Page 40 of Last Chance Seduction
I was held by a mom who loved her children and all those connected to her boys.Tears filled my eyes, and I had no idea why.It wasn’t as if she’d even spoken to me.But with that one hug, everything had changed, and I couldn’t breathe.
I took a step back and realized I was crying.Lexington’s mother wiped away my tears and smiled.
“Sometimes I just need a good hug too.”
“You’re just going to have to deal with a hug from me as well,” Brooklyn put in as she wrapped her arms around me.I hugged her back, but this time we both laughed, the tears happy ones.
“I’m sorry about that.I don’t know where that came from.”
Eliza shook her head.“The holidays are always stressful, and they bring up memories and emotions that you might not think about on a daily basis.However, we are always here if you want to talk.”
I shook my head.“I’m fine.I was just going through the traditions I had with my parents and sister and realized I’m not sure if I want to do them this year.Christmas is in a little over a week, and I don’t even have a tree up.”It was more that the concept was just occurring to me now.There had been Christmas lights and decorations all over the JW the entire time we had been there.But it had just clicked that maybe my house needed a little more cheer.
“We might be able to help with that,” Eliza said with a wink.
I blinked.“What do you mean?”
Mr.Darcy wound his way through my legs, and butted up against Brooklyn.The other woman picked up my cat as if she had been doing it forever and nuzzled my only family member.“I think I’m in love.”
Eliza slid a finger down Mr.Darcy’s nose, a smile on both women’s faces.“I told you that you should get a pet.Though maybe a dog would be better for you so you can bring him to your project sites.”
I smiled at the mother-daughter pair.“Would a puppy dig in your flowerbeds?”
Brooklyn narrowed her gaze.“Oh, there would be training.I love pets.We had so many growing up, and my parents still have a few.It’s just so hard to say goodbye.”She looked at me and winced.“I’m sorry.That was insensitive of me.”
I shook my head.“No.It’s good to talk about loss.Whenever I bury those feelings deep, they come out in random crying jags as people come to my door.I haven’t even let you inside yet.”Embarrassed, I took a step back, and the other two women walked inside.
“Don’t worry about it.We were just happy to see you.In fact, we are about to kidnap you.”Eliza smiled.
I blinked.“What?Where are you taking me?”
“Shopping of course!”Brooklyn said as she held Mr.Darcy as a baby, rocking him back-and-forth.The cat purred so loudly I could hear it from a few feet away.
“Shopping?”
Lex’s mother nodded.“We still have a few gifts to buy for those in our immediate family.We do a secret Santa for everybody else.That way we’re not giving hundreds of gifts out every year.The list gets long.”
Eliza reached forward to pet Mr.Darcy’s stomach, and while I almost reached out to stop her, the cat just nuzzled into her, and I glared at the traitor.
“First, that cat never lets me touch his stomach.”
“He loves me already,” Eliza teased.“What’s the second?”
“Second.The secret Santa idea is utterly fantastic.I don’t have gifts for anyone.”My eyes widened.“I didn’t even think about it.”
“Well, we have time.And we’re taking you anyway.”Eliza held my hand and squeezed.“I’m sorry, but you’re about to get adopted into the Montgomerys.And we’re going to make sure you get the holiday you want.It might be different than what we do as a vivacious family, but I’m not going to let you hide in your home.I’m sorry.I’m not wired that way.”
“You don’t really have to do this,” I whispered, an odd warmth spreading through me.This family…I just couldn’t keep up.Whatever Lex and I had didn’t even have a label and they were acting as if I were already part of them.Then again, that kiss…thosekisses.There was nothing fake about those.And in the twenty-four hours since that kiss, we hadn’t spoken about it.Work had been in the way, but then again, I knew we both needed time to think.
Only I hadn’t let myself think about him at all.
“We don’t.But Lexington is not about to let you be alone on the holidays either,” Brooklyn said with a sly smile on her face.
My cheeks heated even as I glared at the woman next to me.“I’m not sure that’s his business.”
The other woman just beamed.“Oh we’re going to be best friends.Just you watch.And you might not think you’re his business, but since you’re his fake, I’m sorry, I meanrealgirlfriend, you’re sort of out of luck here.”Brooklyn continued before I could say anything.“Now go get ready, and I’ll stay here with this lovely man.”
“Duke has someone to watch out for it seems,” Eliza said with a chuckle.
