Page 4 of Make You Mine This Christmas
“There have to be a million Santa openings across the Northeast this time of year. Pick one, and leave without looking back. You’re good at that,” I say.
Brody’s shoulders roll back. Even through my anger and hurt at seeing him, I have to admit the determined look works on Santa’s— well at least on Santa Brody’s—face.
“But no other Santa job brings me back to you.”
The force of his words collides with me like a physical thing, and I take a step backward. I open my mouth searching for something to say. Coming up empty, I do what I should have done as soon as I changed. I head for the door.
“Austin, wai?—”
The door swinging shut behind me cuts off his words. I take a few deep breaths, counting on the fact he won’t follow until he’s out of his suit. By then, I plan to be long gone.
I spot Blaire across the gym. Dropping my costume in the laundry cart, I make my way to her.
“Austin, I’m so sorry. I had no idea Brody wasthe guy.”
I wince. “Talked to Cole, have you?”
She nods, not even bothering to look ashamed. And it’s fine, really, I would have told her if Cole didn’t. She deserves to know why I almost bailed on her this afternoon.
“Why don’t you head over to the house for dinner and twin snuggles?”
I start to protest. The last thing they need to do is pick up my pieces when they’re still figuring out how they all fit together as a family of four.
She holds up her hand to interrupt me. “Cole insists, and so do I. Plus, it’s been what, a week since you’ve seen the girls? They’ve grown inches and inches, I swear.” Her eyes flick behind me, and whatever she sees inspires her “no arguments” face. “I have to walk Brody over to the apartment above Jitters, and he’s about to head this way. So you can either stand here and argue with me, or you can get your ass moving, Owens.”
I nod, knowing a lost cause when I see one. “Okay, I’ll see you at your place in a little bit.”
She squeezes my arm, and I walk out of the gym, fighting myself all the way not to look back.
* * *
I let myself into Cole and Blaire’s house only a few blocks away from Holly Ridge. I learned the hard way not to let myself in unannounced after they bought this place and moved in, but also learned theharderway that ringing the doorbell and announcing myself when it’s possible one or both babies is sleeping risks banishment.
“Honey, I’m home,” I whisper, walking carefully into the living room. Cole is dozing in the armchair, and I tiptoe toward the double bassinet next to him. Cassidy and Melody are both miraculously asleep at the same time. I leave them all to their snoozing and head to the kitchen. After grabbing a beer from the fridge and taking a long drag from the glass bottle, I roll up my sleeves and get started on the world’s quietest dishwasher emptying.
“You don’t have to do that,” Cole says, and I jump, nearly dropping the plate in my hand. The relieved look on his face tells me everything I need to know about how the day went.
“I’m not sure when three people last slept at the same time in this house, so I didn’t want to disturb you. Plus, apparently, you’re feeding me tonight. Figure I can earn my keep.”
Cole doesn’t argue, and I put the last of the silverware away while he grabs a beer of his own from the fridge. He jerks his head for me to follow him through the dining room and into his office. I smirk when I spot a small Christmas tree has been put up since I last came in here. Cole plops into one of the armchairs next to the fireplace and puts his beer and the baby monitor on the table between us.
“So, how are you?”
“I’m jingle-riffic. Why would you ask?” My own flop into the chair is too heavy to hide my lie, not that Cole would believe me anyway. He levels me with a look, and I take another sip for bravery.
“Of all the things on my list of possibilities to happen today, Brody Walker being here wasn’t one of them,” I say, reclining my head so I’m staring at the orbs cast on the ceiling by the tree lights.
“I mean, you haven’t heard from him in what, ten years?”
“Nine years, five months, and twenty-four days.” I roll my neck so I’m looking at Cole again, his expression exactly what I expected. A mix of pity and reproach. “What? He left on the first of the month. It’s notthathard to keep count.”
“We’ll blow right past that for now,” he continues. “Why did you stick around? Blaire said she thought you bailed for a minute—she wouldn’t have blamed you if you had.”
I shrug. “I knew if you called to recruit me to help, Blaire was in a real bind. Plus, I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he got to me. I mean, he probably still knows, but this way he doesn’t have me running away as proof. Besides, he’s the runner, not me.”
We sit in the quiet for a moment, a coo from one of the girls lighting up the monitor the only thing breaking the silence.
“So, he’s here for the rest of the?—”
