Page 22 of Christmas Promises

“Me? How do you figure?”

“I saw the way you were looking at Laney Gray this afternoon. You looked the same way when you were fourteen.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Nolan said. “She’s going through a breakup. There’s no way she’s ready for anything.”

“What happened to her?” Logan asked.

Max made a face. “How do you not know? It’s all Mom’s been talking about.”

“She has?” Logan’s eyes widened. “Tell me everything.”

“You really need to lift your head up from your work every so often and connect with the outside world,” Max said.

“Laney’s fiancé was cheating on her with her best friend,” Nolan said. “She found out like minutes before the ceremony. That louse took the best friend on the honeymoon, which was meant for him and Laney. In Paris.”

“That’s cold,” Max said. “Really cold.”

A conversation followed about Laney and her misfortune, with Nolan filling in as many details as he knew. His brothers were different in a lot of ways, but they were all empathetic and compassionate.

“That must have been gut-wrenching,” Luke said. “The poor thing.”

“I know,” Nolan said.

“Yeah, but it brought her here,” Max said. “Which gives you a chance to make your move.”

“You can relate to a broken engagement,” Logan said to Nolan, not unkindly but in a matter-of-fact tone.

“You should use that to your advantage,” Max said. “Shared sympathy could bond you.”

“Not everything’s a game, Max,” Logan said, practically growling.

The two had a lifelong battle of sensibilities. Max thought life was a grand adventure, whereas Logan had a more serious nature. In fact, his assertiveness and ever-challenging questions made him a great lawyer. However, in other aspects of his life, Logan’s personality could be difficult. Most of the conflict among the brothers had been between Logan and Max, with Nolan as the peacemaker. Luke, as the oldest, had always expressed equal loyalty to both of them and mostly stayed out of it.

“We’ve talked about it already,” Nolan said, eager to keep the evening harmonious. “And it did bond us.”

“You like her,” Logan said. “For real.” Not a question, more of a statement, in typical Logan fashion.

“I do,” Nolan admitted. “It’s not exactly smart, either. She’s probably going home after the first of the year.”

“If it’s meant to be, it will be,” Luke said. “Look at Abby and me. After everything we went through, not to mention the kids, we found each other.”

“You two are adorably disgusting,” Max said.

“You’re jealous,” Logan said.

“I mean, maybe a little.” Max stretched his arms over head. “But right now I’m mostly interested in taking everyone’s money.”

If only he were joking. Max had an amazing amount of luck when it came to poker. Any game for that matter. He’d mastered his poker face and somehow was onto all of their tics as well. There were almost no nights Max went home with less money in his pocket than when he’d arrived.

Their Max was born under a lucky star.

The dayof the cookie decorating party, Nolan woke to a text from Mom, asking if he wouldn’t mind picking up some more sugar and flour.

He responded with an affirmative and reminded her that Edna and Laney were joining them later that afternoon. She wrote back that she was well aware and that she couldn’t wait to see Laney again.

He smiled as he stepped into the shower. His mother and Edna were close. There was no way the two of them weren’t talking and probably plotting how to get Laney and him hitched.

Not that he minded. He could use a little well-intentioned meddling.

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