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“Then get it,” I state, echoing Wes’s sentiment. “If you have the chance to make someone’s Christmas wish come true…” my attention falls to the stubborn man I married, “you should definitely take it.”

Chapter 4

Wes

I hate the holidays.

Every year they require moresocializingfor work.

Morein personappearances.

Moresmile for the cameras, show the world what a picture-perfect family we are.

Except we’re not.

This year I’m evenlesscheerful than normal.

I’ve got one daughter pissed off that we didn’t take a limo to the event because it would’ve been more spacious, one daughter pissed off at me for not letting her listen to Trans-Siberian Orchestra through the speakers, and one sonroyallypissed off at me – pun intended – because I won’t evendiscussthe notion of spending Christmas in a different country so he can be see his best friend for the holidays.

Or girlfriend.

Both?

I’m not sure.

He doesn’t exactly talk to me about those things.

He talks to Bryn.

And J.T.

And Clark.

And just about anyone thatisn’tme.

You know I was under the impression our relationship would get easier as he got older.

How could I be so wrong?

“In,” Evie hisses from the opposite side of the ornament craft table where she’s lurking behind my children beside the event photographer. “Leanin,Wes.” Her sparkly red holiday nails curl into claws of frustration. “Leaninlike you love your wife.”

“Like you love to grab my ass,” Bryn mutters under her breath prior to pressing herself tighter against me.

The chortle that escapes is filled with amusement while my sly ass grabbing is all hunger.

We didn’t exactly get tofinishwhat we started earlier.

I had plans for her to sit on my lap and show me why we’re both on the naughty list, not have her attempt to guilt trip me into giving our son,literallythe only thing he’s asked for, for Christmas.

I thought proposingother options during our drive here would go a bit better than it did.

I suggested maybe we get him a new board.

He insisted his mal was fine.

I threw out the idea that we could get him one of those indoor balance boards for training.

He insisted he gets plenty of training in actual water.

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