A Kade Christmas

Oh, man.

If Quincey was getting suspicious, she could voice whatever she was thinking to Nate, he’d say it to Logan, and I knew Logan wouldn’t be deterred another night.

Suddenly I was pro-let’s-tear-into-the-weasel with Malinda.

Heather was ready for us when we showed up. She greeted us at the door with two margaritas in hand. Malinda took one, breezing past her. Quincey glanced my way but took the other.

Heather told me, “I got more coming. No worries.”

“Nope.” Malinda raised her glass in the air. “Taylor got a mix-up with some medication. She’s the driver tonight, but that means more for us! So, where’s little Ava? Let’s handle her shit before we start plotting against Weasel James Kade.”

Heather frowned at me but was distracted by Malinda. “What?”

Malinda was leading the way to the back section at Heather’s bar. She said over her shoulder, “You said little Ava needs some girl time. That usually means there’s a guy involved, and he fucked up royally. Let’s handle her stuff before I launch into how we all need to handle the other weasel.”

“Uh—”

Malinda had kept going, and we heard a moment later, “There you are, dearie. Tell us who we gotta add to our weasel shitting-on list today, and consider it done.”

Quincey stopped and turned back to where Heather and I still were just inside the door. The rest of Manny’s was busy, like always, and I noticed her brother was watching us from behind the bar.

Quincey asked, “She’s always like this?”

Heather and I nodded as if we were one person.

I heard her brother start laughing. “I’m closing up, Heather. You got your hands full with Mama Malinda tonight.”

She glanced at him, but I moved forward.

Malinda wasn’t alone. I wanted to hear what was going on with Ava too. She’d been one of Heather’s workers, and from all our trips to Fallen Crest, I’d gotten a soft spot for her. She was always in the background, always working since she had so many jobs in town and the neighboring town, and she was attending the local community college. Whoever had hurt Ava was going down.

I was a bit fierce in my love for the girl, a young woman by now.

I also might’ve been projecting some mama-love here too, but I wasn’t going to focus on that until I’d told Logan about the baby.

Until then, Ava.

16

Earlier

It had been snowing when we left, and it was snowing when we arrived.

Logan held my hand the whole drive home, stopping to get the boys on the way. As soon as we got home, stepping inside our warm house, Logan stopped me and pulled me into his arms.

He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I love you.”

I tipped my head back, that same warm cheesy glow spreading throughout me again. “I love you too.”

We were home. We were married.

We were happy.

17

Present

Ava was done with men, it seemed.

She announced this between margarita number three and margarita number four. By the time she was onto number five, she was on the phone texting with someone. Malinda wanted to know who the guy was so she could break an umbrella over his head. Ava wouldn’t tell, saying, “It’s someone you know, and I don’t want to ruin things for him. He and I were never supposed to even happen. It’s all so dumb.”

By margarita six, she was gone.

I saw her slip out the back door as a truck pulled up.

My guess, she got horny, and the guy was back in the picture.

With Ava gone, Malinda was onto the next project: Weasel James Kade.

Now, what she did, I wouldn’t have done, but it was Malinda, and everyone did what Malinda told them to do.

She called Helen, who was friends with James’ whoever-she-was-to-him-now, and Malinda found out they were in Fallen Crest. So, everyone could guess by now what happened. Malinda invited them to Manny’s, stating over the phone, “It’s better if she meets the girls first because the woman’s involved, and you know it. Get her here while we’re all still able to stand.”

Helen, who didn’t do anything anyone told her, did what Malinda told her.

She brought the new woman who had two sons who were Logan’s half-brothers, and when she came through the door, my gut fell out through the bottom of my stomach.

It was Tate Sullivan, who was also Logan’s ex.

All eyes went to me.

I was on the phone outside of Manny’s, trying not to lose my shit. “You were never told who your father impregnated?”

Logan was on the other end. “No. He wouldn’t tell us. Analise wouldn’t say either. Or Helen. Why?”

Good because I wanted to be the one to tell him, “It’s your fucking ex-girlfriend.”

My Zen was gone.

I had a prenatal appointment scheduled the next day. I still hadn’t told Logan about the baby. We’d been married a month now, and my calm Zen was totally and completely destroyed.