AllFreeNovel
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A chorus of “yes” goes up, and I hustle back into the kitchen. “The kids are hungry. We have another, what, two hours before dinner’s ready?”
Mom glances at the timer on the oven. “I’d say about that.”
“I’m going to throw some chips into a bowl and toss it out there. Apparently Isaac, Pope, and Allie are off together somewhere. No fists flying, as far as I can tell.”
But around here, that can quickly change.
This many people under one roof means there is always some sort of disagreement. Typically, they’re good-natured and easily assuaged, but everyone, once in a while, someone has to step in to mediate. I’d love to avoid that today with all the other stressors floating around.
I find a bag of chips, empty it into a bowl, and bring it out to the kids.
At least for the moment, everyone seems content and happy, the kind of relaxed Christmas Day we can enjoy. Instead of heading back into the kitchen, I make my way down the hallway and pop my head into a couple of bedrooms until I find Isaac, Pope, and Allie in Savage’s old room, sprawled out on the bed. “What are you guys doing?”
Isaac glances up at me, then Pope and Allie follow suit. “Just playing some of the games we all got.”
Allie holds up a deck of cards. “I want to doUno, but they want to playTrouble.”
“Well, I think you guys have plenty of time to play everything before we eat.” I narrow my eyes on the boys. “Right, boys?”
I focusmostof my glare on Isaac. At his age, he should be able to prevent any arguments and be diplomatic about keeping the peace between the younger ones.
“Well, if you guys are hungry, I just put some chips outside with everyone else.”
Isaac waves me off. “We’re good.”
They turn back to their game, ignoring me, and I pull the door halfway shut and make my way out to the living room, where the guys all cluster near the tree. The music pipes through the speakers, light and cheerful, not exactly matching the mood it’s supposed to help create.
Gabe stares out the window, his shoulders tense.
I slip up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist, pressing my face against his shoulder blades. “Don’t look so worried.”
He glances back at me. “I’m trying not to.”
“Really, everything’s going to be fine.”
We’re all nervous about what will happen with the new arrival, who will be walking through the door soon, but worrying about it won’t do anyoneanygood. Gabe has always gotten too far in his own head, and even after years of therapy, there are still times when he falls down dark holes that I desperately try to pull him out of.
“I know, but it’s my responsibility to make sure everyone stays safe, and right now, things just feel”—he shrugs slightly—”a little off.”
I squeeze him tightly. “I know how you get when you have one of thesefeelings, but you have to let it go, or you’re going to ruin Christmas.”
He grins at me. “I’m not going to ruin Christmas.”
“Promise?”
He turns in my arms and takes my face in his palms, tilting it up to him. “I’ll tell you what, I won’t ruin Christmas as long as you figure out a way to get the kids to someone else’s house tonight. Then you can bake for me like we talked about earlier”—he leans in and feathers his lips across mine—”preferably in the nude.”
I smack his arm. “That sounds like burns in painful places just waiting to happen.”
“I’ll keep you safe, Skye.” He grips my chin. “I always do.”
The laugh bubbles from my lips before I can stop it. “Always?” I raise a brow. “I seem to remember rescuingyouand savingyourlife when you were bleeding and almost dead in that godforsaken cabin in the bayou…”
He scowls at me. “And you will never let me live that down for the rest of my life, will you?”
I smile. “Of course, I won’t. What fun would that be?”
CHAPTER4
