmas Eve dinner! Hashtag Crazy Christmas!”
We all laugh. “It was amazing, thank you so much, cuz,” Hunter says as he sweeps up a streak of custard left on his plate with his finger and licks it off. “I can’t wait to have you back state-side so I can eat like this all the time.”
“All the time? God no.” She laughs. “But you’ll be ready for me when I’m back in a year or so? To open up shop?” Her eyes are wide. She seems a bit freaked out at the prospect of opening four Ashleigh Lake Ice Cream and Coffee shops but is also trying not to let fear stand in her way.
“Yep. We’ll get back on track with the business plan in the new year.” Hunter’s eyes are on me, warm and full of promises.
I blush, knowing that I won’t be able to wait until the morning to give him his stocking present. Not with him looking at me with such love and tenderness in his eyes.
When Derek stands ten minutes later, he calls it a night. “Someone needs to go put cookies and milk out for Santa and then it’s time for bed.”
“Yes! Yes-yes-yes!” Hannah is switched on in a millisecond. There’s no way she’s going to bed anytime soon, but luckily for us, everybody helps with the clean-up and then they’re all gone.
“That was fun,” I say as I lead Hunter to the sectional and we settle down to stare at the fire, his arm over my shoulders as he pulls me close. “Who has the puppy?”
“Jessie has him,” Hunter says. “She’ll drop him off at May and Bill’s first thing tomorrow morning.”
