Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23556 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23556 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Or maybe I’ll wait, because as I look around at the beautiful Christmas splendor that is our home for the next few days, I don’t want anything to ruin this. Unfortunately, as Quinn said, Shelli is focused on winning. It’s her only focus, and I know she is already working on her plan for the summer, the draft, and training camp. I’ll just need to figure out how to include Dimitri in those plans.
And not have it ruin our incredible Smoky Christmas.
You Put a Baby in a Box?
Fallon
“The mountains are always so pretty in the snow.”
I feel my husband’s gaze on me, and when I look at him, he’s smiling. “Not as pretty as you.”
I grin, but our youngest, Emery, gags loudly. “Aren’t y’all done being all lovey-dovey? Doesn’t that die out as the years go on? Like, how long have you two been together? A hundred years? Yes, Dad, we all know you get a boner for Mom. Ugh.”
I press my lips together to keep from laughing as Lucas looks in the mirror at her. “You’ve been a joy these last six months. Truly, a joy.”
Oh, the sarcasm is real. In all honesty, Emery has been more of a terror than usual. We don’t know what happened, and we really don’t understand what is going on. To us, Emery is thriving. She is studying criminal justice at Bellevue, and she sold her concept for some kind of camera that cops can wear. Pretty sure the kid is worth more than us. She is also working part time with the FBI Cyber Division and is included in all the development of said camera thing. I still don’t understand it, nor do I care too much. I just want my baby to be happy.
And move out.
It’d be really great if she could move out.
I never in a million years thought it would be Emery who wouldn’t leave. I swore, the moment she turned eighteen, she’d be gone. But she doesn’t want to leave. Has no reason to.
There is a reason—I want to have loud sex with my husband.
And drink wine unjudged.
I have to remind myself daily that I love this child. I do, just as I love all my kids. Aiden is doing Aiden things, growing a family, and kicking ass on the ice. While Shelli can be a lot, she is everything that Aiden needs, and so I love her. Even when she gets on my ever-loving nerves. Shea and Elli did no one any favors by spoiling that girl rotten.
Though, I may have done the same with Emery…
I never really thought Stella would settle down, but she has. She is the full-time manager of our family restaurant and does the morning shift with Audrey at the cupcakery. She’s opening two more restaurant locations across Nashville and planning a rather small wedding to her boo, Wes. Oh, I love that guy. He loves my daughter in a way that reminds me of Lucas’s love for me. It’s sweet.
I thought it’d be Asher who wouldn’t move out, ever, but he proved me wrong. Hell, we hardly see the kid and Ally anymore. Thank God for FaceTime. They are traveling all over for Asher to work on jumbotrons across the US. We haven’t seen him in over six months, which is why this trip is so special. Everyone will be together. I’ll get to hug my baby, make sure he is healthy, and love on my daughter-in-law. Sometimes I worry that she thinks I don’t like her, but I do, a lot. She and Asher just aren’t around for me to prove that.
At her daddy’s statement, Emery groans, “Whatever.”
“You know, baby girl, we want a love like ours for you,” Lucas says, and I shake my head. He’s chancing his life, stepping into her lion’s den.
“Y’all’s ‘love’ is not real anymore, Dad. It doesn’t happen that way. This world is full of bullshit and shit-ass guys. Then when you come across a decent guy, they just expect you to give yourself to them, and who wants to do that?”
“I did.”
“Me too,” I say after Lucas. “It’s nice to be loved.”
“Sure, but I don’t want to be suffocated. I want to live. I want to have fun. I just don’t want to deal with the bullshit.”
“Are you okay, Em?” I ask, even though I know she won’t answer me.
“Fine,” she says, angrily throwing down her phone. “I hate people, and I don’t want to go to this stupid family Christmas.”
“Emery, you love the family, and you’ll get to see Fitzgerald and Zac. You love the kids,” I offer, but she doesn’t seem to be into the idea of playing with babies. She really is on another level today. “Plus, you get to see Asher and Ally. I know you miss them.”
“Yes, more displays of happy couples. Just what I want.”