Page 77 of Redeeming

“Can somebody tell me why we’re doing this again?” Leo hangs green garland strung with white lights along the porch railing. “Pretty sure this isn’t getting you laid, Uncle.”

He’s not wrong.

There’s no chance of that happening. But I’m not trying to get laid. I’m trying to earn back her trust so I can win back her heart.

“Because it’s what she wanted, and it’s Christmas. Or how about because I’m leaving her alone while I play a game on the other side of the damn country that day, and I’m pretty sure she’s skipping her family’s Christmas, in case I didn’t already feel like a big enough asshole.” I groan and look at the still half-empty roof. Who knew this shit took this long to do?

“Just saying, but I’m pretty sure you not being here is the best present you could give her.”

Fucking Leo.

“Dude. Do you ever hear the shit you spew?” Nix gets the wreath hung on the door, then moves to help Leo with the garland. “Do you have ribbons or something she wants with this?”

“What the hell do you know about ribbons, Nixon?” Killian questions as he unravels the next strand for me.

“More than you three, since Kenzie had me do this shit the day after Thanksgiving. Apparently, ribbons are important. And according to Kenzie, they should be red or gold. And if they’re red, there are only a few acceptable shades.” He has the next string of garland up in half the time it was taking Leo. “My girl gave me a dissertation on the importance of it all as we got this shit set up.”

“Was it worth it?” Killian eggs him on, but Nixon doesn’t give a shit.

“Let’s just say there are a lot of uses for ribbons,” Nix answers, and Kill whistles.

“Okay. I hear ya.” Leo laughs. “Dude, do you have ribbons?”

Fuck. That might have been the only thing Caitlin didn’t buy today. “I don’t think so.”

“Kenzie got hers from that place right off Main Street. You think they’re still open?” Nix straightens the wreath and looks at us all like we should know the answer to that.

Leo holds up his phone. “For another hour.”

“Let’s roll, men.” Killian pulls out his keys.

Two hours, a shit ton of ribbon, lights, and green garland later, and the house looks like something out of one of those Hallmark Christmas movies my mom likes to watch. Minus the bows. We got the ribbons, and they’re tied in something, but I wouldn’t exactly call them bows. Apparently, four athletes who all have to tie skates, or cleats, or wrestling shoes, can’t tie a bow to save our fucking lives. They’re tied but they look like ass. Well-intentioned ass. But ass all the same.

And if I’ve learned anything since this woman moved in, it’s that intention doesn’t matter to her. Action does. Guess we’ll see how this goes.

Caitlin

“And then what?” Adelaide’s sister, Coraline, asks from the other end of the softest couch I’ve ever sat on, a glass of wine in one hand and a chocolate chip cookie in the other— because baking fixes everything.

“And then nothing. I left and came here. I’ve been here since.”

“And then she baked. Where do you think the cookies came from?” Addie answers as she dumps leftover chocolate chips in her warm bowl of popcorn, and Coraline almost spits out her wine.

“Not from you. That’s for sure. These are actually good.” She studies the cookie like it holds the answers to the world’s greatest mysteries in its ingredients, then pops the rest in her mouth. “Your mom owns the bakery in town, right?”

I nod and dip my cookie in my milk—because no wine for me.

Another thing that’s Callen’s fault.

He’s just racking them up now.

Addie tosses popcorn in her mouth, then licks the melted chocolate from her fingertips. “Her family owns everything in town. You’ll get used to it.”

“Do you guys own The Busy Bee? I put in an application there today. They legit have the best strawberry shake I’ve ever had.”

“Right? They really do. And no, well not exactly. My uncle’s wife’s grandfather owns it, but someone else runs it for him now.” I eye Addie’s popcorn and decide I’m craving salt more than sweet right now. Which leads me back to my earlier pinfrom lunch at The Busy Bee. “I need your opinions, ladies. Am I allowed to send Callen out on cravings runs?”

“Why wouldn’t you be?” Coraline asks as she sips her wine, confused, and Addie throws popcorn at her head.

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