Page 56 of Hot for the Jerk

The sign for the brewery, cabins, and pub came into view and a sharp snag of emotion caught in my throat.I was definitely happy to be home.Thank god, all my Christmas presents were already bought and wrapped so I didn’t have to worry about not having anything for my six favorite scallywags.

My brother turned onto the long gravel laneway with the grass down the middle and slowed his roll to a cool 10 mph.The pub stood tall and proud up ahead with the cabins just beyond them, a few vehicles sat parked in front of the freshly painted little boxes, since some people liked to rent in the off-season, even over Christmas.

“Feels good to be home, huh?”Wyatt said, his smirk knowing as he turned up the hill that took us to our five identical houses—each painted a different color.

“Feels real good.”

After what happened to Brooke, we installed more security on the property, including a gate that we had to stop at and punch in a code on a keypad before we could get through.Wyatt rolled down his window, hit his code, and the gate slowly swung open.

I wasn’t prepared for what greeted me at the top in the gravel driveway we all shared and I had to admit, I got a little emotional.Six kiddos wearing enormous smiles, jumping up and down and holding a sign that said, “WELCOME HOME, UNCLE JAGGER!”stood there waiting for me.

It was a like a wad of sticky, chunky peanut butter with extra sharp peanut pieces got lodged in the back of my throat, and even my eyes stung a little.I didn’t realize how much I missed these little lunatics until I saw them.Before Wyatt even parked, I bailed out of the truck and ran toward them.

Their cheers as they dropped their sign and launched themselves at me had a few fat tears rolling down behind my glasses.I’d have swept them away if I had any arms to do so.Wyatt’s son, Griffin, hung off one arm while Dom’s son, Silas, hung off the other.Clint’s daughter, Talia, clung to one leg, and Bennett’s daughter, Aya, wrapped her arms around the other.That left the older two.Bennett’s other daughter, Emme, who just tucked in for a hug, pressing her cheek to my chest, before Wyatt’s older son, Jake, did the same.

“Welcome home, Uncle Jagger,” Emme said, calmly.“We missed you.”

“I missed you too, squirt.”

Jake was almost nine, but tall for his age, so the top of his head brushed my shoulders.He smiled up at me.“You smell like ocean and wood.”

Still decorated like a Christmas tree with children on every limb, I was stuck in place as I chuckled.“Well, I split a bunch of firewood for the woman who owned the B&B I stayed at, and I was just on the ocean in the water taxi.”

Wyatt slammed his truck door, hauling my bag out with him just as Dom, Clint, and Bennett came out of their houses, their women behind them.

“He’s home.And in one piece,” Clint joked.“Thought for sure, Raina would at the very least draw something unkind and cucumber shaped on your face while you slept.”He made a mock pout.“Kind of disappointed she didn’t.”

“If I could, I’d flip you the bird,” I said dryly.

“All right, you guys, let Uncle Jagger have his legs and arms back,” Bennett said, leaning against the doorframe of his house, Justine now tucked in front of him, and his arms around her.

“But we missed him,” Aya protested.“And he doesn’t mind.Right, Uncle Jagger?You don’t mind.”She currently sat on my foot, her arms wrapped around my leg as she stared up at me with big, brown eyes.She blinked her long lashes and smiled sweetly.

She was a child who it was almost impossible to say no to.

Almost.

“I mean, Idoneed to pee,” I said, even though I didn’t.“I could do it right here, I guess.But you might—”

“I’m off, I’m off,” she said, leaping off my foot and backing away.

Talia did the same, but Silas and Griffin hung onto my arms.

“We’re boys, we don’t care,” Griffin said, tightening his grip on my bicep.“I’m fine if Uncle Jagger pees his pants, or if he needs to pull down his pants.It’s a natural bodily function.”

“Get down,” Wyatt said, coming up behind his cheeky son and tickling his armpits until he giggled and let go of me.

“Si,” Dom said, jerking his chin at his son.“Down, please.”

Silas pouted, but listened to his father.He glanced up at me.“We missed you, Uncle Jagger.Please don’t go away for so long again.It was lonely without you.”

“Aw, buddy,” I said, ruffling his hair, that wad of peanut butter back in my throat.“I missed you guys too.”

“Did you bring us anything?”Aya asked.

“Aya Lucia,” Bennett warned, his voice stern before he rolled his eyes and shook his head at the gall of his child.

Aya glanced back at him.“What?Why’d you use both my names?”

---