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“You’re the best Christmas present I've ever had.”
Gemma laughs between her squished cheeks.
“Oh my God, Dad, Gemma’s here,” Lily says again, pulling her sister inside.
Buster pats me on the shoulder. “You did good, Ash.”
“Thanks.” I look up at him standing behind the sofa.
“I might want her back for selfish reasons,” he says in a stage voice, for my ears only. I thought he might.
At Candy and Brayden’s Christmas party last weekend, Buster confessed to me that he has a thing for Gemma. Which I always suspected. As far as I’m concerned, anyone is better than Chris, her ex-husband. He was a fucktard for breaking her heart the way he did. Gemma isn’t just my sister-in-law; I class her as my blood sister. Just like Erika. Although, no one is good enough for Erika, in my opinion. Maybe I’m the reason she’s never settled down with anyone.
I side eye Leon, who is checking Erika’s ass out, yet again, as she bends over the arm of the chair to pat Oscar.
“Leon,” I bark in warning.
He rolls his eyes at me, waving me off. “It’s all in your imagination.” He taps his temple.
It’s really fucking not. I’ve seen that look hundreds of times.
From behind, Lily tilts my head back, kissing me upside down, the same way Spiderman kisses Mary Jane. “Thank you for bringing her home.”
“I love you,” I tell her.
“I love you more.”
“Impossible.”
Best Christmas ever.
Although wait until she finds out what we’re doing for New Year.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Lily
It’s the morning of New Year’s Eve.
“I can’t believe I’m back in New York.” I look out of our hotel room window overlooking Central Park and the hustle and bustle down below.
Full of endless surprises, Ash shocked me, yet again, with a trip to New York to bring in the New Year.
To top it off, I’m meeting Zoey, my old college friend, for lunch today. We keep in touch, but I haven’t seen her since our wedding.
While I’m with Zoey, Ash is meeting with someone called Scott Cole in New Jersey. Apparently, he’s a hockey legend and Stanley Cup winner.
He’s been less than forthcoming with information about the details of the meeting, which is a two-hour drive away and back again. But I trust him, and he knows that whatever he decides to do moving forward with his career, I will be there to support him. Unless it takes up all of his time again, which he assures me, it won’t.
I now have my business under control. Janice is pretty much running the place and I have to admit, Ash was right. Delegation and a shuffle of staff, a few interns and managers, was all it needed to make things more manageable.
I don’t know how Janice did it, but she had everything in place before we broke off for the holidays. She’s absolute magic and I don’t know why I didn’t make use of her skills and expertise more before. I was too busy being busy to see what was in front of me all along.
Ash’s phone buzzes on the nightstand.
He lifts his phone to read the screen. “My driver has arrived. They’re at the front desk waiting for me.” He pushes it into the pocket of his jeans.
“You’re dressed too casually for a meeting, Ash.” I frown, checking him out in his jeans, immaculate white sneakers, sweatshirt, and black puffer jacket.
