Page 64 of Found By You

“Parker James,” Julie shouts. “Did you take another cookie?”

Her grandson giggles and races off to the other room. And the night takes off from there. Duke stays by my side the whole evening. Whether it’s a hand on my back, around my waist, on my thigh, or simply holding my hand in his—he’s there.

And I’m drinking in every last second of his affection.

After dinner and cookie decorating, we take a seat in the living room, relaxing by the fireplace where all the stockings are hung. Multiple conversations go on around me, but all I seem to be able to focus on is the tiny red stocking pinned to Duke’s with my name on it.

My stomach flutters.

“Maci?” Duke says, giving my thigh a rub.

“Yeah?”

“Lily asked when you’re due.”

“Oh, June thirtieth,” I reply, sipping my mug of hot chocolate.

“Another June baby,” Grandma Judy huffs, her tone rather cold.

“Aren’t you due July eighteenth, Cassidy?” Lily asks.

“Yep.” Cassidy smiles. “You never know, though. If Maci goes late, or I go early, we could be having them even closer together.”

I scrunch my nose. “Hopefully not too late.”

“I was early with all the boys,” Julie chimes in. “You’ll go early, Cassie-dear, trust me. These Montgomery boys grow fast and come out big.”

Cassidy cringes while Butch grins far too wide at that news.

“The average birth weight of a child is generally somewhere between the size of the mother and father when they were born,” Grandma Judy states matter-of-factly. “How large of a man is the father of your bastard, Maci?”

“Mother,” Julie gasps, offended on my behalf.

The room falls deathly silent as all eyes turn to me.

I sink into the couch beside Duke, wanting nothing more than to crawl into a hole.

Duke’s grip on my thigh tightens, but before he can say anything in my defense, his brother speaks first. “Keep your remarks to yourself, Gran,” Butch threatens. “This ain’t the fuckin’ 1920s anymore.”

Grandma Judy scoffs, crossing her arms, and sticking up her nose.

“Watch your tongue, boy,” Grandpa William barks. “Bad enough you’ve knocked up your poor fiancée before you can make an honest woman out of her.”

Butch’s jaw locks tight, and if this were a cartoon, there’d be steam flying out of his ears.

Levi claps with a balk of laughter. “Rhett, get the popcorn!”

Rhett barrels into the living room with Parker on his shoulders. “Who’s fighting this year? Should I get the mat?”

Uncle Jim swigs his whiskey with a laugh. “You two crotchety old fucks better watch out, these Montgomery boys will toss y’all out in the snow.”

Clayton chuckles, but Julie glares at him, shutting him right up.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to stop Judy or William from continuing to comment on Butch and Cassidy’s relationship, then Lily for having a child out of wedlock and moving back home to be supported by her parents.

The holidays, am I right?

Thankfully, my bladder gives me a reason to excuse myself. “Where’s the bathroom?” I whisper to Duke. When he goes to stand, I stop him. “I’m not gonna be sick. I just need to use the bathroom.”

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