Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35086 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35086 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Stop worrying about the kids for a minute and enjoy the day.
How many times had his mother said that to him? Before Tasha’s pregnancy took a turn, Stephen often said the same thing. That he needed to spend time with people outside the pub and his own four walls. Adult people. That he needed to talk about something besides beer and finger painting.
But he couldn’t complain. His life was a good one. He owned his own business and was raising four interesting, creative and compassionate kids. They kept him hopping and didn’t leave much time for anything else.
It was perfectly normal for him to feel a little lonely now and then. Especially after that wedding. He wasn’t made of stone and his siblings had all found someone, or multiple someone’s—he corrected with a small, reflexive wince—to share their lives with. It was natural to quietly wonder what it felt like to have a partner you could depend on that much. Someone you were that passionate about.
Normal. Natural. Now shake it the hell off.
He looked down at the booted dog. “Do you know that song, Badass? Jake loves it. Shake it off,” he crooned, shouting in surprise when the snow beast shook his coat and ice hit him square in the face. Apparently Owen knew that song too.
The door slammed open and Penny leaned outside. “Daddy! Presents!”
“Coming.” I was just singing to a dog about my problems. “Close the door now, I don’t want to pay Aunt Jen’s electric bill.”
He hung his coat up and took off the dog’s insulated waterproof slippers before he let him join the crowd in the warm living room. When Seamus reached the kitchen, Owen and Jeremy were making out by the coffee machine. “Stop already. The wedding’s over. You’re old news.”
Owen turned toward him, his cheeks flushed. “Exactly. We’re married now. We don’t have to restrain ourselves.”
Seamus grabbed his chest dramatically. “You were restraining yourselves before?”
Brady stalked into the room with a scowl, sliding his phone into his pocket. Uh-oh. “Trouble?” He hoped not. Between Burke and that slave club or whatever Brady had been working on, there’d been too much trouble this year. He had kids to worry about.
Brady looked down and nodded. “Damn right there’s trouble. That morning show girl Owen and Jeremy invited to the wedding? What was her name?”
“Casey? Cassidy?” Seamus couldn’t remember. He didn’t watch her show.
Brady shrugged, agitated. “Noah took off with her in the middle of the wedding. Her station has been calling Stephen’s office because she’s not answering her phone, and Noah’s is still turned off.”
“Shit,” Owen groaned, stepping out of Jeremy’s arms. “That can’t be good.”
Brady sighed. “It’s my fault. I should have made them all promise to behave themselves at the reception. Noah is just the latest news. Last night, Wyatt got caught in the pantry with the caterer’s assistant—his daughter no less. Rory apparently frenched one of his buddies in front of Elder—”
“Wait.” Owen held up his hand. “Rory kissed David? In front of your father?”
“How did you know his name?” Brady ran a hand through his hair. “And yeah. I’m not sure how you missed it. Sol tried to leave without talking to anyone and had some harsh words for Rory when he tried to stop him. The mistletoe was right there so I guess he decided his cousin’s wedding was a great place to prove a point. With his tongue. It went downhill from there.”
“I must have missed that too.” Seamus shook his head. “All I remember is following the kids around all night and falling asleep with my shoes on. Ah, to be young.” He paused. “Solomon didn’t do anything crazy did he?”
Brady chuckled. “I wish. He’s already gone too. Merry damn Christmas.”
“Well hell. Let’s go before we lose anyone else,” Seamus said, already moving toward the living room. “Wes and Little Sean aren’t good at restraint. Let’s at least watch them open their presents before we all scatter to the wind again.”
They were horrible at restraint, Seamus thought as he stared at the carnage of torn wrapping paper and ravaged bows littering the floor around them. The couches were back, he thought gratefully as he sunk into one beside Brady’s boyfriend Ken. “Those are their presents right?” Seamus tried to smile. “No one else is missing anything?”
Ken laughed and patted his leg. “Your mother took matters into her own hands after Solomon and James went after Noah. She was the one passing out the gifts.”
He’d been planning to take pictures of the whole family together. Damn. “Good.” He glanced down at little Sean and grinned despite his mood. The child’s excitement was infectious. “What did Santa bring you, Sean?”
“Uncle Necky! Candy!”
Oh joy. Seamus raised his eyebrow at Ken Tanaka. “Nice. Santa doesn’t care about future dental bills, I’m guessing.”
“Dad?” Jake’s voice sounded surprised so he looked up.