“Is that everyone’s stuff, or is there more?” Ella asked.
“There’s more.” All of us jumped.
“Oliver! What are you doing here?” Riley asked, sounding almost panicked.
“I’m crashing Christmas. What does it look like?” he retorted, and then dropped the bags he held in both hands on the couch. “Got room for those?”
Ella gave him a huge smile. “I’m sure we can find space. So you decided to actually celebrate Christmas this year?”
He shrugged. “Beats sitting in Chicago all by myself.”
Airen moved to Aiden’s side, hissed something in his ear, and then darted up the stairs.
“You guys went all out here. It actually feels like Christmas,” Oliver said, taking his jacket off and hanging it up by the door.
“Eggnog, cider, or a mixed drink. Pick your poison,” Ace said, gesturing Oliver toward the kitchen.
“Is he really just here for Christmas?” I asked Ella.
She nodded. “I’m glad he came. It’s probably been a long time since he’s celebrated much of anything.”
“I wish I would have known sooner,” I said, feeling guilty that he’d be here for Christmas, but there wouldn’t be anything under the tree for him.
“There are a few more bags in the trunk,” Oliver said, tossing the keys to Aiden. “I’ll take a spiced nog.”
“Nog it is,” Ace said.
“Look at all this food. It’s like you were expecting me,” Oliver joked.
It was odd hearing him be casual. More often than not, he was cut and dry. Maybe life had seasoned him to be that way. Whatever the reason, he’d decided to relax, which made me relax, too.
“Are my parents coming?” Jared asked. Without waiting for Oliver to answer, he turned to me. “Murph, cider?”
“Sure,” I said.
“Not sure. Haven’t seen them since they left the day after you guys did,” he answered.
“Who’s holding down the fort in Chicago?” Ace asked.
“Flint. He’s got things to see to there, so he told me there was no sense in me wandering the halls by myself at Christmas. I figured he was right, which is why I came,” he answered, carrying his drink to the living room and taking a seat.
Jared brought my drink. When he handed it to me, Oliver said, “Just leaves two of you left, huh?”
“Meaning?” Ella asked as she darted a look at him and then around the room.
“Last time I saw Jared, he wasn’t wearing a wedding band. Well, let’s see yours, Murphy, so I can exclaim my congratulations,” Oliver said, smirking at me, but threw in a wink so it totally changed the meaning of his words.
He wasn’t being snarky. He was being playful.
“It’s not… we didn’t…” Jared stumbled for words, and my heart broke for him. For both of us.
Oliver waved him off. “My fault. I just assumed. Where’s Nova?”
“Taking care of a few last-minute things,” Eli answered.
“It’s upstairs,” I blurted.
“What’s upstairs?” Ella asked.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the Christmas tree until Ella put her hand on my shoulder and gave me a shake. “What’s upstairs, Murphy?”
“Murph?” Jared asked, putting his hand out to help me up.
“My ring is upstairs,” I said, looking at him. When I met his eyes, it all clicked into place for me. I wanted him. I wanted everything he offered me and more. The surprise of his original proposal had taken me completely off guard, but I wasn’t unsure any longer.
“I want my ring,” I whispered.
“You sure?” he asked, searching my eyes for the truth.
“Yes,” I answered, feeling my heart try to beat out of my chest. “I want to be your wife, but I don’t want to do the whole wedding thing.”
“No wedding. Got it,” he said, and then he was up the stairs in a flash.
“Oh!” Nova said as she almost collided with him when they met at the top.
“Sorry, super Nova,” Jared shouted as he tore past her.
“How is this—” Paige’s question was cut off when Jared slid down the banister. He tore across the room, coming to a sliding stop in front of me.
Oliver moved into my line of vision. He put his hand on Jared’s shoulder, moving him so he was standing on my right and facing me. I turned to him as he lifted my left hand. No sooner did the ring move past the tip of my finger than Oliver said, “Do you, Jared?”
“Always,” he answered, winking at me.
“Do you, Murphy?”
“Forever,” I replied as the ring slipped into place.
“Good,” Oliver said. “Now, let’s eat.”
Riley moved to the stereo. After turning on some Christmas music, she grabbed Ace, forcing him to dance with her.
Jared pulled me to him and rested his forehead against my own. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know,” I answered, feeling the foreign weight resting on my finger.
“So why did you?” he asked, swaying us side to side.
“Because you’re not the only one who wanted this, Jared Jackson. It just took me a little longer to reason it out,” I answered.
“Skylar Jackson. Almost sounds like a pop-star name,” he said, chuckling.
“Don’t even think about calling me Skylar from now on,” I said, pointing my finger at him.
He took my hand, kissed my ring, and said, “Never. You will always be my Murphy.”
I melted into him.
Oliver tapped Jared on his shoulder with an envelope.
“What’s this?” he asked, taking it.
Oliver looked pleased with himself as he said, “This is me getting one step ahead of one of you for the first time in history.”
“Oh, now this I have to see,” Ella said, moving to stand beside Oliver.
He gestured for Jared to open the envelope.
“How the hell did you do this?” Jared asked, jaw dropping as he handed me the paper.
I was pretty sure I wore the same look as Jared, only he recovered faster than I did.
“But you had no idea I’d asked her,” he said. He turned to look at me, adding, “Murphy, I swear I didn’t say anything to him.”
“Relax. You didn’t have to say anything. I have eyes in my head. I could see this coming from a mile away,” he said, giving us one of his rare smiles.
“Yeah, but how did you get a marriage certificate for us? Wouldn’t you need our signatures or something?” I asked, baffled that he’d not only foreseen where Jared and I were headed, but to have it on hand like he’d pulled it out of thin air.
His eyebrow arched. “At least I didn’t have to bribe a boat captain to make it happen.”
“Hey!” Ella said, smacking his arm. “In case you don’t remember, it wasn’t me who bribed the captain.”
“True,” he said, nodding as his lip poked out. “And really, if Nadia could pull off getting Ace and Riley’s marriage through the system, even after the groom was considered deceased, I knew I wouldn’t have an issue getting that through. Even if I had to sit on it for a while.”
“You think you’re something special, huh?” Ella asked, chuckling when he gave her a shit-eating grin.
“I know I am. Who do you think came up with the fake divorce papers that Josh signed?” he asked.
“Fake?” Ella repeated, going bug-eyed.
Josh busted out laughing. “For the sake of it being Christmas, I’ll wait and call you an asshole until December twenty-sixth.”
“Fake,” Oliver echoed. “I knew you weren’t going to let him walk away, but I also knew you’d have to be pushed into a corner and thinking it was the end. You’re welcome.”
“Yeah, well, I’m glad I didn’t get anything for you for Christmas,” Ella huffed, and then mumbled something about being suckered.
“All’s well that ends well,” Oliver said, tipping his cup and draining it. “How about some more Christmas cheer? Also, who has a p
en, so these two can sign the license? We’ll need witnesses, too.”
No sooner did our signatures dry than Oliver had the paper folded back up and slipped inside his shirt. “I could sure go for another nog.”
“You’re really taking to this holiday cheer,” Eli joked as he loaded his plate from the array of food on the counter.
“You would, too, if you hadn’t celebrated in over ten years,” Oliver replied, grabbing his own plate and balancing it on the palm of one hand while he loaded it with the other.
“Ten? Dang, that’s a lot of years to make up for,” Jared chimed in.
“Exactly,” he agreed. “So did you bring your guitar down for show, or are you actually going to play it?”
“Ya know, I’m not all too sure how to handle this relaxed version of you,” Jared said.
“It is a little odd,” I added.
“Don’t get used to it,” Oliver barked.
“Now that’s more like it,” Jared said.
“Pipe down, Jackson,” he answered.
“Which one?” Jared and I asked at the same time.
Oliver tipped his head back. “Lord help me. They act just the same.”
“Hurry up and eat, Jared. We want some tunes,” Ace hollered from the living room.
Chapter 11
Ace
“Tired?” I asked Riley as she sat on the edge of the bed with her head bowed.
She looked up at me, giving me a slight smile that made her eyes twinkle. “Who would have thought building a human could be so draining?”
I sat beside her, and took her hand in mine. “I’m sorry.”
She moved closer, and then put her head on my shoulder. “Keep your apologies for later when I’m complaining about being fat.”
I put my arm around her. “You won’t be fat.”
She snorted. “Says the guy who won’t gain a single ounce while I balloon up with my belly button poking out as I waddle around.”
“I’ll waddle with you, okay?” I said, trying my hardest to push away the overwhelming fear that settled in on my shoulders since the moment Riley told me she was pregnant.
“I’m scared,” she whispered.
I held her closer. “I am, too, Riles.”
“Nothing will be the same.” There was a hollow ring to her voice that worried me.
“My mom always said that everything happens for a reason. This baby—our baby—was meant to be. I won’t say it isn’t a shock, but it isn’t the end of our world either,” I said, feeling a little bit of the tension go out of her.
“Paige knows,” she said.
“So does Mark.” I let go of her, moving to help her up so I could turn back the covers.
I wasn’t sure if it was because she got up too fast, or if it was one of those random bouts of nausea, but Riley took off to the bathroom. It wasn’t but a few seconds before I could hear her getting sick.
I set out pajamas for her. After giving her another minute, I walked into the bathroom, grabbed a washcloth, wet it, and then handed it to her.
“Thanks,” she said as she sat on the toilet lid. Unfolding it, she covered her face while breathing deeply.
“Need help getting changed?” I asked, feeling like a complete ass that she’d had nothing but bouts of morning, afternoon, evening, and middle-of-the-night sickness for the last couple of months. I wasn’t sure how either of us ever thought she just had food poisoning or was sick. Maybe we were just too scared to even think about it.
“I’ll be fine. It just takes a second and I’ll feel normal again,” she said, sighing.
“Is there anything I can get you? Water, or are you—”
“No. No, I’m good,” she said, but the look on her face told a different story.
Seconds later, she was on her feet. She flipped the toilet lid up, and then went through a round of dry heaving that made my heart ache to see it. I couldn’t stand back any longer and not step in to help her, or at least be there for her.
I put my hand on her back, giving her a second. If she didn’t want me to touch her, she’d make it known. She shivered, but didn’t rebuke my touch.
“Water,” she said in between another round of dry heaving.
I filled the cup by the sink and gave it to her.
She couldn’t stand up, so she sank to her knees. After she took a small sip, she swished it around her mouth and spit it out. Then she took another sip and swallowed it.
The cup was thrust at me. I almost didn’t get a hold of it before she let it go to throw up what little she’d taken in.
“Riley, I don’t think this is right,” I said, scared seeing her like that.
She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Pushing herself up, she said, “I’m better now.”
It was clear she wasn’t at one-hundred percent, but she also didn’t have that pasty, nauseated look either. “Let’s get you in your pajamas and tucked in.”
“Good idea. I’m freaking exhausted,” she said, allowing me to undress her.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked.
“I’m fine. But I’ll tell you, I’m ready to move past this getting sick nonsense. It’s getting old real fast,” she answered, shivering when the air hit her overheated skin.
Leaning in, I kissed her forehead, then slipped one of my old sweatshirts over her head. “Almost midnight,” I said as we made our way to bed.
“Mmm,” she answered, crawling in and curling up on her side.
I slipped in behind her. When I pulled the covers over us, she moved to settle against my chest. I put my arm around her, and she gave a contented sigh.
“Are we telling them today?” I asked.
“Today?” she asked, stirring just enough to look at the clock on the nightstand. “It’s Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas, Riley,” I said, nuzzling into her neck.
She squeaked, pulling away slightly. “Merry Christmas, Jake.”
Having her so close always excited me. I tried to ignore the stirrings of my body, but she had noticed and wiggled closer.
“Thought you were tired?” I asked, running my hand over her hip.
“Got my second wind,” she said, grabbing my hand.
“I’m hungry,” she said, lifting her head up from my chest.
I brushed my hand along her shoulder and chuckled. “I suppose you want me to go raid the kitchen for you?”
She lifted her head, but then lowered it again. “I’ll go with you. I just have to convince my body to move.”
“Well, while you’re at it, convince mine, too,” I said, feeling sleep tugging at me.
“I’m just going to rest for a minute, then we’ll go downstairs and raid the refrigerator. Maybe we can even make rustling sounds and rattle some bells so everyone knows Santa has been here,” she said, yawning.
Five minutes later, Riley was snoring softly against my chest, leaving me to a quiet room and my thoughts.
She hadn’t answered me when I’d asked her about telling everyone. It seemed like it would be the right time, being Christmas and all. What I wasn’t looking forward to was all the questions, or the look of disappointment on Oliver’s face. He cared for us way more than he let on. And he, of all people, knew the dangers of bringing a child into our unorthodox lives. He’d witnessed firsthand what it was like with Jared.
The upside was we weren’t alone in it. We’d have more help than we’d know what to do with. Our child would have so much protection it would probably feel smothered most days. But even more than that, it would be loved.
I’d yet to wrap my head around how our child came to be. We’d been more than cautious. Taken preventative steps. We hadn’t been irresponsible, yet there we were, facing the future of parenthood. None of it mattered, though. Not when it came right down to it. We were having a baby. The rest was unimportant.
Riley shifted, moving to roll over on her side, and I turned with her. My hand slipped over and rested against the soft flesh of her stomach where my child s
lept.
The more I thought about it, the more real it became. And the more real it became, the more nervous it made me. But then the nerves would roll over and give way to an excitement that felt like the flapping of wings in my gut. There were so many emotions in me. They bounced off one another, leaving me almost breathless since she’d told me.
Riley’s head settled against my shoulder, and I curled around her even more as I made a silent vow to the two most important people in my life. So long as I have a breath in my body, I will protect you and keep you safe.
I drifted off, but not before hearing the soft tread of feet sneaking down the hallway. Christmas antics were afoot, but I just didn’t have it in me to get out of bed to see whose footsteps they were, or what they were up to.
“Looks like Santa’s elves were busy last night,” Riley said as we came down the stairs.
She’d woken cheerful and flushed with excitement, but gave herself a few minutes before getting out of bed, saying, “I refuse to be sick this morning.”
I’d sat with her until she deemed it safe, but we’d taken our time getting dressed. Just in case.
“Look at all those stockings,” Paige said, coming down the stairs behind us.
“Wait, let me get a picture of everything before everyone comes down,” Mark said.
We stopped midway on the stairs, waiting for him to give us the all clear.
“What is this, a Christmas traffic jam?” Josh asked.
“Oh, wow, stockings,” Ella said.
It was like a ripple effect; everyone noticed them as they came out of their rooms and joined us.
“Okay, you can go down now,” Mark said, staying where he was and snapping pictures of us on the stairs.
“And who’s going to get pictures of us?” Paige asked.
“Here, let me,” Oliver said, moving across the living room and gesturing for Mark to lower the camera.
“Don’t drop it,” Mark warned.
Oliver reached up and caught the strap in his fist before moving to the far side of the room, snapping pictures from different angles.
“You’re pretty good at that,” Eli said, making bunny ears over Nova’s head when Oliver turned the camera on them.
A Very Merry Sixmas (The Six Series Book 7) Page 11
