Текст книги "Major Misconduct"
Автор книги: Kelly Jamieson
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Текущая страница: 17 (всего у книги 18 страниц)
The driver held the door open for her and she smiled as she thanked him and stepped inside. She gazed around in wonder. “I’ve only been in a limo once before. When Duncan started playing with the Aces, Mom and Dad and I came to see one of his games and he rented a limo to take us out for dinner.”
“It’s a good way to get around.” Marc slid an arm along the back of the seat behind her. “No worries about parking or trying to find a taxi when you want to go home.”
“Do I get to know where we’re going?”
“Not yet. How about a glass of champagne?”
She eyed the bottle in the ice bucket and the fluted glasses. “That would be lovely.”
Marc poured them both a glass, then touched his to hers in a gentle toast. “To us.”
“Marc. This is…” Her throat closed up. She sipped her champagne, letting the bubbles sting their way down. “Delicious.” She paused. “The champagne is nice because I have something to celebrate tonight.”
“Oh yeah?”
She nodded. “I heard from Panache Clothing today. I got the contract with them.”
His eyes widened. “Seriously? That’s fantastic! I know how much you wanted that job.”
“Yes.” Excitement sparkled through her veins like the champagne. “It’s my biggest client yet. When I tell other potential clients that I work with them, it will be so impressive. And it’s big money.” She bit her lip.
“Congratulations.” He leaned in and touched his mouth to hers. “So proud of you.”
“Thank you. I have something else in the works too.”
“Yeah?”
She hesitated to tell him. “Yes. It’s super cool, but I want it to be a done deal before I tell anyone.”
“What? You’re just going to torture me?” He smiled. “You can’t do that.”
“Yes I can.”
He gave an exaggerated sigh. “But you’ll tell me first, right?”
She laughed. “Of course.”
They drank champagne and talked and shared a few hot but restrained kisses on the short drive. The limo stopped, the driver jumped out to open the door for them, and they emerged onto Navy Pier.
She looked at Marc with a raised eyebrow, and he just smiled.
This was cool. Whatever they were going to do. Dinner? Whatever. It was cool.
They strolled down the pier. Here on the water, the breeze was definitely chillier. No wonder he’d said to dress warmly. Marc led her to the boats docked at the side, to one boat in particular, a large, elegant vessel with an upper and lower deck. A man in a uniform waited for them and greeted Marc. “Good evening, Mr. Dupuis. Welcome aboard.”
Wide-eyed, Lovey followed them up the ramp that led to the boat. Inside it was warmer. A table had been set with a white cloth, sparkling glasses, and silver, and a vase with three more of the golden-orange roses. Soft jazz music played over a sound system.
“We’re going on a boat cruise?” she asked Marc.
“Yeah. A river cruise. We’ll have dinner. Some more champagne. Maybe dance a little.”
“Just us?”
“Yeah.”
“On this whole boat?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh wow.”
He grinned. “They’re going to be calling me Captain Romance after this.”
“Oh, Marc.” She floated over to him and set her hands on his chest. “You are romantic. I mean, this…this is amazing. Definitely romantic. But I think it’s romantic when you put your hand on my ass when we’re lying in bed half-asleep. Or when you do the dishes for me after I cook supper.”
His eyes crinkled up at the corners. “Good to know.”
“This is way cool for a first date.”
“It doesn’t really feel like our first date.”
“I know. Maybe we did do things backwards.”
They shared a long, warm smile.
The food was amazing, the views of the night skyline spectacular. They slow danced to some sexy music. They got a little buzzed on expensive champagne.
She had no idea how much something like this cost, but the effort Marc had gone to, to make this special, meant much more to her than the money he’d spent.
“Best date ever,” she told him as they strolled arm in arm back along the pier to their limo.
“Not over yet.”
“Ooookay.”
The limo’s next stop was the Waldorf Astoria hotel. Lovey gazed around the incredible lobby. Marc headed straight to the elevators, pulling a key card from his pocket. “Checked in earlier.”
In their room, she was speechless.
“We’ll have lots of room tonight.” He grinned and nodded at the huge bed. She took in the bright white bed linens, the sleek furniture and lamps, the sitting area with plush dark gray furniture arranged in front of a fireplace, a fire already burning there. More orange-gold roses filled big white vases on the dresser and desk.
“Holy crap.”
Chapter 25
“Are we staying here all night?” Lovey turned big eyes on him.
“Yep.” Marc smiled and moved toward her.
“I didn’t bring anything with me.”
“I picked up a few things. Hopefully enough. And much as I liked that little peach nightie, you don’t need anything to sleep in.”
“I am never letting you go.” She threw herself into his arms.
“Excellent.” He kissed her hair. “We’re stuck with each other. Now let’s get these clothes off.”
They stepped apart to get rid of coats and scarves, tossing them into one of the armchairs, removing boots and setting them aside also.
“More champagne?” She eyed the bucket on the coffee table. Two fluted glasses sat next to it.
“Yep.”
“Are you trying to get me drunk?”
He laughed and pulled the dripping bottle out of the ice bucket. “Is it working?”
“I may be a little tipsy. Or maybe I’m just deliriously happy.” She smiled and moved to the fireplace, stretching her hands out toward it. “Oh, that’s nice and warm.”
She looked so beautiful, with the flames illuminating her bright hair and her slender curves silhouetted. For a few seconds he just stared at her, emotion fizzing in his chest like the champagne.
He blinked and looked down at the bottle in his hands. He popped the cork out easily and poured them each a glass. He handed her one, then clinked them gently together. “I love you, Lovey.”
“Love you too.”
Their eyes met as they lifted the glasses to their mouths.
“Now, this really is the best date ever.”
They sat in front of the fire, sipping wine, talking, touching, kissing. He was glad he’d made her happy. He wanted to spend the rest of his life making her happy.
He wanted to make her happy now.
He carefully set their glasses aside and led her to the bed. He undressed her first, kissing her skin as he revealed it, then pulled off his own clothes. He tumbled them onto the big bed. Her body rippled under his hands as she gave herself to him, and he got lost in the feel of her, in the heat, in the sweetness and erotic pleasure. Emotion swelled inside him, powerful and huge.
Her hands reached for him and her soft murmurs of pleasure had heat pouring over his body, liquid pleasure running through his veins. They rolled and twisted together, mouths fused in long, endless kisses, hands all over each other. She bit his shoulder gently, licked his skin, and made him burn everywhere. He worshipped her with his mouth, his tongue, his hands. He found her soft, wet center and rubbed his thumb over her clit until she vibrated.
“So glad we don’t need a condom.” He kissed her throat as she quivered against him. “Want to be inside you, bare.”
“Yes. Please.”
He moved over her, buried his face in the side of her neck, breathed in that sweet cupcake scent. His chest clenched and he struggled for breath, then levered himself up above her.
Her lips parted and her eyes gazed up at him, her hands on his chest. Their gazes held for a long moment while heat built and shimmered around them. His heart thudded in a slow, heavy rhythm in his chest.
He lifted her thigh, pushed inside her, and his bare flesh met hers, hot and wet. Her body surrounded him and tightened around him, and sensation poured over him, overwhelmingly intimate. He moved inside her, sliding in and out of her silky heat as her body squeezed him, her hands pressed to his chest.
His gaze was riveted to her face, the perfect oval of it, her mouth shiny in the firelight, her eyes full of longing and love and devotion. He thrust deeper, harder, watching her eyelids drift closed, drinking in her hot whimpers and the soft sighs that built to a climax of pleasure. He’d never seen anything as gorgeous as watching Lovey come, her body tightening, her pussy rippling around him, and it undid him. The surge of sensation and emotion inside him was almost unbearable. He sank into her softness, one achingly sweet sensation building on another. Pleasure expanded through his chest, swelling inside him.
He fell on her with a long groan, their bodies melting together. Her hands slid over him and she moved against him, beneath him, with him, around him. She was everything to him.
“Je t’aime,” he whispered. “Tu es pour moi la plus belle.”
“I love it when you speak French to me.”
And he smiled.
Epilogue
“You going home for Christmas?”
Marc looked over at Army at his question. They were each sprawled out on one of his couches, Rosser in one of the armchairs, all of them watching Duck Dynasty, eating pretzels, and drinking root beer.
Oh right. Christmas. Only a couple of weeks away. They had four days off this year, from the twenty-third to the twenty-eighth, but he’d been so distracted with what was going on with him and Lovey, not to mention their losing streak, he hadn’t even thought about it. Now he guiltily remembered his mom’s email asking about that, which he still hadn’t replied to. He winced inwardly.
“I should. My mom wants me to.” He paused. “I’m trying to convince Lovey to come with me.”
Army frowned. “But then she won’t be home for Christmas. I mean, our home.”
“I know. She’s having a hard time deciding what to do. Doesn’t want to let your parents down.”
Army pursed his lips. “Well, I guess this is what happens when the kids grow up. We’ve never had Christmas apart.”
“Never?”
“Nope.”
Marc grinned. “You talk like she’s such a big pain in your ass, but you love your little sister.”
Army grimaced and rubbed the back of his head. “Of course I love her.” He glanced at Marc. “You could come to the farm.”
“Lovey said that too. Don’t know what your folks would think about that.”
“They fucking love you. They love you more than they love me.”
“That’s understandable.”
Army threw a pretzel at him and Rosser snorted. Marc grinned.
“How about you, Rosser?” Army looked at their teammate. “Going home for Christmas? You’re from…Maine…right?”
“Wrong.” Rosser shot another pretzel Armdog’s way. “Connecticut. Greenfield. Little place just outside Hartford. And yeah, I’m going there for Christmas.”
“Big family?”
“Uh…” Rosser’s face tightened. “Sort of. They’re kind of my adopted family. They took me in when I was sixteen and my own family fell apart.”
“Ah. That sucks, man.”
Rosser shrugged. “That was a long time ago. The MacFaddens are good people. It’ll be cool to see everyone.”
“Sounds good. But seriously, this is a tough decision.” Marc returned to their discussion about where he and Lovey should spend Christmas. “Don’t want to let my folks down either. And a French-Canadian Christmas would be cool for Lovey.”
“Maybe you should go home and Lovey should come to the farm with me.”
Marc frowned. “You think we should spend our first Christmas together apart?” Wait, that didn’t sound right. Whatever.
“It won’t kill you, for fuck’s sake.”
Marc scowled at his friend. “Dude.”
“What?”
“Are you taking Melissa to the farm for Christmas?”
“Fuck no.” Army’s forehead furrowed.
“See, you don’t get it. I want to spend Christmas with Lovey.”
“Aw. How sweet. When did you turn into Captain Romance?”
“Ha. I knew that was coming.” The dig didn’t even bother him.
“I believe you once insinuated that I was whipped by my own sister. Well, look at you.” Army lifted his arm in a cracking-the-whip motion and made the corresponding noise.
“See, that didn’t even bother me. Because I’m not whipped. I want to be with her.”
“Gag.” Army guzzled some root beer from the can.
“We all end up whipped to some degree. When we’re young and single and we see a guy who just wants to stay home and fuck his girlfriend instead of coming out with us, we don’t get it. But of course he wants to stay home and fuck his girlfriend. That’s why he has a girlfriend.”
“I don’t like where this conversation is going.”
“I’m talking in generalities.” Marc waved a hand. “Anyway, one day you’ll understand.”
“Again, gag.” Army paused. “Hey, I know. Rock, paper, scissors.”
Marc laughed. “Fuck off.”
“Okay, we’ll arm wrestle.”
“You know you’ll lose.”
The door of Army’s condo opened and closed and Lovey appeared. She rushed in, cheeks pink from the cold, eyes sparkling. “Guess what!” She paused and beamed a smile at Rosser. “Oh, hi, Andrew.”
“Hey, Lovey.”
Marc smiled and sat up straight. “What, baby?”
“Remember I said I had another potential client?”
“The one you wouldn’t tell me about?”
“Yes! I got the job!” She actually jumped up and down in her high-heeled boots, clapping her gloved hands.
“Who is it?” Marc rose off the couch and strolled over to her.
“The Aces!”
Army sat up too, frowning. “What? The Chicago Aces?”
“Yes!” She beamed at them.
Marc wrapped her in a big hug. “Congratulations, baby. That’s fantastic!”
She hugged him back. “I know!”
“Congratulations,” Rosser said.
“How did that come about?” Army asked.
“Marc, remember that night at the grand opening of Fowler School, we were talking to Mick Rooney?” She looked at Duncan and explained, “Marc told him I was helping him with his social media stuff, and he asked me a bunch of questions about my business. Well, apparently he was curious and started following me on Twitter and Instagram and Facebook, and he and Colby started checking out some of my clients to see the work I’m doing.” She grinned. “They really like my tweets for Kleinheinz Cheese.”
Marc laughed.
“So that’s what they’re hiring me for. To give all the guys social media training and work with Communications on their various social media platforms.”
“Wow, Lovey.” Army stood too. “That’s great.”
“Thank you.” She met her brother’s eyes. “Are you impressed?”
“I am,” he admitted, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets. “You’re doing great with your business, Lovey.”
Her smile beamed out. “Yes.” Then she sighed. “I’m so relieved.”
Marc hugged her again. “I knew you could do it.”
“Hmm. I’m not so sure you were convinced of that at first.”
“Well, it didn’t take me long to see that you’re capable of anything you set your mind to.” Her lips trembled and he brushed his mouth over hers. “You are. I believe in you.”
She shoved her face into the side of his neck and squeezed him tighter. “I love you.”
He stroked a hand down her silky hair. “Love you too, baby.”
Army groaned behind them. “Jesus.”
They both turned and grinned at him, arms still around each other. Rosser looked amused, still reclined in the armchair, crunching on a pretzel.
“Hey,” Army said. “We were just talking about Christmas. What are you gonna do, Lovey?”
She bit her lip. “I’m not sure. I guess we better decide, huh?” She undid the belt of her coat, then unbuttoned it, moving into the center of the room.
“Army wants you home for Christmas.” Marc chuckled inwardly. “He’ll miss you if you’re not there.”
Army glared at him. Then he shrugged. “Hell, it’s true. You kinda make things fun.”
Lovey looked at Marc with big eyes. “I feel so torn. I know you want to see your family.”
“Hey, you know what? This year the All-Star Game’s in Montreal. That’s pretty close to home. My parents will for sure come and see it.”
“Assuming you make the All-Star team, jackass,” Army muttered.
Marc paused. “Well, yeah.”
“Of course you will.” Lovey frowned at her brother. “You both will.”
“Eh.” Army shrugged. “The way our team’s playing, not so sure of that. But whatever.”
“Well, even if I don’t make the team, we can go to the game. And see my parents then.”
“That’s late January, right?” Lovey tipped her head.
“Yeah. I forget the exact dates right now. So we’ll go see your parents for Christmas.”
Marc caught Army’s grin before Lovey threw her arms around him again. “You are so getting lucky tonight.”
“Jesus,” Army grunted. “And once again, what Lovey wants, Lovey gets.”
Lovey’s head lifted and she shot her brother a glare. “I thought you wanted me to come home for Christmas?”
“Uh. Yeah. Right.”
“So really, you’re getting what you wanted.”
Marc laughed. Câlisse, he loved her. She lived up to those words tattooed on her pretty torso—live, laugh, love—and had brought that into his world too. He wanted to live and laugh and love her for the rest of their lives. He brushed his mouth near her ear. “Tu es ma joie de vivre.”
She smiled at him. “Merci. Je t’aime aussi.”
To my agent, Emily Sylvan Kim, and editor, Sue Grimshaw—thank you for loving my Chicago Aces and for helping to make these books better. Also big thanks to everyone in my Sweet Heat Reader Group for all the support, encouragement, and entertainment you give me.
BY KELLY JAMIESON Aces Hockey
Major Misconduct
Off Limits
Icing
Top Shelf
PHOTO: LANCE THOMSON PHOTOGRAPHIC
KELLY JAMIESON is a bestselling author of over thirty-five romance novels and novellas. Her writing has been described as “emotionally complex,” “sweet and satisfying,” and “blisteringly sexy.” She likes coffee (black), wine (mostly white), shoes (high), and of course watching hockey!
kellyjamieson.com
Facebook.com/KellyJamiesonRomanceAuthor
@KellyJamieson
The Editor’s Corner
Another month of new Loveswept romance books is here! I know you’ll adore this selection of stories chosen just for you…
USA Today bestselling author Claire Kent continues her emotionally charged story of longing, betrayal, and insatiable desire with Darker the Release, sequel to Sweet the Sin. Another Loveswept USA Today bestseller, Lauren Layne, introduces her new Oxford series with Irresistibly Yours. Wendy S. Marcus’s latest sexy yet sweet military romance, All I Need Is You, releases this month as well. Then there’s another Friends First story from USA Today bestseller Laura Drewry, How Forever Feels. USA Today bestseller Stacey Kennedy finishes up her successful BDSM Club Sin series with Mine, simultaneously introducing her next series of erotic play, Dungeon’s Key, and hot hero Micah.
We’re back on the ice with the first in the Aces Hockey series from Kelly Jamieson, Major Misconduct. Ladies, hold on to your hearts, the Caldwell Brothers are here—USA Today bestselling author MJ Fields and Chelsea Camaron want you to meet Hendrix, the first book in a series about three alpha men who live up to their legendary names. Last, something a little different—bear-shifters anyone? An alpha hero to the extreme, hot highlander Ronan is all that you could want in Bearing It All by Vonnie Davis, perfect for fans of Jennifer Ashley and Shelly Laurenston.
Fabulous variety with a book for everyone, yes? I hope you’ve found your book boyfriend in this month’s releases. However, if you haven’t, fear not, as November’s hot lineup is just around the corner. Until then…
Happy Romance!
Gina Wachtel
Associate Publisher
Read on for an excerpt from Off Limits An Aces Hockey Novella
by Kelly Jamieson
Available from Loveswept
Chapter 1
“My family is like fudge.”
“What?” Jon gave me a sidelong frown, driving down I-91. “How so?”
“They’re mostly sweet, but with lots of nuts.” I bit my lip on a smile.
Jon laughed. “Tell me again who’s coming?”
“How can you be such a brilliant accountant and not remember people’s names?”
“I have other talents.” Jon’s eyes crinkled up at the corners as he looked straight ahead out the windshield.
It amused me that my new boyfriend could never remember names, because he’s super smart and talented, an associate director in Financial Planning and Analysis at HMNC, where we both worked. But names escape him. As do birthdays and anniversaries. Not that he’d forgotten my birthday, which wasn’t until June, and we hadn’t had an anniversary yet, but he’d forgotten his sister’s birthday and his parents’ anniversary. Not the worst flaw in a man who is kind and smart and successful. Right?
After the two-ish-hour drive from Manhattan, we were almost at our destination—my parents’ home in Greenfield, Connecticut, just outside Hartford. For the first time ever, I was bringing a boyfriend home for the holidays.
This was somewhat nerve-wracking, although Jon didn’t seem too stressed about it. He was laid back about pretty much everything, which was nice. My dad and two older brothers were bossy, overprotective alpha males, so having a boyfriend who basically let me do whatever I wanted and didn’t get worked up about things was kind of nice.
The bossy, overprotective part might be why I was a wee bit nervous about bringing Jon home to meet my family.
I’d actually been surprised when Jon had suggested he come home with me for Christmas. We’d been seeing each other a few months and I liked him a lot. Maybe I was even falling a little in love with him. I wasn’t sure. There were things I really liked about him—we worked for the same company, so he understood my job, he was smart and kind, honest and thoughtful. If at times he thought a little too much before doing anything, that was better than making crazy, impulsive decisions or acting rashly. He definitely wasn’t the life of the party, but who wanted that? Quiet and steady were also good qualities. So bringing him home for Christmas seemed like a big step to me, but hey, he wanted to be with me over Christmas and that was nice.
“Okay, who’ll be there…my parents, Brenda and Gary. My oldest brother, Daniel, and his wife, Emily, and their new baby, Christopher, who is the reason for everyone coming home for Christmas. My other brother, Connor, and my sort-of brother, Andrew.”
“Andrew’s the guy your parents took in when he was…how old?”
“He was sixteen.”
I stared out the window, a faint ache in my chest as I thought about Andrew. I’d only told Jon that Andrew had lost his own family and had come to live with us. I hadn’t told him anything about that weekend in college. I hadn’t told anyone about that weekend in college.
I closed my eyes briefly, memories flooding back. I had to push those away, though. I’d been avoiding Andrew for years and it was time to get past that old shit and move on with my life. I had a new boyfriend who was a very nice man and I was excited to be seeing my family.
“That was nice of your parents to do that.”
I turned and blinked at Jon. “Um, yeah. Andrew and Connor were best friends and played on the same hockey team. My dad was his hockey coach. Andrew was practically another son to my dad even before he came to live with us.”
“Neither he nor Connor is married?”
“No.” I wrinkled my nose. “Connor’s not seeing anyone right now. Andrew has a girlfriend but I don’t know if he’s bringing her with him.”
I’d never met this girlfriend, but I’d seen pictures of her—blond and gorgeous. Being a handsome hockey player in the NHL made Andrew’s dating life very public. And he’d had a lot of dates. Not that I cyber-stalked him or anything. But since I hadn’t seen him for almost two years and we didn’t keep in touch other than the odd Facebook like or comment, that was the only way I had of knowing what was going on with him. Other than occasional updates from my mom—although by the time she’d told me that he’d been traded to Chicago I’d already known that. Same when he’d won the James Norris Memorial Trophy after his last team had won the Stanley Cup.
“Huh.”
“Our exit is coming up next.”
“Okay, good.”
It wasn’t much longer before we were pulling up in front of my parents’ home, the house I’d grown up in, a big gray colonial with white window frames, black shutters, and a bright red door. It was the perfect house for Martha Stewart decorating, but alas, my mother is not Martha Stewart. A wreath we’d had since I was about two hung on the front door, looking tattered and worn, and a garland haphazardly draped the stair railings. A thick blanket of snow lay over the lawn, but the front sidewalk and steps and the long driveway to the garage at the back of the house had been neatly shoveled.
A shiver of excited happiness ran through me at being home, about to see my family—and it was Christmas! I loved Christmas! Also, we didn’t see one another enough. Greenfield wasn’t far from New York City but my life was busy so I didn’t get home very often, and my parents weren’t much into the big city. My brother Connor still lived in Greenfield, but Daniel and Emily now resided in Boston, and they were bringing three-month-old baby Christopher home to Greenfield for the first time.
My brothers had tormented me my entire life, but I knew they always had my back despite the practical jokes and frequent insults, and I loved them too. And my parents…well, they were unique. They’d been married nearly thirty-five years, so they must be doing something right, and they’d been great parents, though definitely not Ward and June Cleaver.
Jon reached into the trunk of his Mercedes and pulled out our bags. His was carry-on size and he shook his head over my huge suitcase. “Still don’t know what you’ve got in there.”
“It’s all Christmas presents,” I lied. Well, there were a few presents, but I’d already shipped most of my gifts. The truth was, I had no idea how to pack light for anything, and even though we were going to be in Greenfield for only five days, I’d managed to fit in most of my winter wardrobe. We’d be going out and doing things, seeing extended family and my old friend from high school Leesha, and going to church, and Mom was having an open house the day after Christmas, so I needed a selection of outfits. Plus, it didn’t matter if you were staying over one night or ten, you still needed the whole bag of makeup.
The front door opened and Mom appeared out on the veranda. I gave a little squeal and ran to her, jumping up the wide steps to meet her in a big hug.
“Jenna!” She hugged me back, and we stood for a minute like that, my heart brimming. “So good to see you, honey.”
“You too, Mom.” I gave her one last squeeze and moved away. “Mom, this is Jon. Jon, my mom, Brenda.”
Jon moved up the stairs and shook Mom’s hand with an easy smile. “Pleased to meet you, Mrs. MacFadden.”
“Call me Brenda. I’m happy to meet you too, Jon. Welcome to our home.”
Mom’s smile was warm but I could feel her assessing Jon, taking a measure of her daughter’s new boyfriend.
I’d never had a lot of boyfriends. Dad had been strict about his only daughter dating, and had made sure that Daniel and Connor kept an eye on me anytime I was around boys. I’d dated a few guys in high school. Not so much in college. When I moved to New York after graduation, I hadn’t known many people, so my dating life had been nonexistent. About six months ago—okay, I know exactly when it was, but who’s keeping track—I decided I really needed to make an effort to meet someone, and I’d signed up for an online dating service. Other girls at work were doing it, going out on a couple of dates a week, so why not? I had nothing to lose other than a few hours of my free time if a date turned out to be a total bust.
I’d met a lot of great guys. Really great guys. In fact, I’d become friends with most of them. Which tells you exactly how much spark there’d been with them, sadly. So I had a big circle of male friends in various walks of life…but no boyfriend.
Until I’d met Jon.
I knew Mom was taking in his height, just over six feet, his high forehead and intelligent blue eyes, his nice manners and impeccable clothes. I also knew she was wondering how Jon was going to fit in with my dad, a retired police officer; my brother Connor, now a firefighter; and my other brother Daniel, a police detective in Boston. Not to mention Andrew, a pro hockey player.
We were about to find out.
We stepped into the house and a burst of laughter from the kitchen greeted us, along with the faint scent of pine. “Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry blasted from speakers somewhere. I rolled my eyes, but it secretly amused me. My parents’ taste in music was firmly stuck in the seventies. I needed to plug my iPod into those speakers when nobody was looking and get my Christmas playlist going to get us in the holiday spirit.
We paused in the foyer to hang our jackets on the old oak coatrack, already laden with outerwear, then passed by the living room with the big tree in the corner sitting bare and undecorated, following the loud voices and laughter to the kitchen. An addition on the back of the house created a great room with big windows overlooking the snowy backyard, where Daniel and Connor had beat me up on many occasions. I exaggerate. But there were times they’d chased me with spiders, and the time they’d tied me to the swing set and left me swinging helplessly. Andrew had rescued me that day.
“They’re here!” Mom announced and everyone turned.
It took me two seconds to know that Andrew wasn’t there yet.
I linked my arm with Jon’s to draw him into the room. “Everyone, this is Jon. Jon, this is my family.”
Dad moved toward me and kissed the top of my head. “Hey, Bugsy. Good to see you.”
I gave him a punch on the shoulder, which I knew he preferred to a hug and a kiss, and did an eye roll at the nickname. “You too, Dad.”
My brothers and I likewise exchanged head rubs and shoulder pats. They all shook Jon’s hand with narrow-eyed looks and several firm arm pumps. Then my sister-in-law, Emily, approached with the baby.
“Thankfully another woman,” she murmured, giving me a one-armed hug.
I grinned and hugged her back. “We’ll stick together. And here’s my new nephew!” I peered down at the wrapped, sleeping bundle. “You couldn’t have given me a niece? Seriously, Em, another girl in the family would have been appreciated.”
She laughed. “I think you’ll have to blame your brother for that.”
“Can I hold him?” I stared at the tiny face, watching in fascination as it scrunched up, then relaxed.
“Sure.” She passed over the bundle and I settled Christopher into my arms. Heat rushed to my chest at holding this little being and I couldn’t stop looking at him. I touched the blanket with my forefinger and eased it back from his face, taking in perfect ears, the sweetest nose, and thick, dark hair.
“Aren’t you handsome. Such a perfect, handsome boy. He’s got the MacFadden hair.” I brushed my fingers over his silky head. “And nose. As in, no nose.” Both my brothers and I had very small noses, taking after our mom, which I figured was a lot better than getting our dad’s big honker. On him, six-three and two hundred pounds, it looked fine. It probably would’ve looked good on Daniel and Connor, who were similar in size. But on me, a pipsqueak compared to them, as they’d told me numerous times, it would’ve been a certain trip to a plastic surgeon. Or who knows, maybe I would have loved it.
