Tis the Season

by Jill Sanders

  Li nodded. “She’s always welcome.” He winked at her. “I always wanted to serve the rich and famous.”

  Blake chuckled and the last threads of the darker mood that had hung over them since Anna Beth’s visit lifted.

  They had just received their order when his phone rang.

  “It’s Parker,” he told Blake as he glanced down at the phone. “Hello?”

  “It’s time,” his brother-in-law almost screamed in his ear. “We’re halfway to Edgeview. You’d better get up there, this baby is coming…” Matt heard his sister scream and he was pretty sure Parker dropped the phone because he heard a muffled, “Shit.”

  Matt stood up, then tossed some money down on the counter, his ear glued to the phone.

  “What is it?” Blake asked, worried.

  “Sara’s having the baby,” he said to her. He turned to the man behind the counter. “How quickly can you wrap this all up to go?”

  Their food was taken behind the counter and by the time Parker found and picked up his phone, they had it and were heading out to the Jeep.

  “I’m here,” Parker said. “Jesus, we may have this kid in the car.” He sighed. “We’re almost there, baby,” he told Sara. “Call the family, meet us up there.”

  “We’re in Edgeview, so we’ll see you at the hospital.” He jumped into the car. “I’ll call the clan. Drive safe,” he added before hanging up.

  He punched a group text icon he’d added to the main screen on his phone and texted.

  -Baby’s on the way, this is not a drill. Get your butts to Edgeview.

  He pulled out of the parking lot as his phone exploded with replies.

  “Read them off to me.” He handed Blake his phone.

  “One from your parents says, ‘On the way.’. Then there’s an “OMG.” From Lacey and Aaron.” She glanced at him.

  “Go on,” he nodded.

  “What? The baby is on time?” She smiled over at him. “That one was from Riley.”

  As she continued to read the messages, he pulled into the parking lot of the hospital and parked.

  “They’ll be coming in here.” He nodded to the Emergency Room entrance. “Let’s go stand in the doorway and wait. We’ve beat them.”

  He stuffed his phone in his back pocket as she held onto the to-go bag.

  “For later.” She smiled, and he nodded.

  They waited less than five minutes before his sister’s Jeep came barreling into the parking lot.

  “Get someone,” he told Blake. He opened the door for his sister.

  “Too late.” She smiled up at him, holding a brand-new baby who was screaming its head off. “He couldn’t wait.”

  Parker rushed around the Jeep and gently took the child, who was still attached to the umbilical cord that disappeared down to his sister’s legs.

  His eyes locked with his sister’s as he helped her into the waiting wheelchair. The baby was handed back to her as they wheeled them through the waiting area and through double doors. Parker tossed him the keys and followed them with a huge smile on his face.

  “Wow.” Matt sighed.

  “Congratulations, uncle.” Blake hugged him.

  “I’ll park the Jeep.” She took the keys from him.

  He stood there in the doorway, trying to remember everything he could about the new Jordan family member.

  When his parents rushed in, Blake convinced him to eat their meal. They sat out under the overhang and watched fresh snow fall and ate some of the best sushi he had ever had.

  “Are they here? Is the baby here?” his mother asked.

  “It’s a boy. She had him in the Jeep on the way over here,” Matt answered, giving his mother a hug. “It’s a boy,” he repeated. “Parker came out and told me that they are moving her to a private room after they make sure everything is okay.”

  “Is everything okay?” His mother’s face flooded with worry.

  “They said it was standard procedure when a baby is born outside the hospital,” Blake added, touching his mother’s arm to reassure her.

  He watched his mother wrap Blake in her arms in a hug.

  “I’m a grandmother.” His mother laughed, then turned to his dad. “We’re grandparents.” She walked into his father’s waiting arms. He watched his parents cry and hold one another.

  A few minutes later, the rest of the family showed up. Some were carrying flowers, others had balloons. Suddenly, he realized he was empty-handed, and he took Blake’s hand and walked over to the hospital gift shop.

  It took him almost ten minutes to pick out a small teddy bear wearing a blue onesie. Blake laughed that it had taken him so long, but he wanted something that the kid would hold onto.

  When the family entered Sara and Parker’s private room, everyone stopped dead in their tracks.

  “What?” Matt said out loud. “You had a boy.” He frowned at the little pink bundle his sister was holding.

  She smiled up at the group crowding into the room. “We did, and a girl.” She nodded to where Parker stood next to the window.

  “Two?” Matt’s mother said beside him. “Twins!” She clapped and rushed to Sara’s side. “Twins,” she turned and said to the crowd.

  He felt his head spin and he looked down at the bear he was holding. “I’m going to need another bear.”

  The entire room burst out laughing.

  “It would figure that the first of the next Jordan generation would be twins,” Riley said as she held the little girl Sara and Parker had called Ellie Megan Clark. Matt’s mother held onto Ethan Jacob Clark across the room.

  “I can’t believe you kept this secret from us,” Matt said to Sara.

  She chuckled. “It was easy. Every time someone asked what sex the baby was…” She shrugged and held onto her husband’s hand.

  “We’d just agree, whether they said boy or girl.”

  Matt thought back to all the times they had done that to him over the past few months.

  “Sneaky.” He shook Parker’s hand again.

  “It was Sara’s idea,” Parker added.

  “My family doesn’t always know everything,” she said. She winked up at him just as one of the babies started crying. “I think he’s hungry,” Sara said.

  “We’re going to empty the room out.” His father stood up and motioned everyone towards the door. “Let’s let the new family enjoy some private time.” He walked over and kissed his daughter’s forehead. “Good job.” He shook Parker’s hand. “Congratulations, Dad.”

  Parker laughed. The room emptied. Matt and Blake followed everyone out into the waiting room.

  “Who’s up for sushi?” Riley chimed in.

  Matt glanced down at Blake and chuckled. “We’ve already had some. I think we’re going to head home. Maybe hit the ice cream place on the way out of town, though,” he added, feeling the urge for something sweet to celebrate the two new Jordans.

  “I guess this means you won’t be getting your carpet installed tomorrow,” Lilly said as they walked out.

  “Parker arranged for his men to finish the job in his absence. Two more days and they’ll be out of the house and we’ll have it all to ourselves.” He took Blake’s hand.

  “Which means”—she smiled over at him—“we’re left to do all the heavy lifting.”

  He groaned and turned to his dad. “Hey, want to help us move stuff this weekend?”

  His father nodded. “Just shoot me a text. We move everything into Sara and Parker’s place starting Wednesday.” Then he smiled. “Sara, Parker, Ethan, and Ellie’s place.” Then he waved and got into the car. “Drive safe,” he called out to everyone.

  The drive back to Pride was a quiet one. They had stopped, and he’d filled himself with two large scoops of Rocky Road brownie sundae, while Blake had nibbled on a scoop of sorbet.

  When they pulled into the driveway, the house was dark. He killed the engine and parked out front, since the carpet had been delivered and was being stored where he normally parked the Jeep in th
e garage.

  “What should we tell them?” Blake asked, nodding towards the house.

  “Part of me thinks they know she’s still alive,” he said, looking over to her.

  “So, what? The house will be haunted until she passes?” she asked him.

  “Maybe even after that.” He took her hand. “Are you okay with that? With living in a haunted house?”

  She sighed and looked back towards the home. “They don’t scare me anymore,” she said. “You?”

  “No,” he said truthfully.

  “You’re an uncle,” she reminded him with a fresh smile.

  “Yes.” He chuckled. “I am.”

  “I always wanted sisters or brothers,” she said as he helped her out of the Jeep.

  “I have a few extra you can borrow,” he joked.

  As they stepped into the house, he held her hand. Suddenly, the need to hold her spiked. “Today has been a whirlwind of emotions,” he said into her hair.

  She nodded and held onto him. “Matt.” She pulled back and looked up at him. “Take me back to your room, make love to me.”

  He smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.” He hoisted her up over his shoulders and carried her down the hallway.

  When he laid her down on the bed, gently, he wondered how he had gotten so lucky to find the woman of his dreams not once, but twice. Then she sat up and pulled her sweater over her head and his brain stopped working altogether.

  The next morning Matt called into the office and took the rest of the week off for personal reasons. Of course, the entire town of Pride had heard about the new arrivals and Nicky congratulated him. She made sure that his schedule was clear through the holidays.

  “If there is anything important that comes in, I’ll have them contact you directly on your cell phone.”

  “Thanks,” he said. “If I don’t see you around town beforehand, have a wonderful Christmas.”

  “You too,” she replied before hanging up.

  “Your secretary?” Blake asked, standing next to him in the hallway upstairs.

  “Yes.” He smiled. “She used to be my father’s too.”

  “It must be nice to know everyone in town,” she commented as they opened the third bedroom door.

  “Nice,” he agreed, “and a burden.” He clapped his hands and looked around the room. “Where do we start?”

  “You can start by opening the plastic sheeting, then helping me tape off the windows and doors. Then we paint.” She smiled at the buckets sitting in the middle of the room.

  Five hours later, his shoulders ached, his back hurt, and he was pretty sure he had paint splatter in his ears.

  “How do you make this look so easy?” He ran his eyes up and down her and realized she didn’t have a splatter on her.

  She chuckled. “I’ve been doing it longer than you have.” She wiggled her eyebrows as she finished a section of the last wall. “Face it, Jordan, there are just some things I’m better at.” She gasped when he flicked his roller at her, splattering the soft gray color called Constellation all over her clean T-shirt.

  “Now you’ve done it.” Her eyes narrowed, and she walked over, took her loaded paint roller, and ran it up and down his chest.

  He laughed and jumped in her direction. She cried out and dodged him easily.

  “Hey, you’re fast,” he said, reaching out for her again. They dropped their paint brushes, and he chased her around the room. When he finally got a hold of her, she twisted and spun until she was gripping his arms against his sides.

  “How’d you do that?” he asked, looking back and down at her.

  “Self-defense classes.” She smiled. Before she could finish her statement, he had her back in his arms with an easy sidestep move.

  She wiggled and struggled, but he held her firm. Then he was kissing her, and she stopped struggling.

  The wet paint on their shirts caused them to cling together, so he pulled the material over their heads. They hit the floor with a plop, followed shortly by their work shoes and jeans.

  Soon, they stood in the freshly painted room, naked. He glanced around, desperate for a clean place.

  “Bathroom.” She nodded towards the room next door. “Countertop.” She moaned against his mouth. “Now.”

  He carried her a few steps, swung open the door, then kicked it shut again with his foot. She arched when he sat her on the edge of the countertop. When he drove into her, seconds later, she cried out with joy.

  He placed his hands on the mirror behind her as he pumped almost automatically into her over and over again. When he felt her heels dig into his butt cheeks, he gripped her ass, pulled her closer, and let himself fall.

  He stood there in the bathroom, his face buried into her hair, breathing hard, trying to catch his racing heart.

  “I love you,” he said softly next to her ear.

  “I love you, too,” she replied. He leaned back and looked down at her. “I do.” She smiled.

  “I know, I can see it.” He rested his forehead on hers. “Sorry, I think I ripped your shirt.” She laughed and hugged him. “I’ll go get our clothes.” He stepped back, then frowned. “Shit.” He ran his hands through his hair.

  “What?”

  He looked into her eyes. “I was… we were… distracted. I forgot the condom.” He sighed.

  She shook her head. “I’m on the pill,” she assured him. “I have been since I was sixteen. I never miss a day.” She nudged him. “Go, get our clothes. I’ll wash up.”

  He relaxed some then stopped her from walking into the freshly remodeled shower. “Would it be so bad?” he asked, taking her hand. He felt her stiffen. “Making a life here with me? Having kids?”

  She shook her head slowly. “No, but… I’m not sure I’m ready for that, yet.”

  He pulled her close and kissed her. “You’ll let me know, when you are?” he asked.

  She smiled and relaxed. “You’ll be the first one I tell.”

  He picked up their clothes and, seeing her ruined shirt, put on his own clothes and then jogged down the stairs to get her a fresh T-shirt.

  When he returned, she was stepping out of the shower.

  “You didn’t happen to bring—” She stopped when he handed her a towel. “Thanks.” She smiled.

  “I went down and grabbed you a fresh T-shirt too.” He handed her the clothes, then stood back and watched her dress, feeling himself wanting her already again.

  “Want to start in there?” She nodded to the adjoining door that led to what she had been calling the nursery.

  He sighed. “What I’d like to do is haul you downstairs and make love to you for the rest of the day.” He glanced back down at his watch. “But Parker’s guys are due to arrive in the morning to start with the carpet, so I guess we’d better get the job done.”

  She smiled. “That won’t stop you from making love to me all night.”

  He kissed her. “I’m the luckiest man alive,” he said as they stepped back into the room they had just finished. He groaned as he looked around at the mess they had caused.

  “Okay, new plan. Clean up in here first, then start on the nursery.”

  He nodded and bent down to pick up the dry paint roller. “This is shot.”

  “I have more.” She laughed at the splatter they had made. “I’ve never had a paint fight.”

  He turned her towards him. “I’ve never felt the need to hurl paint at a woman before.” She laughed again.

  Chapter 14

  Blake stood back and bit her bottom lip while Matt assessed the finished room. She’d put the final touches on the large recreation room upstairs. The four bedrooms and two bathrooms were finished, and he’d told her that they were perfect, but this space, he’d use for himself.

  “So?” she finally asked when he was silent for too long.

  He turned to her, put his hands on her hips, and smiled. “It’s like you read my mind.”

  “Really?” she asked.

  “Is that a bar?” He dro
pped his hands and walked over to the creation Lilly had made out of the desk.

  “It is.” She walked over to the high-top L-shaped bar. “There’s room under here for a fridge.” She showed him. “Plenty of wine storage—that was Lilly’s idea.”

  “She outdid herself.” He sat on one of the high-top bar stools she’d found in the barn and had resurfaced herself.

  “It’s like a man cave. Only upstairs.” He chuckled.

  “It’s a family recreation room. Which I believe was the main purpose when the house was built. A place that the family could be informal and leave a mess in, and the downstairs living area would still be tidy if guests showed up unannounced.”

  “I love it. Is that a desk?” He walked over to the table.

  “Yes. I figured sometimes you’d like to sit up here and work. You know, break the monotony of always working in the office.” She smiled. “I thought about a space outside. Maybe later you could turn those windows there into a doorway and have a small second-story deck up here.”

  He walked over to the window. The view was amazing from up here. “I love the idea.” He turned and wrapped her in his arms.

  “The place is done.” She smiled. “With the exceptions of a few things we’re still waiting to be delivered.”

  “Like what?” He looked around.

  “Well, I figured you’d want a TV up here.” She motioned to the blank wall that a huge sectional sofa faced. “Guys usually like to order that themselves.”

  “Damn straight.” He squared his shoulders and puffed out his chest, making her laugh. “What else?”

  “There are a few smaller pieces for here and there.” She shrugged. “Some more art.” She turned to him. “Do you have any family photos you’d like to hang up? You know, maybe in your office?”

  He nodded. “I have a box somewhere in the basement.” He took her hand and they walked down the stairs. Turning again, he opened the basement door and then reached in and turned on the light.

  “It’s too bad the basement isn’t more functional. There is a lot of useful space down there.”

  “Yeah, but the house is big enough without it.” He helped her down the narrow stairs.