Page 72 of Single Mom's Christmas Wish

Another officer comes out from behind the house with a piece of circuitry in his hand. “I can answer that question,” he says. “It may be old school, but it’s still effective. He went straight for the electrical circuit. Your security system runs on a separate line from the rest of the house. He cut a few wires in the control panel and pulled this out.”

“Oh, wow,” I mumble, dread tightening its grip on my throat.

“Was he looking for something?” the second policeman asks Archer.

“We’re not sure yet,” Archer says.

“Is there anything in the house the guy might’ve come for, specifically?”

Archer gives him a cold grin. “Officer Reyes, I assure you, we’re clean, law-abiding citizens with reputable businesses and a good standing relationship with the IRS. Of course, we do have items in the house that could’ve been stolen, but my brothers just confirmed that the vaults weren’t touched.”

“What exactly is in the vaults?” the cop asks, eyeing Archer suspiciously. He’s starting to get on my nerves, but I keep my mouth shut and listen, fully aware that Archer is more than capable of handling this situation.

“We keep our registered weapons in one of the vaults. Three semi-automatic pistols and their respective ammunition, to be specific, along with a vintage Colt revolver we got as a parting gift from our platoon boys in the Marines,” Archer says. “The other vault is for cash and jewelry; all of it is still there, along with the appropriate paperwork. My brothers will happily show you if you’d like.”

“I’m not looking to cause any issues,” the policeman says. “I’m just trying to cross the T’s and dot the I’s here.”

“Which is appreciated. But at first glance, nothing appears to have been taken,” Archer says. “Seems to me like we got home a little earlier than the guy had anticipated. Took him by surprise. He had no choice but to flee before he was able to get whatever it was that he came for.”

Once the cops are gone and the street is once again quiet, Maddox goes on another perimeter check while Reed and Archer get the security company techs over to fix the control panel. They pay hefty monthly fees for this alarm system, so the repair and replacement are free of charge. The guy also offers to give them a complimentary upgrade for a new security system, which will be available and installed in January.

We decide to leave Maisie and Trevor at Chelsea’s for the night if only to make sure that it’s safe, while the four of us ensure all of the doors and windows are locked before we retreat upstairs. A hot shower later, we lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and pondering what we could order for a late-night snack.

“I could go for some Italian,” I suggest.

Reed draws an invisible circle around my nipple as I lie beside him while Maddox tenderly rubs my feet and calves with eucalyptus oil. They love to pamper me, particularly in times of heightened stress, and tonight’s events certainly qualify.

“Italian sounds good,” Reed mutters, his gaze scanning my face. “Anything in particular?”

“Do not say pizza,” Archer chuckles as he moves to the edge of the bed and gets on his food delivery app to place an order. “Please say real Italian food.”

“Pizza is Italian,” I reply with a giggle. “But no, I wasn’t thinking pizza. Definitely a pasta dish. Cheesy. But with a little bit of meat in it, too.”

“Presto’s makes a fantastic carbonara,” Archer replies. “The traditional style, four ingredients only. And the servings are generous.”

Reed nods in agreement. “Yeah, I’m down with that. See if they have some of that fancy tiramisu of theirs,” he adds, then smiles at me. “You’re going to love it.”

“Oh, I’m already looking forward to it.”

I’m exceptionally hungry, and not because I haven’t eaten today. This secret baby of mine is growing more and more demanding. It’s only a matter of time before the guys notice, and I’ll need to prepare myself for that conversation.

After the wedding.

After the holidays.

Once we’re all settled and at ease with everything. I know Maisie will be happy about getting a little brother or sister. I’m just not sure how the guys are going to react.

“We’re almost ready for the wedding ceremony, by the way,” Archer says once he’s done with the food order. “I booked Saint John’s Chapel over on 8th Street. It’s beautiful and private, and they’ve got a couple of rooms available for the bride and her maids to get ready in. There’s a huge garden at the back for photo ops. And just a couple of blocks down the road, we’ve got Astoria Hills.”

“Ooh, the Michelin Star place,” I reply, feeling my eyes sparkle with excitement. “I’ve never been. I hear it’s ridiculously fancy.”

“You bet. Molecular gastronomy and stuff,” Reed chuckles softly.

“We’ll have the wedding reception there. Well, wedding dinner. Not really a party,” Archer replies, prompting a dry laugh out of Maddox.

“You sound almost disappointed.”

Archer shrugs. “I guess I would’ve liked a bigger wedding.”

---