Page 7 of A Crossroads Christmas

“Like you’re not worse,” I replied, popping the top on a beer before handing one to him.

“Never said any different,” he quipped as we sank onto my couch, facing the fire that flickered in the hearth.

“True enough.”

Rael sipped on his beer and then ticked his head in my direction. “So, I think Papa should be Santa this year.”

I snorted. “He’s been Santa every year for the last four Christmases.”

The gleam in Rael’s eyes was too gleeful. “He’s solid white, man. Have you seen that beard lately?”

Uh-huh. “Stop stirring shit up.”

He blinked a few times, batting his eyelashes. “Me?”

“Yeah, you. Ain’t any other crazy motherfucker lookin’ to start trouble so his Reaper can fuck around over the holidays.”

“Fuck, Mammoth. Why you always gotta ruin my fun?”

“Somebody has to keep you in line.”

“Nylah does,” he reminded me.

“Sometimes.”

He chuckled. “True.”

We ordered pizzas since the ladies were baking. I remembered plain cheese for Jakey, and we set the kids down at the coffee table in the living room to eat once the pies arrived.

Jakey finished his slices and turned to me, eyes bright with excitement. “Can we have root beer floats and watchHow the Grinch Stole Christmas?”

“Sure, Bud.”

He leaned closer to Gavin and Gage, whispering but not low enough for me to miss his words. “That’s why he’s the best Daddy. Mammoth never says no when I want to have fun.”

Awww.

Rael helped me clean up the trash as the boys got settled. Jakey gathered blankets and pillows and shared them with his friends. The boys remained on the floor for the duration of the movie, which surprised Rael.

“I need to bring them over more often.”

Once Rael, Nylah, and the kids left, I helped prepare Jakey for bed. He immediately fell asleep and missed most of the story as I finished his bedtime read. Rowe fed Jonah and placed him in his crib as we met in the hallway.

“You know, Nylah mentioned that Rael thinks Papa should be Santa.”

“He said the same to me,” I revealed.

“Well, I guess that defeats the purpose of the suit I bought.”

“For me?” I asked, liking where this was going.

“Mhmmm.”

“Do I get to try it on?”

“If you wearonlythe suit,” she whispered. “It’s in our closet. Big red box. You can’t miss it.”

When did she sneak that in?

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