Page 52 of Surrender

I settle my palm over Charlotte’s back. “No.”

Juniper comes around the corner from the kitchen with a small plate of sweets. She directs her attention to Bree, who stands between Cortney and Juniper.

“Are we on for this week?” Juniper asks.

I curl my finger around Charlotte’s fist.

“I talked to Whitney this morning. She said Wednesday would be best.”

My ears perk up.

“Works for me,” Cortney says. “I don’t have to be at the Sanctuary for vet checks until Thursday afternoon, so I can nurse my hangover all morning.”

“Am I invited to this little get-together?” Sebastian leans around Cortney to ask, a thread of irritation in his tone. The man is jealous about my sister going out with her sisters-in-law?

“You got a problem with her going without you?” I answer his question with one of my own. That protectiveness flares to life.

He scoffs and wraps his arm tighter around Cortney’s waist. “Of course not. Ever think I’d just like a night out with my girlfriend too?” He says it as if he doesn’t believe I know how to think at all.

“No boys allowed,” Bree interjects with a sweet smile. “Corjan is inviting all of you to somewhere else far away.” She waves her hand dismissively.

Cortney kisses the pout from Sebastian’s downturned mouth.

I bite back a sneer.

“All of us? Who’s going to watch your kids?” My shoulders stiffen at the realization I lumped Whitney, Lucy, and Bennett into my question since Bree is the only one with a child not old enough to watch itself.

Bree settles in Corjan’s lap. “I have a babysitter coming to the house.”

I pretend to be intrigued by a dark little tuft of hair on the side of Charlotte’s head.

“What time?” Juniper asks.

“What time for what?” Mom rounds the corner with a cup of coffee in her hand, the steam rising in white curls in front of her face.

“We’re getting drinks on Wednesday. Want to come?” Juniper turns to Mom with a bright smile. Despite being Lee’s girlfriend, Mom nearly wanted to adopt Juniper into the family the same way she took in the rest of us. The two have a close bond.

Mom waves her hand. “Bah. You girls couldn’t keep up with me.” She winks. “I thought maybe you were discussing the family Christmas party. It’s on the nineteenth, you know.”

“At The Rocks at eleven, yeah, yeah, we know,” Aiden pipes in. The room falls deadly silent for a moment before the girls burst into laughter.

“What?” Pink stains his cheeks despite the cheeky grin on his face.

Mom huffs. “For you, the time is eleven, yes.” She sips her coffee and speaks into the cup, shifting her eyes from side to side. “For the rest of us, it’s noon.”

I snort, startling Charlotte. A few gentle pats on her back calms her back to sleep.

“What for?” Aiden steals a cookie from Juniper’s plate, earning a scowl.

“You can’t seem to arrive on time. To anything,” Cortney points out.

Aiden crosses his arms and leans against the doorjamb. “So you lie to me?” He crosses both palms over his heart. “My own family? I’m shocked. Hurt, even.”

“I know what I’m getting you for Christmas.” Mom smiles up at him. “A watch.”

“I already have a cell phone to check the time.”

Mom leans forward slightly. “Then use it.”

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