Page 55 of Mister Curb Appeal
She throws her arms around me. “For real good! Oh, Joshie!”
I grin, pulling her feet off the ground and spinning her around. “This is the best Christmas present I could ever wish for.”
“Wait until you get me out of this underwear.”
I squeeze her tight. Knowing she’s the love of my life lights me up inside brighter than the freaking Christmas tree. “Dinner plans are definitely canceled.”
Lexi
Christmas Day
I’m not sure the sports watch I got for Josh is anywhere near as epic as the gifts he got for me, but he mentioned it when I was bugging him for Christmas present ideas recently. He said when we go back to Lake Haven, we might do some hiking or take atrip up the lake and he didn’t want to tempt fate with his Rolex. He loved it though and swapped his fancy watch out for the new one in a deep cobalt blue that match his eyes.
“There’s something about a man in a reindeer sweater that I just can’t resist,” I whisper to Josh when we’re getting ready to pick up my mom on the way to Tristan’s place.
Mom decided to take Tristan and Ali up on the offer of spending Christmas with them and the rest of the Lucas family. Ali’s daughter, Clementine, will be there too, and Mason and Bobby will drop in with their beloved doggies in the afternoon. Josh said his grandparents, his uncle Jon, and his son won’t make it today, but tomorrow they’re heading over from Palm Springs. I’m looking forward to meeting them all before we head over to his mom’s place because I haven’t officially had a chance to meet her properly. They sometimes all do Christmas together, since his mom and Tristan still get along really well, but this year she decided to stay home and host dinner on Boxing Day instead, and have the boys over then.
“I try to do my bit,” he snickers, giving me a tap on the ass. I’m wearing a sweater in the same colors as his, green, white and red, but mine has a giant snowman on the front with sparkly snowflakes all over it.
“Oh, you certainly do.”
“Will you be wearing one of those sexy sets I bought you tonight?”
I have to admit the La Perla, no matter how gorgeous, may have been slightly over the top, when all I got Joshie was a watch, but he was as happy as Larry, so I didn’t feel so bad in the end. “Of course. I thought we could take a soak in the tub first and then I can show you all my wares.”
Josh laughs and kisses me on the nose. “I knew this was going to be the best Christmas ever.”
And it really is. Christmas lunch is amazing, and my mom absolutely loves everyone. She met Josh last week and already adores the socks off him.
“Josh says the love bug is going around,” Noah sings with an eyebrow waggle toward Brad’s direction when Tristan is dutifully carving up the Christmas turkey. I baked last night and brought some of the cookies that Josh loves, and Mom and I made some trifle the night before. I know it’s going to go down a treat later. “Anybody want to take a wager on who’s next for the Lucas brothers to fall head over heels?” He casts me a wink, nodding in Brad’s direction, and I can’t help but stifle a laugh.
Brad fires him a look, which I’m sure would have turned into a lewd finger gesture if we weren’t all sitting here. “Love bug? Are you for real?”
“It happens to the best of us,” Josh pipes up, slinging an arm around me. “And Lex was right under my nose the whole time.”
“He was just too dumb to see it,” Noah helpfully points out, which earns a few laughs from around the table.
“You can’t rush these things,” Tristan agrees, smiling at Ali, taking his eye off the turkey for a second. “It comes in the most mysterious places.”
“Well, it’s no mystery Brad has been spending more time at the Confetti Bakery than he has at the office lately,” Noah continues. “It wouldn't have anything to do with Chelsea and her kid, would it?”
“There’s nothing going on between me and Chelsea,” Brad says. “We’ve known each other forever, and she’s one hell of a pastry chef. Her kid is cute. That’s it.” He flat lines his hands as if to prove a point.
“Yeah, yeah.” Noah shakes his head and starts talking to Ali about some properties he’s been looking at over in Malibu. He’s been on the house hunt for a while but hasn’t found the right one yet.
Tristan puts the carving knife down and clears his throat after a sip of wine and a tap on his glass. “I just wanted to officially welcome the lovely Lexi and Irene to our family lunch,” he says. “Thank you both so much for joining the madhouse. Feel free to ignore my sons when they’re acting like children, which I’m sure will be through most of this lunch.”
A host of laughs rings out over the table, little Clementine leading the fray.
“Here, here!” Ali chimes. “Oops. I meant the welcoming part!” More laughs ensue.
“Mom!” Clementine facepalms herself as we all raise our glasses in a toast.
“Thank you so much for making us feel so welcome,” my mom gushes. “And Josh is just so wonderful for my beautiful, Lexi. You’ve raised an amazing son,” she adds to Tristan.
Josh grins over at her and then averts a smartass glance at his brothers while squeezing my hand under the table. “Did y’all hear that, boys? Number one son again if you ask me.”
“We didn’t ask you.” Noah picks up a biscuit and pretends to lob it over at him.
