Page 18 of Under the Mistletoe

He was right. It was really something. There were flowers on every table and twinkling lights strung from wall to wall. And the tables were overloaded with food. There was an enormous turkey, a honey ham and a country ham, endless casseroles, and countless pies. They had every dish you could imagine and then some.

Dad and I stood in the doorway and watched as Mom walked over and added her dishes to the table. She glanced over at us as she placed her asparagus in the center of the vegetables. Dad smiled, and as soon as she looked away, he leaned over to me and whispered, “You know we’re still gonna have to toss it, right?”

“Absolutely.”

“That’s my boy.” He lingered for a moment, then sighed, “About the Beck thing...”

“It’s fine. I get it.”

“Not sure that you do.” He gave me one of his looks. “Big isn’t one to ask favors, but he asked me to keep the thing with Beck between us. I owed it to him to keep it under wraps.”

“I would’ve done the same.”

He gave me a nod, and it wasn’t long before the guys started to gather around the table. Dad gave me a nudge and said, “You better grab a plate before all the good stuff gets gone.”

“I will in a minute.”

I watched as he walked over and stood next to Mom, and they both took their place in line. The room became filled with a mix of laughter, clinking glasses, and stories being told for the hundredth time. I’d heard them all before, so I stayed put and waited for the line to die down. I took a quick glance around the room, and my chest tightened when I spotted Beck in the back corner.

She was talking with Lauren, Mia, and London, and her head was thrown back, laughing at something one of them had said. For a second, it was like nothing had changed—like it hadn’t been seven damn years since she’d stepped foot in here. I felt a knot form in my throat, tight and unyielding.

I’d told myself I wouldn’t let this whole thing get to me but seeing her like that—her guard down and her eyes so bright—hit harder than I expected. I couldn’t seem to tear my eyes away from her or Ava. She was perched on the edge of her mother’s chair, soaking in everything the girls were saying. She had her mother’s spark, and seeing her smiling and hanging onto their every word made something twist in my chest.

Beck leaned in and whispered something that made the other women burst into laughter. They were all still giggling when she caught me watching her from across the room. She held my gaze, and for a beat, everything else faded. There was a questioning look in her eye, maybe even a little wary—but then she smiled.It was small, but it was enough to make the knot in my throat tighten even more.

I took a long swig of my beer, trying to swallow the emotion building inside me. Seven years was a long time, but for a moment, it felt like no time at all. It felt like something I’d been waiting for, and now, it was finally here.

I was lost in my world of thoughts until I felt a pat on my shoulder, and Rooster said, “You better get to it, brother. The good stuff is about gone.”

“On it.”

I headed over and made myself a plate, then made my way over to the table and sat down next to Dad and Stitch. I took a bite of mashed potatoes, and they were incredible. That’s all it took for me to dive in. I finished my plate and went back for another. I filled my plate high before heading back to the table.

Once I finished it off, I leaned back in my chair and let out a satisfied sigh. I couldn’t remember when I’d been so full, but I wasn’t quite done. I still needed to decide on a dessert. I was trying to decide between Cass’s pecan pie and Wren’s banana pudding when I noticed that Beck was no longer in the room. She had been sitting a few chairs down from me, and Ava was tucked in right beside her.

But now, Ava was coloring over at the kids table, and there was no sign of Beck. I glanced around the room, making sure I hadn’t missed her, but she was nowhere in sight.

I gave it a minute, then leaned over to Dad and asked, “You seen Beck?”

“She was here a minute ago.”

“Yeah, I know. Just wondering if something’s up.”

“Probably nothing.”

I nodded, then took another glance around the room, searching for any sign of her. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, so I eased my chair back and made myway out of the dining area. I started down the hall, and it wasn’t long before I spotted her leaning against the wall with her arms crossed tightly over her chest and her head bent low. Her shoulders shook, and I realized she was crying.

“Hey?” I whispered softly, not wanting to startle her. “You okay?”

She flinched anyway, quickly wiping at her cheeks and turning toward me. “Oh, hey. I didn’t hear you coming.”

“I didn’t figure you did.” I stepped closer, keeping my voice low. “Something wrong?”

“No, everything’s great,” she said quickly, but her red-rimmed eyes told a different story. “I just needed a minute.”

I didn’t respond.

I just gave her a look, letting her know that I wasn’t buying that nothing was wrong. After a few seconds, she let out a long sigh and admitted, “It’s just a lot. I thought things would be different... I thought everyone would treat me like an outsider or like I was just a joke and wasn’t wanted, but it hasn’t been that way at all. Everyone’s been wonderful.”

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