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Charlee swallowed. “Surprisingly fun. We ate a bunch, drank quite a bit, and played lots of games.”
She needed to keep the topic away from her and Ace on a personal level, so she continued with, “I don’t understand what people do in states where there’s tons of snow all the time in the winter.” She tilted her head to the side. “I’ll ask Bailey sometime. Now that she lives in Montana, she has experience.”
“Did you end up steaming the windows?” Dara asked in a teasing tone.
Charlee didn’t know what Dara meant at first, then it dawned on her and heat rushed to her face. “We did play in the snow when there was a break in the storm. Ace cut down a tree and we pulled out all the Christmas decorations from storage and had a nice Christmas. The day after, the storm was over and now we’re home again.”
Dara studied her, a glint in her pretty amber eyes. “Something happened. Something you’re not telling me.”
“That’s your imagination kicking into overdrive.” Charlee wasn’t ready to admit she was growing more and more attracted to Ace. It was too soon, and too weird dating her best friend’s brother-in-law who happened to be her other best friend’s brother. “It ended up being a very nice weekend.”
“Why were you there on Christmas to begin with?” Dara asked. “You said you were spending the weekend with Jo and Tate, and the twins.”
More heat suffused Charlee, this time her entire body, and she turned her head away for a moment before looking at Dara again. “I—I wasn’t honest with any of you. I’ve just been feeling left out because you all have husbands and kids and lives so different from mine. I needed to get away. So, I planned a trip to spend Christmas on my own.”
She shrugged before continuing, speaking far faster than she normally did. “My car got a flat tire on the way to the cabin, and I called Ace since he’s the only one not attached. I thought it would be easier for him to get away. The storm came so fast we had to go to my cabin because it was closest.” She blew out her breath. “And there you have it in a nutshell.”
“When I started dating Jack,” Dara said, “I didn’t want you and Bailey to know. It felt too weird and I didn’t know where it might end up going. Is it that way with you and Ace?”
Charlee stared at the floor a long moment before raising her head and nodding. “Yes. But please don’t say anything to anyone. If it goes anywhere, I’ll tell Bailey myself.”
Dara smiled and hugged Charlee. “Of course I’ll keep this between us.” She whispered in Charlee’s ear. “But the way Ace keeps watching you, everyone probably already knows now.”
Charlee wanted to smile and cringe at the same time. But that was only because she wasn’t ready to announce that this was going anywhere at all.
She thought about the happy hour drinks and nachos they’d enjoyed before Seth called. How she’d been ready to take Ace home and—
What?
She knew what. She’d wanted him so badly and she still did.
To be continued?
Yeah. She smiled to herself.Definitely.
The doors opened to the birthing center and a man in scrubs and a white lab coat walked into the room and headed for Molly. Gus joined Molly at the same time the doctor reached her.
“You have a very healthy grandson, Mr. and Mrs. McBride.” He shook their hands while Ace and his brothers whooped and everyone broke out talking in excited tones. “We’ll let you know when you can see the baby and his mama and daddy.”
Gus and Molly hugged as the doctor retreated back into the birthing center, and everyone else hugged and laughed. The mood changed dramatically, no tension hanging over the group anymore.
Bailey and Seth had a brand new baby boy.
CHAPTER14
“He’s so beautiful.” Charlee smiled at the sight of the baby’s angelic face as she and Ace stood at Bailey’s bedside. They’d waited until everyone else in the family had a few moments to spend with Mama and baby. There were so many McBrides, they had to keep it short.
Charlee touched his little hand that had curled into a tiny fist. “Kyle is a good name.”
Bailey looked tired but radiant as she cuddled the sound asleep infant in her arms. “Kyle is the sweetest thing.” She stroked the dark hair on his head. “He’s so quiet, but I guess that’ll change soon.”
“We’ll take quiet while it lasts.” Seth looked proud enough to burst. Tired too, even though he hadn’t been the one to give birth. “He won’t be a Greer without making his presence known.”
Bailey glanced up at her husband and grinned. “Considering he’s half McBride, he doesn’t stand a chance.” She shook her head. “Wedon’t stand a chance.”
Charlee could just imagine the strain it took on a woman to carry and birth a child, but it was something she wanted to experience for herself. She glanced up at Ace and smiled. “I want one of these itty-bitty things eventually. He’s adorable.”
Ace looked uncomfortable, like some men get at the mention of babies. “He’s a cute little feller.”
