Marred

by Tess Thompson

  “I know.” Violet clapped her hands. “I saw it on television. You can suck crackers up as soon as they drop.”

  “You save that job for me,” Kyle said. “I don’t want you vacuuming in your condition.”

  “Very funny.”

  Dakota ran to the van. He jumped inside and crawled into the car seat Kyle had already installed. “See, Mama? I can get in and buckle myself.”

  Violet leaned inside to get a better look. The black interior smelled of new leather. She’d never had a car with leather seats. “It’s enormous.”

  “We can put a half dozen kids in here. So, we’re ready.” Kyle laughed as she pretended to recoil in horror.

  “It only seats seven, so we can’t, in fact, have six children,” she said.

  “Five?”

  “Three. We’re already outnumbered.”

  “Maybe four?”

  “You really have lost it.” She smiled up at him as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “It’s going to be fine. We’ll get help if we need it. Remember what you said to me that first night with Mollie? Something about following my instincts.”

  “I was trying to calm you down.”

  “It worked,” he said. “We’ll be fine. I promise.”

  Just then, lights shone through the fog. “They’re here.” Dakota yelled from inside the van before toppling out to wait.

  Stone and Autumn got out of the car. After hugs and holiday greetings, they all helped bring their bags and packages inside.

  Once they were all settled around the fireplace, Violet brought out a cheese platter while Kyle opened wine. Autumn sat in the chair closest to the tree. Pink-cheeked from the cold and dressed in a white sweater dress that contrasted nicely with her auburn hair, she looked like an angel. She’s so beautiful. Although she confessed to Violet that she was self-conscious about her scar, it was barely noticeable, especially given Autumn’s flawless makeup.

  Stone unloaded packages from several shopping bags and deposited them under the tree. He seemed enormous even next to the ten-foot tree. Today he wore a sweater and nice jeans over his bulky frame. No matter what he wore, he always had the look of a marine.

  Violet joined Kyle on the loveseat and tried not to yawn.

  “Are those for me?” Dakota asked.

  “A few are for you and a few for Mollie,” Autumn said. “And one for your mom and dad too.”

  “You mean Kale?” Dakota sat next to Mollie on the wide chair. “Kale’s not my dad.” He stared up at her with his big blue eyes.

  Next to her, Kyle shifted slightly. “What if I could be? What if I was?”

  “We have something exciting to share with you all,” Violet said.

  “Kale and my mom are getting married,” Dakota shouted.

  “End of January,” Kyle said. “And we want you guys to come.”

  Autumn clapped her hands together. “How wonderful.”

  Stone, still standing by the tree, raised his glass. “Awesome news.”

  Violet caught Autumn wiping the corners of her eyes.

  “Wait a minute,” Stone said to Dakota. “Does this mean I’m your uncle?”

  “Does it?” Dakota asked.

  “Sure it does. Uncle Stone,” Kyle said. “Has a good ring to it.”

  “We have some news too,” Autumn said. “Given your announcement, I’m even happier we decided to do it.” She looked over at Stone. “You want to tell them or shall I?”

  “You go ahead,” Stone said.

  “I met with Nora at her office when I was here at Thanksgiving. She called a few weeks ago with an opportunity for a pharmacist position at the local drug store. I interviewed and got the job. I’m moving here at the end of January,” Autumn said.

  “And I’m taking you up on your offer, big brother, and letting you help me get my general contractor business started by taking the lead on your house.”

  Violet looked over to gauge Kyle’s reaction.

  “You’re kidding me,” Kyle said. “That’s great news.”

  “You can stay with us,” Violet said.

  “I may need to short term. But thanks to Nora, I found a house already,” Autumn said.

  “You did?” Violet asked. “That’s nearly impossible here.”

  “Nora told me that as well, but she had a lead on a little cottage on the left slope of town. A friend of hers recently passed away and her kids wanted to sell. It didn’t even go on the market, so I got a great price. Her children didn’t want to mess with it because the interior is awful—hasn’t been touched for sixty years. I’ll need to gut the whole thing and start fresh. She already hooked me up with a local designer. Trey Mattson, I think is his name. I’m meeting with him after the holidays.”

  “Trey is great. He did Maggie and Jackson’s interiors,” Violet said.

  Autumn smiled. “That Nora knows everything. Jobs, homes, eligible bachelors.”

  “Local lore says she has magical powers,” Violet said. “Matchmaking powers.”

  “Maybe she’ll find a boyfriend for me next,” Autumn said.

  An image of tall, dark, and handsome Trey Mattson played before Violet’s eyes. He should be careful. Nora might put some magic love potion in his coffee.

  “What about you?” Kyle asked Stone. “What’s your plan?”

  “Find a sugar mama?” Stone asked.

  “You probably could in this town,” Kyle said, laughing. “There are some widows with some serious money.”

  “I’m just kidding,” Stone said. “I have a truck and a camper. That’s all I need for now. I’ll get your house built and then figure out what to do next.”

  “It’s a big piece of property,” Kyle said. “Room for another house.”

  “We’ll see, big brother,” Stone said. “I’m not really the settling down type. My camper suits me just fine.”

  “Pack-and play-life, huh?” Kyle asked.

  Stone looked confused, so Violet explained their inside joke.

  “Pack-and-play sounds good,” Stone said. “I’m not ready to settle down anytime soon. Maybe get rid of some demons first.”

  “Nothing chases them away faster than the love of a good woman,” Kyle said.

  Violet looked up at him, teasing. “That sounds like a lyric to one of your country songs.”

  “You hear that, little man?” Kyle asked. “Everything you ever need to know can be learned in a country song.”

  Autumn and Violet worked together in the kitchen putting together the final dishes for dinner. More precisely, Autumn gave her specific directions and she followed them.

  “I always wanted a sister,” Autumn said.

  “Me too.” Violet mashed butter and cream into the potatoes. “Are you sure we should have left the skins on these?”

  “Yeah, my brothers love them that way.” Autumn sat on a stool at the counter, her cane propped on the wall for now. She whipped homemade salad dressing together in a bowl, hands flying as she added spices she’d found in the cupboards, mustard, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.

  “I’m not much of a cook,” Violet said. “It’s a joke in our friend group. Out of four of us, Kara’s the only one who can cook. My mother made everything from a box, so I never learned.”

  “When you’re poor it’s always a quest to make something good from nothing. Stone soup, so to speak. Not our Stone, but a real one.” Autumn giggled. “That wine’s gone to my head. Speaking of which, I noticed you were having mineral water. Anything you want to fess up to?”

  Violet laughed. “Very observant.”

  “Am I right? Is this family about to grow by one more?”

  “God, I hope it’s only one. Can you imagine if it’s twins?”

  Autumn grinned. “I haven’t heard of any from our side, so I think you’re safe.”

  “I’m still in shock. We just took the test this afternoon. I started crying immediately. Kyle’s excited, which is so weird. Given the man he was when I first met him, I can’t believe he so easily gave u
p his pack-and-play life.”

  “Maybe there’s hope for Stone after all.”

  “It just takes the right person,” Violet said.

  “I hope so.”

  “What kind of man are you looking for? Not to act like Nora or anything.”

  Autumn screwed the top back onto the Dijon mustard. “One who doesn’t mind a woman with a scar and a cane.”

  “Everyone’s damaged. The only difference is yours is visible. The secret to love is finding someone who’s baggage matches up with yours.”

  “So, I need a man with a scar and a cane?” Autumn waved the whip at her. “He’d better not be eighty.”

  “I have a feeling it’ll be the internal scar, not visible to the naked eye. Like me. Or Kyle. It just takes some peeling to figure out what it is.”

  “We’ll see. I’m not sure there’s anyone out there for me. I don’t seem to have good luck with men.”

  “That’s what I always thought and then, bam, there he was. Did I ever tell you we hated each other?”

  “Really? How come?”

  “It started with me picketing in the parking lot of his resort.”

  Christmas morning, Violet woke to Dakota jumping onto the bed and shouting something about Santa and reindeer. She opened one eye. “What time is it?”

  “Don’t know,” Dakota said. “But Santa came.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because I heard him last night on the roof.”

  “You did?”

  Dakota nodded. “Do you think he brought me a horse?”

  “A horse? I thought you wanted a bike?”

  “I do. But a horse would be good too.”

  Kyle stirred and opened his eyes. “Please tell me it’s after five.”

  She picked up his phone to look. “Just after six.”

  “Kale, it’s Christmas. You’ve got to get up. Santa came.”

  “He heard him on the roof,” Violet said.

  “I totally did too,” Kyle said. “They were really loud.”

  “So loud.” Dakota nodded solemnly. From the baby monitor, Mollie’s cries let them know she was awake too. Violet dragged her weary body out of bed. Could her breasts hurt more than they did right now? She didn’t remember this with Dakota. She asked Kyle to get the baby up and changed. “I’ll make the coffee. And you, little man, need to stay here with Kyle until I call you down.”

  “Hurry, Mama.”

  Violet slid her feet into slippers and covered up in her furry robe and headed downstairs. They’d stored the new bicycle in the garage in case Dakota had decided to investigate during the night. She wheeled it across the floor and placed it in front of the tree. The bike looked good with its red bow. Tree lights were already on, thanks to Kyle’s timer. The man really did think of everything. Stockings were stuffed, including the ones they’d hung for Stone and Autumn. She turned the Christmas train on and left for the kitchen.

  While she was in the kitchen making coffee, Stone appeared. A pillow crease dented his cheek and his hair stuck up in four directions. His pajamas were an old pair of sweats and a ratty t-shirt. But he had that same goofy, sweet grin even at the crack of dawn.

  “Good morning. Did you sleep well?” he asked.

  “Like a log.”

  “Pregnancy will do that to you,” he said.

  She flushed. “How did you know?”

  “Kyle told me. He’s so excited it’s almost cute.”

  Autumn appeared next, looking like she’d just rolled off a movie set. Her hair was brushed and shiny. She even had makeup on. She always covers her scar. Even at the crack of dawn.

  “I’ll put in the breakfast casserole,” Autumn said.

  When had she made a breakfast casserole? “We have a breakfast casserole?” Violet asked.

  “I made it after you all went to bed,” she said. “Old habit from when we were kids.”

  Violet spontaneously threw her arms around her new sister. “I couldn’t love you more than I do right now.”

  “We’ll make new traditions too,” Autumn said.

  “As long as you’re making casseroles, I’m all good,” Violet said.

  She called up to the boys that it was time to come down. Dakota bounded down the stairs. Kyle followed closely behind holding Mollie in one arm and taking video from his phone with the other.

  Dakota screamed when he saw the bicycle. “I knew it. I knew it.” He ran to it but stopped before he touched it. He stood and stared, almost like he was scared to touch the shiny paint.

  “It’s all yours, buddy,” Kyle said.

  “I don’t know how to ride it.”

  “I’ll teach you after we open presents.”

  “Is it hard?” Her little boy scrunched up his forehead and clasped his hands together.

  Obviously, Dakota hadn’t thought that through when he asked Santa for a bike.

  “Not for someone as strong and brave as you.” Kyle kept the phone focused on Dakota, still recording. “For you it’ll be a piece of cake.”

  This way he had of complimenting and building up Dakota’s ego was so foreign to her, given her own father. It touched her in a way she would never be able to express. Fighting tears, she reached out and took Mollie into her arms. She was rewarded with a slobbery grin. Oh, my Mollie girl, how I love you.

  “Plus, I’ll be right beside you until you’re ready to go solo,” Kyle said to Dakota.

  With that, Dakota ripped the bow from his new bike and ran his fingers over the shiny metal.

  “Would you like to open some wrapped presents?” Violet asked.

  “Sure, Mama.”

  Stone had plopped into a chair, his long legs spread out in front of him, holding a steaming mug of coffee. “Man, what we would’ve given for a present like that. Did Kyle ever tell you, Violet? He asked for a train every single year from Santa. Never came.”

  From the couch, Autumn gave her brother a stern look. “Dakota doesn’t need to hear all that.”

  Kyle put the phone aside. “It’s fine. He should know that not everyone has it as good as we do now.”

  Dakota rummaged through the packages, looking for his name.

  “Kyle did tell me that,” Violet said. She handed Mollie to Autumn. “This could be the year Santa comes through.”

  She told Kyle to open the large package at the back of the tree.

  He ripped open the paper like a kid. His mouth dropped open. “You got me another train?”

  “Santa brought it,” Violet said. “This is an everyday train, not a Christmas train. You and Dakota can play with this one all year.”

  Kyle grinned as he ran his hands over the package. “It’s so pretty.”

  “I mean, it’s no minivan,” Violet said.

  “It’s absolutely perfect,” Kyle said, taking her into his arms and kissing her on the mouth in front of everyone. “Like you.”

  They all sat down to open gifts. When the room was covered with wrapping paper and smelled of coffee and the spicy sausage from Autumn’s casserole, Kyle called Dakota over to him. “I have one more present.”

  “For me?” Dakota asked, dutifully standing by Kyle’s knees.

  “No, it’s a present for me.” Kyle choked up and stopped for a moment with his fist pressed against his mouth. “It’s a big present and only you can give it to me.”

  “Don’t cry, Kale. I’ll do it. Whatever it is.”

  “I was wondering if you would call me Dad or Daddy from now on.”

  Dakota’s blue eyes widened. His long eyelashes fluttered. “Not Kale anymore?”

  “Right. Because now that your mom and I are getting married, I’d like to adopt you and be your forever dad.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  “If you want, that is.” Kyle looked over at Violet as if for help.

  “I want that.” Dakota studied his hands. “But I can’t say it right now because I’m embarrassed.”

  Kyle released a long breath. “Not a problem. Just whenever it comes to you.�
��

  Dakota smiled. “Can I ride my bike now?”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Kyle

  * * *

  ON NEW YEAR’S Eve, Kyle and his family arrived fifteen minutes late to Zane and Honor’s for dinner. They were the last to show and came in like a rock band, only with baby equipment rather than instruments. He no longer traveled light and given that another baby was coming, he wouldn’t any time soon. All the Dogs were there with their spouses, plus Lance, Zane’s sister Sophie, and surprisingly, Mary. He wondered if there was anything going on between them. He’d caught Lance staring at her earlier.

  Honor had decorated her long farmhouse table for a formal sit-down dinner. The food, she informed everyone, was from The Oar. Several salads, a giant pasta dish, and roasted chicken smelled delicious.

  Honor shrugged when Kyle teased her about ordering take-out. “I’m not much for cooking.”

  “Which makes it handy that your husband owns a restaurant,” Zane said.

  “Husband. I love the sound of that.” She beamed up at him. “I’m also grateful my husband doesn’t mind my lack of domesticity.”

  “You have other talents, baby,” Zane said.

  Honor laughed and tossed her blond hair behind her shoulders. “That sounded dirty, but he meant my head for business.”

  “Sure, that’s exactly what I meant.” Zane winked at Violet and made her blush.

  “Stop embarrassing Violet,” Honor said to Zane. “Let’s eat.”

  Honor ushered everyone to the table. Kyle put Mollie on the floor with her mat and blanket. Dakota and Jubie were at a small table of their own looking quite pleased with themselves. The last to sit, Kyle found himself between Mary and Violet. Lance was on the other side of Mary with Sophie next to him. Jackson, Maggie, Kara, and Brody sat across from them. Zane and Honor sat at the heads of the table.

  Zane said a prayer before they started passing dishes around the table. When everyone’s plate was full, and Jackson had finished pouring everyone a glass of wine, Kyle tapped his glass.

  “I have something to share. As you know, Violet has agreed to marry me.”

  Violet waved her hand. Her ring caught the light.