“She vomits all the time,” Summer stated and then sighed. “Of course, she still manages to look great.”
They all laughed and as soon as he confirmed that his wife was all right, Zach returned to the rest of the family in the other room.
“Congratulations,” Emery said. “A new baby is always exciting.”
“Thanks. We’re very excited.” Then she looked at Summer and Megan. “And one of you better be working on getting pregnant soon. You know how I want all our kids to be close.”
“Well,” Summer said sweetly, “I just thought I’d let you go first this time. You know, since Autumn and Willow are so close together.”
“Wait,” Gabriella said, straightening in her seat. “Are you saying…?”
Summer’s finger went to her lips to keep everyone from reacting. “We were going to announce it at Thanksgiving, so everyone has to keep it quiet. Got it?”
They all agreed and Emery found herself giddy at being included in this exciting little secret. She caught Megan’s eye and noticed she was grinning widely too.
“Since you’re all already keeping one secret,” Megan whispered, “I hope you won’t mind keeping two.”
It was almost too much! Not only finding out that this already large family was about to grow even more with the next generation, but also that she was actually being included in this little secret sisterhood thing.
Unable to help herself, Emery craned her neck toward the kitchen and spotted Christian’s wife, Sophie. Turning back to the group, she asked, “Does Sophie know? I feel bad that she’s not in here for this.”
Megan jumped up and hugged her before calling out to Sophie and motioning for her to join the girls. Once they were all seated and Sophie was sitting next to Summer, she looked at the group and frowned. “What? What’s going on?”
Summer leaned in close and whispered the group news. When Sophie gasped and made to cry out her delight, Summer immediately placed her hand over her mouth and shushed her. “Did you not get that it was a secret by the fact that I whispered it?” she teased.
“Oh my gosh!” Sophie said quietly but excitedly. “This is amazing! I can’t believe it! All the babies at one time!” She fanned herself as her eyes welled with tears. “Now I wish I had taken the test before Christian and I flew out here!”
“What?!” they all cried.
She nodded vigorously and gave them all a watery grin. “I haven’t told Christian yet, but I think…well, you know.”
“Clearly, there’s something in the water,” Emery said with a giggle, wiping away her own happy tears.
“Better watch out,” Gabriella said to her. “You could be next!”
And instead of panic washing over her or any kind of denial, Emery found the thought of getting pregnant with Carter’s baby wasn’t the least bit scary.
That had to be a sign, right?
“Oh, don’t scare her,” Megan chided, reaching over and hugging Emery. “Even though she and my brother have known each other forever, their relationship is brand new.”
With four pairs of concerned eyes on her, Emery knew that not only was she good at keeping a secret, she was pretty good at sharing one of her own.
Leaning forward conspiratorially, she quietly said, “Don’t worry, I don’t scare easily.” And when everyone relaxed, she added, “And being part of this family would be amazing.”
“So the family, huh?” Summer teased. “More so than Carter?”
Emery could feel herself blushing. “Especially Carter.” And then she did something she hadn’t done since she was a teenager.
She sighed dreamily.
“I still can’t believe we’re together,” she admitted. “All the years of animosity and competing against one another…”
“It sounds like twenty years of foreplay,” Gabriella said with a wink. “Good for you!”
And honestly, Emery couldn’t agree more.
It was good for her.
* * *
“Merry Mock Christmas,” Carter said as he raised his glass at the massive dining room table.
“Merry Mock Christmas!” everyone echoed.
It was the first time this many Montgomerys were together in his family home since his father’s funeral, and because he’d been the cook, his mother had asked him to take the seat at the head of the table.
His father’s seat.
Uncle William should be sitting here, he thought. When he tried to make that point to his mother, she had smiled and waved him off, pointing to his uncle who was sitting at the other end of the table.
As much as he tried not to dwell on it, it wasn’t easy. Taking his seat, Carter looked around the table and couldn’t help but smile.
This was Dad’s view. Did he appreciate it?
How could he not? It seemed a little surreal to be seeing the faces of so many people he loved sitting down to a meal together. Especially one he prepared. Conversation flowed and platters were passed around, though it took a while before he felt at ease enough to take his first bite. His mother sat to his left and Emery to his right.
When he finally took a bite, his own meal tasted like sawdust in his mouth.
Pushing back from the table, he murmured, “Excuse me,” before fleeing the room. He was outside on the back deck when he heard the glass doors slide open. No doubt it was Emery coming to check on him, but he wasn’t quite ready to talk to her—mainly because he had no idea why he was having this mild panic attack.
Without turning around, he said, “Sorry to leave you in there with my whole family. I just…I needed a minute.”
But it wasn’t Emery who came to stand beside him. It was his Uncle William.
Leaning on the wooden deck rail, his uncle looked out over the yard and smiled. “Those were some pretty big shoes to fill, huh?”
Mimicking the pose, Carter looked at his uncle but didn’t say anything.
“She thought of asking Christian to sit at the head of the table—he’s the oldest—but decided you deserved the honor since you created the feast.” William turned to face him. “I swear, every meal you make is better than the last.”
“Thanks,” he said quietly before turning his attention forward again.
“You miss him.”
It wasn’t a question.
“I don’t think it hit me until I sat down. Crazy, right? I mean, it’s a chair. It shouldn’t be a big deal and yet all I could think about was how it was his spot, his view, his—” The words stuck in his throat. For years, he had been angry with his father—most of his adult life, if he were being honest—but in the past year Carter thought he’d found peace with his father’s death.
Yet here he was.
His uncle placed a warm hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “It’s okay to be emotional, Carter. This is the first time we’re all together and the first real celebration we’re allowing ourselves in your father’s house.”
“Everyone must think I’m mental or something.”
A bark of laughter was William’s first response. After a moment, he cleared his throat and rested both his arms on the rail again. “Who cares what any of them think? You’re entitled to feel how you feel, and if you needed a moment to get a little air and settle your thoughts, then so be it.”
“Maybe.”
“No maybe about it.” He paused. “Emery’s a great girl.”
Just the mention of her name made Carter smile. “Yeah, she is.”
“Had a nice conversation with her this morning while you were prepping in the kitchen.”
Carter knew his uncle enjoyed talking to people and Emery was always very sociable, so it was no surprise the two of them had hit it off.
“She was telling me about her education and her job before all of this happened.” He shook his head. “No doubt she’ll land on her feet when the dust sett
les. A smart woman like her would be an asset to any company. Montgomerys included.” He paused again. “And it was definitely nice to see her again.”
“Again?”
“I met her at your father’s funeral,” he said, his voice going a little softer, as if the memory of his brother was just as hard on him. “Met her sorry excuse for an ex, too.”
Carter frowned but didn’t move.
“I was surprised to see her here because…I remembered her from your high school graduation.”
That made Carter turn his head. “Really?”
William nodded. “I was sitting next to your father in that massive auditorium with the lousy air-conditioning. I mean, really, it was an expensive private school and they couldn’t crank up the cool air?” He laughed. “But I digress. I was sitting next to your father and you had just finished your class president’s speech, and then Emery came up to the podium. The two of you walked right by one another, bumping shoulders and giving each other the side-eye and your father was grinning from ear to ear.”
It was hard to imagine his father ever ginning, but just the thought of it had Carter doing it too. “Why? Why was he smiling?”
“He nudged me on the shoulder—a very un-Joseph-like move—and said, ‘You see that girl? The one at the podium?’” He seemed to be remembering it fondly. “Your father looked at me and said, ‘That girl has been knocking my son on his ass for years and she’s the greatest thing ever to happen to him!’” William paused and shook his head. “I think he would love how the two of you are together now.”
“Somehow, I doubt it. I don’t think my father approved of anything I did. And just because he liked Emery a dozen years ago doesn’t mean he’d like her now.” He hated how bitter the words sounded even as they came out.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Straightening, his uncle turned to face him head-on. “Here’s the thing, Carter. Father-son relationships are complicated. It doesn’t matter who we’re talking about.”
His uncle gave him a sad smile. “I wish things could have been different for you. For all of you. It kills me that the memories you have of your father are negative ones more than positive and joyful ones.” His hand went back to Carter’s shoulder as he leaned in a little closer. “Just remember this—your mother is counting on you kids now more than ever and she feels terrible that she didn’t do more to change the way Joseph was with all of you. You need to go in there and sit at the head of the table and celebrate this milestone with your family with a smile on your face.” His expression turned fierce. “Don’t make the same mistakes he made, Carter. Don’t let your career and ambition take over your life. You have a beautiful woman in there who you can have a future with, and you have a family who loves you. That’s what’s important.”
Then he ruffled Carter’s hair just like he used to do when he was a boy and walked into the house, leaving Carter wondering how to make his own way back to the table without drawing too much attention to himself. Hanging his head for a moment, he took a steadying breath and went inside.
At the table, he sat down and saw the relieved smile on his mother’s face. Reaching out, he took her hand and kissed it before turning his attention back to his plate. After the first bite, which tasted better than it had before he went outside, he caught Emery’s eye and winked at her.
And yeah, she definitely looked relieved too.
His uncle was right—Carter was surrounded by the family he loved, sitting next to the woman he loved, and what could be better than that?
Well—he could actually tell Emery he loved her.
Soon, he thought. Very soon.
“So, Eliza,” Aunt Monica began from across the table, “tell us about the gala for the charity! Have you gotten a big response? Are people excited about the cookbook?”
“Oh my goodness, as soon as I started telling people that Carter was doing it, they all clamored to reserve their copies! Honestly, the book isn’t even done and we have over a thousand orders already.”
“That’s amazing!” Monica cried. “Good for you!” Then she looked at Carter and gave him an endearing smile. “You did a very good thing, Carter. And if the recipes in the book are what you used for this meal, then I can guarantee those orders will be doubled in no time at all. This is all delicious!”
“Eliza,” his aunt Janice chimed in, “remember when we used to celebrate Christmas Eve like this? It started out as a potluck when the kids were little and our men were starting up their business, and now look! Your son took a tradition that was full of such good memories and gave it back to us.” She looked at Carter with love in her eyes. “You have no idea the number of holidays when you kids were small that were so much fun. They meant so much simply because we were all together. Thank you, Carter.”
His mother smiled at him as she clasped his hand. He saw the tears in her eyes and knew she was remembering it all too. And before he found himself too overcome with emotion, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Love you, Mom,” he whispered. “This is a good day. A really good day.”
When he straightened in his seat, he reached for his wine glass again and raised it. Everyone turned to him, the voices quieted down, and their expressions turned a little curious.
“When Mom asked me to help her with this project, I figured all I needed to do was write down a couple of recipes and call it a day.” They laughed. “Clearly, I was wrong. And believe it or not, I’ve never been gladder about that. You see, if it hadn’t been for me being lazy, we all wouldn’t be here today, celebrating this mock Christmas.” He smiled and looked at each and every face around the table, ending with Emery. “You wouldn’t be here,” he said softly. “I may have made the food, but you made this possible. You pushed me, you challenged me, and you made me remember the good times I had with my family. You made me remember what was important.”
“Carter…” Emery whispered, seeming a little embarrassed at all the attention.
He faced his family again. “Most of you know my and Emery’s history with each other, but I’m so glad we were able to push past that and start something new. Something…well, something more than either of us ever imagined.” He raised his glass a little higher. “So I’d like to propose a toast—to Emery. Thank you for making all of this possible and for bringing us all together for this incredible weekend and giving us something to celebrate. To Emery!” Then he looked at her and smiled before tapping his glass to hers. Leaning toward her, he brushed his lips against hers and said, “To you.”
* * *
It was just after eleven when Carter closed the bedroom door behind him. Emery was already in the bed and reading on her tablet. When she looked up at him, she could see how tired he was.
“Long day for you, Chef Carter. You sure you’re going to be up for doing it all again tomorrow for brunch?”
He peeled his shirt off before doing the same with his shoes, socks, and trousers. When he was down to his boxers, he slid under the sheets beside her. “Brunch is much easier. I spent the last hour prepping.”
“So what’s on tomorrow’s menu?”
“I’ve got a couple of quiches, a French toast loaf, a massive fruit salad, and we’re going to make Belgian waffles because…my dad used to love them. That was our traditional Christmas morning meal and we thought we should incorporate it.”
“That’s very sweet, Carter,” she said softly, resting her head on his shoulder.
“I know it’s not particularly gourmet and it was probably the most common recipe we put in the book, but it holds a special place in our family holiday tradition, so…”
“You don’t owe me an explanation. Besides, I love Belgian waffles.” Lifting her head, she grinned at him. “Any chance there’ll be some whipped cream, peanut butter, and bananas?”
He laughed and took the tablet from her hands before setting it on the bedside table. “Why would you ruin pe
rfectly good waffles like that?” he asked, shifting them until Emery was on her back beneath him.
“Ruin them? I’ll have you know they’re delicious, and you should know better than to knock it before you try it. Remember how much you enjoyed the meatloaf?”
“Don’t remind me.”
She swatted at him playfully. “Oh, stop. Don’t be such a snob.”
He looked like he was about to argue, but leaned down and kissed her instead. Which was more than fine with Emery. All day and certainly all night she’d missed this.
It was totally worth the wait.
When he raised his head a few minutes later, she reached up and caressed his face. “Rest, wonderful man. You need some sleep.”
“I need you more,” he whispered, placing kisses on the tip of her nose, her cheek, her chin.
“Carter…we can’t do that here in your mom’s house. Your siblings are—”
“In their own rooms and probably doing the same thing I’m trying to do. Probably succeeding too.”
Laughing softly, she relaxed and wrapped her arms around him. “You think so, huh?”
He gently nipped at her shoulder before saying, “Definitely.” And just when she was about to give in, there was a knock on the bedroom door. Carter sighed heavily and rolled off of her. “Come in!”
Eliza tentatively peeked around the door. “Sorry to disturb you…”
Carter sat up and adjusted the blanket over his lap, and Emery had to hide a grin. Not that she was dressed any more appropriately, but it was still cute to watch him cover up. “Everything okay, Mom?”
Nodding, she stepped into the room and stopped near the foot of the bed. “I just wanted to thank you both,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. Emery could tell she had been crying and wanted nothing more than to get up and hug her.
If she had pants on.
“In my mind, I knew this was going to be a good thing—having everyone get together and having a practice Christmas dinner,” she went on. “But you both made it so much more.”
“Eliza,” Emery said, unable to hold back. “I think you and Carter did all the work. I’m just glad I was here to celebrate it with all of you.”
A Dash of Christmas Page 20
