A Bryson Family Christmas: Brothers in Blue, book 4

by St. James, Jeanne

“You’re hiding that handsome face of yours. Those green eyes, those cheekbones. Those luscious lips.” He curved a hand around one side of his mouth and leaned toward Cassie. “Bet he knows how to use them, too.”

  Cassie nodded again, her hand still covering her mouth.

  “Lucky, lucky girl, you. But, handsome, this... stuff on your face. Just no. It needs to go.”

  “I like to pet it,” Daisy volunteered. “It’s scratchy, though. Nothing like Jury’s hair.”

  Carly had no idea who Jury was.

  “Yes, because that’s what it looks like, some animal growing on his face.”

  As Teddy reached up to touch Judge’s beard, the bigger man stepped back. “Don’t.”

  “Hmm. Playing hard to get... My favorite type of gorilla. But don’t worry, the only pair of scissors I have on me right now is tattooed onto my hip and only one man gets to see those.” Teddy turned to Cassie. “What does his hair look like under that knit hat?”

  “It’s buzzed like he took a dog clipper to it.”

  Teddy gasped and slapped a hand to his forehead. “You need some serious help, big man. And I’m just the fella to help you.” He pointed to the salon not even a half block away. “You see that place there? Manes on Main?”

  “Teddy, lived here all my f— freaking life. Know who you are, know where your place is.”

  Teddy’s dark eyebrows pinned together. “You have?”

  “Yeah. Probably don’t know that ‘cause I never stepped a foot into your shop.” Judge leaned closer and growled, “And never plan to. Got my shit covered. Don’t need your help.”

  Teddy’s mouth made a big O, then he plugged a hand on his hip. He must have realized he’d get nowhere with Judge, so he turned to Cassie. “You like that stuff on his face?”

  Cassie pinned her lips together.

  “See? She doesn’t even like it.”

  “I like it!” Daisy exclaimed.

  “I like it,” Judge grumbled. “And it ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

  Teddy huffed out a breath. “Well!” He dug out his wallet and pulled out a business card, shoving it at Cassie, who took it. “I’m here for you if you need me. You must be new around here, since I’ve never seen you or your daughter before.”

  “I am.”

  “Then I’m your fella to take care of all that luscious hair for you and your girl. First cut is on the house. Manes on Main.” He pointed down to his shop. “Right there.” He clapped his hands together once. “Now, I need to go open my salon so this little muffin can get out of the cold.” Teddy turned back to Judge. “How long have you lived in town?”

  “My whole life,” the big man answered.

  Teddy pursed his lips and let his gaze rake over Judge again. He tilted his head. “We go to school together?”

  “You’re a few years older than me.”

  “Bet I’d recognize your handsome face if you let me trim off that mess.”

  “Sounds like a good reason to keep it.”

  Teddy gasped dramatically. “Oh, that’s how it is. I see. Fine. Well, then, I’m off.” He turned to Carly. “I’m going to go unlock the door for you. See you down there.”

  He made a little squeak, turned as if he was flipping a cape back behind him and flounced down the sidewalk.

  Carly unpinned her lips and said, “Please pass on my invitation to Autumn. Have a Merry Christmas.”

  “Same to you,” Cassie said.

  Carly continued pushing the stroller down the sidewalk, which was now even more crowded. When she got to the salon she found her family staked out, wrapped in blankets, and with red-tipped noses.

  Matt was right. The weather was too cold for Levi to spend any amount of time outside. However, tomorrow they’d have no choice. She’d bundle up Levi and then strap him to Matt’s chest to keep the baby warm.

  “Have you seen Amanda?” Mary Ann asked her.

  Carly waved a hand back over her shoulder. “I think she was having a little pow-wow with Adam back there on the corner. They had to get a few more details straight.”

  “How many more details are there?” Ron grumbled. “It’s a—” He shut up as Teddy came rushing out of the salon.

  “I turned the heat up for you and the little one. Let me know if it gets too warm.”

  “Thanks, Teddy.”

  “Well, you take such good care of my broody Bryson buck, so I should be thanking you.”

  “If you want to sit outside with the rest of the family, I can take Levi inside,” Mary Ann offered.

  “No. You enjoy your time out here.”

  “My old bones don’t like the cold much anymore.”

  “Time to go south, Mom,” Carly told Mary Ann.

  “No! I have my whole family together, I’m not breaking it apart. And I would never miss the opportunity to be around the grandchildren.” Mary Ann leaned forward. “No offense, Leah. I don’t think your mother was happy up here. She wasn’t used to our small town ways.”

  Leah put a hand on her belly. “She’ll head up when this one’s close to being born. I don’t think she wants to miss that, either.” She gave Carly a look and raised her eyebrows. “Only one person’s allowed in the room at the birthing center, right?”

  “Uh...” Carly knew not only Ron and Mary Ann, but Leah’s mother would want to be there when baby number three was born. They tried getting in the last two times, but Leah had put her foot down. “Just the father.”

  “There were more than that in the room when Levi was born,” Mary Ann complained.

  “Those were special circumstances,” Carly said quickly. “And I was the doctor.”

  “Honey, I’m sure Leah doesn’t want her in-laws to see her like that. Kind of like this morning.” Ron grinned.

  Carly knew that grin. She glanced over at her sister-in-law. “What happened this morning?”

  “Nothing we’re talking about,” Leah muttered and shot Carly a look.

  “Oh...” Yes, Carly was now used to having so much family, there was always risk of getting caught in a compromising situation if they weren’t careful.

  In fact, Ron had found her panties hanging from a ceiling fan one morning when he let himself into the house after she and Matt had sex. Carly had no idea how they got up there. They quickly learned to lock doors and pull blinds any time they got naked because they never knew who was just going to show up unannounced.

  “I’m taking him inside.”

  Teddy rushed over to hold the door open for her. “I started the coffee if you want any.” He followed her in and immediately began to unbuckle Levi. “Oh, I just want to pinch those chubby cheeks.”

  Teddy removed Levi from the stroller, planted a loud kiss on one of those chubby cheeks, and held him as Carly peeled the baby out of his snowsuit and down to his onesie. He then carried Levi around the salon, giving him a tour. “I’m going to be the first one to cut those dark locks of yours. And if you ever want to be a hairdresser, Uncle Teddy will be glad to show you the ropes.”

  “I’m sure Matt has other plans for him.”

  “Let me guess. Joining the Marines and becoming a cop.” Teddy did an exaggerated yawn. “Same old song and dance.”

  “It’s in the blood,” Carly reminded him.

  “Yes, but this one’s blood’s a little different, so he needs to be an original. He needs to be the Bryson buck who broke rank.”

  “I just want him to be healthy and happy.”

  “Exactly what I wanted for Matty, too.” Teddy brought Levi back to her and she took her son from him. “And I was serious when I said I should be thanking you. You have made him as healthy and happy as he can be. I think you saved his life.”

  Teddy wasn’t normally this serious, so hearing him subdued like that made Carly’s eyes burn and her nose sting. “Teddy,” she whispered.

  “Well, it’s true. You became the most important member of this family. We might have lost him if it wasn’t for you taking him by the nuts and giving his life focus.”

&
nbsp; Unfortunately, Teddy wasn’t the first to say that. “I worry about how the baby will affect his mental health. Even though he won’t admit it, sometimes hearing Levi cry takes him back there. I’ve seen his face and he does his best to fight it, but...” Her husband would always struggle with his PTSD and babies were one of his triggers. Seeing children devastated by war had scarred him deeply.

  Teddy’s smile was sad as he stared at Levi in her arms. “He loves you. He loves his son.”

  “Sometimes love isn’t enough.”

  Teddy gave her a squeeze, careful of the baby. “It will be in this case.”

  Carly hoped he was right.

  “Now, today is supposed to be a happy day, so let’s stop being so morose. Matty will pull through for his family. He always does.” He got on his toes and planted a noisy kiss on Carly’s cheek. When he pulled back, his green eyes went wide. “Oh! I think I hear the marching band. I’ll be right outside, watching for the eldest Bryson buck in his spiffy dress uniform. If you need anything, just hollaaa.”

  Then the hairdresser was gone, the jingle of the bell above the door the only thing left in his wake.

  Carly looked down into Levi’s face. The baby was awake and quiet, just absorbing the new atmosphere while contently sucking on his fist. “Let me grab your binky, my sweet baby boy.”

  She pulled the diaper bag from the stroller and put it on the table sitting in front of the salon’s large picture window that had Manes on Main hand-painted in decorative script across the glass. Even decorated for Christmas with colorful lights and snowflake window clings, she’d get a clear view of the parade.

  Hannah saw the movement through the window and waved at her. Carly returned it with a smile.

  She would love to have a girl, too. This family needed more girls, but she wouldn’t push Matt into a second adoption. They were both getting older and she was just relieved and happy when he announced last year that he was ready to go ahead with adopting.

  And now her dream had come to fruition.

  Digging around in the bag, her fingers brushed against a piece of paper, so she grabbed it along with the binky. Once the pacifier was plugged securely between Levi’s little lips and he was sucking quietly, she unfolded the notepaper she had not placed in the bag this morning.

  She recognized the scratchy handwriting immediately and her heart stopped. She held her breath as she skimmed the note, then started back at the top to read it more slowly. Once again, tears threatened to spill, making the words difficult to read.

  To my love, my life, my wife, the mother of my son,

  I could never say in words just how much you mean to me and how much you are a part of me. How much you push me to be a better man. But I want you to know, you do.

  I cannot love you any more than I do already.

  Thank you for helping me hang on, and for you hanging on along with me through the rough spots.

  I’ll love you forever.

  Your Marine, your husband, the father of your son.

  ~ M

  “Holy shit,” Carly whispered, wiping away the tears that finally escaped. That note was the best Christmas present she ever received. She was saving and cherishing it forever. She might even sleep with it under her pillow.

  The bell jingled again and she quickly swiped at the rest of the tears and blinked away the blurriness, only to see her brave Marine, her beautiful husband and the loving father of her son walk through the door.

  He was the love of her life. Faults and all.

  Levi wiggled in Carly’s arms and Matt noticed his son’s eyes fastened on him once he got closer. But while he was happy his son was beginning to recognize him, Carly’s tears caught his attention and his spine became a steel rod.

  “What’s the matter? Are you alright? Is he alright? What happened?”

  Carly sniffled and smiled. “We’re perfect, you asshole. This was supposed to be a happy day and you made me cry.”

  He grinned. “Guess you found my note.”

  “Matt...”

  “I meant every word.”

  Carly blew out a breath and wiped at her eyes. “I know.”

  “That shouldn’t make you cry.”

  “Of course, it should! I know you don’t take saying things like that lightly. That’s what made it worse. Or better. Or... whatever. It was perfect.”

  He stared at her red-rimmed blue eyes and her quivering bottom lip that he wanted to taste. So, he did, leaning in to give her a quick kiss.

  When Levi made a happy squeak between them, Matt took him from her arms and held him to his chest, turning toward the large window. “Hey, Levi. You won’t remember this parade, but it’s the first of many. Uncle Max will be up front.”

  Carly moved to stand next to him and he put his arm around her shoulders, giving her a squeeze.

  “I can’t stay long but I wanted to check in on you two.” He turned to her. “Sorry about this morning. I promise I’ll let the doctor know what happened.”

  He’d keep that promise, too. He didn’t want to fuck up what he and Carly had. She took on a lot when she took on him. And just like he said in the note, he was grateful as fuck that she hung on through his rough times. Every single one.

  She ran her fingers over Levi’s dark downy hair, tears still in her eyes. “Thank you for doing everything you’ve done to work on getting better. For doing everything in your power to make it so we could bring a child into our life.”

  Matt hoped that his son’s eyes stayed blue like Autumn’s, so they’d be like his. “I know how much it meant to you. I needed to do it for you. I didn’t want you to regret never having the child you so desperately wanted. Regret giving up that dream because you married a broken man. I’ve only wanted you to be happy.”

  “Same here,” she whispered, turning toward him and cupping his cheek. “I love you, Matt. And I would have given up that dream to keep you.”

  Now there was a damn sting in his eyes. Must be the forced hot air from the salon’s heating system. “Knowing you would’ve made that sacrifice for me was what made me work harder. I didn’t want you to do that. I think it would’ve eventually killed me knowing I destroyed your dream of being a mother.”

  “I just feel we owe Autumn so much. I extended the invite to her for tomorrow, but I doubt she’ll come.”

  “That shouldn’t be surprising. Plus, I think Sig’s worried about her leaving the farm right now. Things are still very fresh for everyone involved.”

  “Thank goodness everything turned out okay. Let’s hope it stays that way.”

  He ran a knuckle down his wife’s damp cheek. “It will. This kid’s a Bryson. He’s got an army behind him.”

  Carly laughed. “That’s true. When I ran into Judge outside, he said he’d step in at any time.”

  Matt didn’t need an MC stepping in to take care of his family. He understood why Judge would offer, but it was unneeded.

  “I need to go.” He might go have a word with the club’s Sergeant at Arms. Just a little reminder that Matt had his family covered.

  She wiped at her face. “Can you give me a minute to run to the restroom?”

  “Yeah.”

  As Carly rushed toward the back of the salon, the bell jingled above the door and his mother walked in.

  “There’s my baby boy with his baby boy,” she cried, her face all lit up.

  “Ma, there’s only one baby in this place. It’s Levi.”

  His mother came over and pinched his cheek anyway, making him pull back. “You’ll always be my baby.”

  “There are plenty of grandchildren you can smother... I mean baby.”

  Mary Ann whacked his arm lightly. “I’ll never stop smothering my sons.”

  Matt groaned.

  “I’m so happy that your life is coming together, Matt. That you created your own family. You are my baby... But, truthfully,” she took a shaky breath, “you scared me for the longest time.”

  “I know.” For fuck’s sake, now he’d upset
the two most important women in his life. He seemed to be an expert at it. It was not a skill he was proud of.

  Every time he reenlisted his mother took it hard. No, not just hard, it devastated her. She couldn’t understand why he did it, but Matt hadn’t been ready to deal with civilian life. He had joined the Marines and became a Raider for a reason, and he struggled with leaving an incomplete job behind. But now, after years of therapy, he realized that job would never be done. There’d always be another conflict, then the next. He couldn’t fix things over there and he needed to stop letting that burden, that pressure, eat at him.

  “I’m not scared anymore.”

  Thank fuck for that. “I’m sorry I worried you.” He closed his eyes and just breathed for a moment. He’d avoided this conversation for a long time. Too long. But now he had a son, he better understood the love between a parent and a child.

  He couldn’t avoid it anymore and he owed his mother that much. “I know you think I chose serving over there over you. Over our family. I know that hurt you. I’m sorry I did that to you. It wasn’t my intention. My intention was to do my service like every other Bryson and follow in Pop’s and Granddad’s footsteps. It was what was expected. But when I came home, when I went through the police academy, I felt like it was fake. It wasn’t real. War was real. People dying was real. Driving around a quiet town, going to calls of cats caught in a tree weren’t. It all felt meaningless, and those incidents were just unimportant. I felt that what I had done over there was more important. It was real.” He had a hard time explaining how he felt, like his life in Manning Grove wasn’t important, anyone else could step in and do it, but his life overseas gave him meaning.

  His heart knew it was wrong, but his brain said otherwise.

  “It broke you. And that broke my heart.” Her eyes were brimming.

  He didn’t want to see his mother cry. Fuck. “I’m sorry.”

  A noise had Matt turning his head. Carly stood at the back of the salon, crying, a hand covering her mouth. She dropped it as she came forward and said, “This is supposed to be a happy day!”

  His mother squeezed his arm, then got up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I’m sorry if I ever pressured you boys to get married and give me grandchildren. I thought that was why you stayed away. I should’ve known you three would settle down once you met the perfect partners. And you did. I couldn’t be happier with the women you’ve chosen. And now?” She glanced at Levi in his arms with a soft smile. “I have what I’ve always hoped for.”