A Kade Christmas

“Your brother will be back after Christmas.”

“Yeah. Sam’s happy here. She likes being around Heather.” He paused a beat. “Mason’s happier too.”

“His job is in Boston.”

“His job is up for renegotiation soon.”

Logan was stiff behind me, and I looked up at him again. “What are you thinking?”

His eyes found mine. “Talked to my boss. They told me I could work wherever I want if I’m considering opening up a firm wherever it is.”

“And you know I can get a nurse job anywhere.”

“Your dad is here or close to here.”

“Nate’s not here.”

“Nate’s not far away. Matteo too.”

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

He shrugged against my back. “It’s a ways off, but you never know for the future.”

There’d been a couple of other conversations between the girls, but they were few and far between. It’d been a while since the topic came up again, but now it was from Logan.

“I’ll go wherever you want to go. I mean it. You. The dogs. Him or her.” I pressed on Logan’s hand over my stomach. “You’re my family. I go where you go.”

His gaze grew somber, darkening. “Thank you.”

35

Logan

I had a kid coming. I couldn’t stop thinking about him or her.

Would I be enough?

Shit was different when Taylor told me. All the fears, concerns got swept away because the kid was here, and it was like the clouds opened up above me, and fuck, like a rainbow came down. It was cheesy like that, but I was a changed man.

Everything was different.

“Coming in.” Sam’s warning was a split second before she moved in behind me, at the kitchen sink, and hip-checked me to the side. She deposited a tray of dishes into the sink before grinning at me. Then frowning. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” It was the truth.

I had everything, literally everything.

“Logan?” She raked a hand through her hair, her eyebrows dipping down. “You’re freaking me out. What’s going on with you?”

“I never thought I’d feel this.”

“Huh?”

I wasn’t paying her attention, but I knew she looked at me like I had grown an alien head. Or an alien dick. Either worked for me. But I kept on, “When you moved in, I was so angry. That anger’s been in me all this time. Not because of you, but I first felt it when you moved in. Over the years it’s been chipping away, but it's still with me. It’s better when I’m with Taylor. I’m calmer, quieter. She lets me be that way. With you and Mason, it gets stirred up again. I never know why, but it’s gone.”

I looked.

Sam’s eyes were wide and almost bugging out. “Are you feeling okay?” She touched the back of her hand to my forehead. “Feverish? Is this post-marriage flu?” Her frown turned to a grin. “That’s usually code for something else, you know.”

“It’s not totally gone, but I never thought I’d feel as complete as I do right now.”

There was silence.

Then a soft, “Huh. And I thought I was just coming for more eggnog.” She whacked my arm with the back of her hand. “If I knew marriage would do this to you, I would’ve made you take Taylor to Vegas years ago. It’s good to be happy, Logan. You’re due, not that you haven’t been happy this whole time, but it’s time you let yourself accept it.”

I was nodding, my throat swelling up, and blinking because I didn’t need my sister to have more reason to tease me. Me crying would be a reason.

Too late.

Sam was blinking back her tears, and I raised an arm. “Come here.”

She pressed into my side, and I hugged her. “Is there such a thing as marital hormones?”

Sam barked out a laugh. “No. That might be the bourbon in the eggnog. I swear that Malinda adds another shot every year we do this.”

I laughed.

Malinda and David came over for the day. Everyone had to be in Christmas pajamas all day long. Maddie and the twins would get to unwrap the gifts from the grandparents, and Helen had dropped hers off this morning. James too, but both weren’t here for the festivities. The Christmas Eve tradition was snacks all day long. The kids had a movie marathon, all Christmas movies, and dinner was a buffet. Sometimes it was catered. Sometimes everyone pitched in and brought a dish.

The kids loved it.

Then it was gifts.

If Christmas were in Boston, there’d be a snow fight during the day. Sledding. Ice skating.

We were here, so the palm trees in the back got multi-colored lights on them.

Tomorrow was similar, except Nate and I would hit the golf course though we both sucked at it.

The girls liked to go on walks together.

We’d watch Mason’s game and then Matteo’s game because it was scheduled for the evening. After that, there’d be more food and drinks, laughs. Monday was the big day. Everyone was coming over.