Page 6 of The Holidays with Dr. Mitchell
I smiled, wondering who else would be forced into this bullshit.
“Do tell. I’d like to know who else is just as fucked as us two screwballs.”
She grinned, “I think it’ll be more fun for all of you guys to get on your silly group chats and bitch to each other about it.”
“Well, it seems Collin was the first to find out since he’s the only one I’ve heard from.”
“The rest will start flooding in soon, I’m sure,” she laughed, curled into me, and kissed my chest. “Thank you for tonight. I needed you and that more than you know.”
I pulled her in closer and allowed our bodies to mold into each other before I called for my phone to set the morning alarm and kissed Ash on her forehead.
“Don’t ever thank me for that, angel. It’s always my pleasure to bring a smile to your face. Now, sleep.”
It was the last thing she and I said to each other before I drifted off into a much-needed and welcomed slumber.
CHAPTER 4
Jake
Of all the weeks I would’ve loved to have time slow down, it would’ve been this one; however, shit wasn’t going down that way, so I chose to take control of the situation instead of letting it steer me into a negative mood.
Acting like a little bitch that all of usdadswere tasked with the duties of taking toddlers through John and Mickie’s neighborhood to knock on doors and say trick-or-treat all damn night wasn’t going to get me anywhere, so I figured I would make the most of it. I decided that if I was going trick-or-treating, I was going to be the best-dressed son of a bitch out there.
When I learned that my brother Jim and his best friend Alex were dressing up as Batman and Robin, I chose to steer clear of superheroes altogether, especially since my eight-year-old was the utmost authority on all things Marvel. I’m sure John was going to give Uncle Jim and Alex a fuck-ton of shit for choosing DC characters, and I wasn’t about to be part of that lecture, so I decided on a costume that would dominate in allour adorable little daughters’ eyes. Even my son would stand in awe of the costume I picked to parade these turkeys through the neighborhood.
I’d probably be the last guy to show up tonight since work held me over, and I had to rush home to get my costume on before driving toBungalow Heaven,where John and Mickie bought an adorable Craftsman to raise their family in. It was the perfect place for two doctors who wanted to escape the loud and busy life of the rich and famous and live like the stars of Leave it to Beaver.
Once I pulled into where we were instructed to park, I hiked my ass up to the Aster family home, not failing to notice the charm of their neighborhood. It was cute as fuck at Halloween. Every lawn and house was decorated with a charming Halloween theme, and neighbors waved from chairs planted on their front lawns as I strutted my ass up the street, looking for the abode that John and Mickie called home.
“What the hell kind of a geek didyoudress up as?” I heard Spencer Monroe say with humor.
“The one who will win the hearts of our little ladies,” I confidently grinned, clapping my hand on the shoulder of my brother’s VP at Mitchell and Associates. “Why aren’t you dressed up?”
“By the time I’d flown in from business overseas, andafterthis charade was announced mandated by our scheming wives, no more costumes in the store would fit me. Well, none that I would wear, anyway. So, I was left with no other option but to?—”
“Does Nat know you didn’t dress up?” I interrupted his cocky diatribe.
“After Natalia called to inform me that I had to take our daughter trick-or-treating and that she has a late, last-minute showing, I knew I’d get out of it. In fact, I predicted this would happen, and here we are.”
“Well, you don’t matter either way,” I said. “Angel is, what, a little over a year old? She wouldn’t remember the holiday if you begged her to.”
“She just had her second birthday, but I do agree. She won’t remember any of this—” Spencer cut himself off mid-sentence, and his eyes were the size of silver dollars, looking at something behind me.
My eyes went to Jim, who’d just walked out of the house and immediately covered his smile with his hand.
“Jesus Christ. What the fuck is that?” Alex declared with humor as he exited behind Jim. Their Batman and Robin costumes were full-blown cosplay level, so I had to give it to them.
They still looked like idiots, though.
“It’s Spencer’s costume,” I heard Nat say from behind me.
I didn’t want to turn to look at what she held because the expression on Spencer’s face and the men walking out of John and Mick’s house were priceless to behold, but I was too curious not to. Once I caught a glimpse of the costume Natalia was holding, all I knew was that I was thankful she was notmyspouse.
“Big bird?” Spencer said with baffled disgust. “That thing is ludicrous, and I’m shocked you even allowed it in your damn car.”
We all remained silent, watching Spencer living the nightmare that the cocky bastard deserved.
“Well, it is your daughter’s favorite character on Sesame Street, so youwillstrut your handsome ass around in this.”
