Page 10 of A Very Montgomery Christmas

“Of course we’re here. It’s Montgomery dinner. I’m here for the cheese,” Kincaid said and nodded.

“Hey, long time no see,” Ronin said, and I rolled my eyes. He worked with Marcus, and the two were busy as hell, despite the fact that they were closed for part of the holidays. However, that meant they had to do all the backup work they couldn’t get to when the library’s hours were open.

“Oh, I have something for you,” I told Kincaid, as the other man tilted his head and studied me. “Really?”

“Yeah, just a thank you gift for help with my latest pieces.”

“I don’t mind.”

“You didn’t have to do anything for me.”

I shook my head. “Yeah, I did. You’re a world-renowned photographer, and you’ve worked your ass off. And you spent a whole day working with me taking photos of my pieces for my next show, so you did not have to do that.”

“But as I said, I didn’t mind. It was fun. Something different.”

I shrugged. “Now look at us, all so talented, and working on what we love.”

“I don’t remember what it feels like to put a cello in front of me. I can’t reach it,” Bristol complained, patting her belly. “Come on, baby. I want to meet you. Get out, get out, get out, get out.”

I snorted, but I didn’t say anything. It felt like Bristol had been pregnant for a year, but soon there would be a new bundle of joy, promptly screaming and vomiting and keeping everyone up at night. Honestly, I couldn’t wait.

“I can’t wait to see you as a mom,” I said, echoing my own thoughts.

“I don’t know if you’re making fun of me or being sweet? I can’t tell sarcasm anymore. I think it’s part of the whole pregnancy brain.”

“I wasn’t sarcastic. You’re going to be a great mom. You’re already great at pretty much everything that you do.”

“Aww,” Zia said, as she wrapped her arm around Bristol’s shoulders. “Look at your brother being so cute. What does he want?” she asked.

“I don’t know, but it can’t be anything good,” Bristol said, narrowing her eyes.

“It’s like you guys don’t trust me.”

“We’re here,” Ethan called from the front door, and I heard the voices of a few others arriving. Everyone began the exodus toward the new arrivals. Marcus hefted up his wife, and I did my best not to smirk, knowing that I would get beaten if I used the word hefted out loud. And probably deserve it.

“So are we,” Liam said. We all met up in the living room, the noise getting louder as Jasper and Lake started dancing in the middle of the room.

“Kingston is so cute! I love my cousin so much.” Lake leaned down to see the baby and started talking about what she had for Christmas and saying hello to everybody. She ran into my side, wrapping her arms around my waist. “Hi, Uncle Aaron. I love you.”

I swallowed hard, the emotion getting to me. “I love you too, Lake.”

It felt like we had had her in our lives for years rather than only the single year.

She had been a Montgomery for even less than that, and she had taken to us far quicker than I had thought possible. But that’s what happened when you had the Montgomerys, Arden’s family, and so many of us around making sure she knew she was loved and would always be with us.

Madison leaned into me and sighed. “I think I’m going to be sick,” she mumbled, and my mother’s eyes narrowed.

“Madison?

“I’m sorry I’ve got to go.” She turned on her heel and ran, and I followed her.

“Be right back,” I said, and closed the bathroom door behind us.

“Stop it. I don’t need you to be here. You don’t need to witness this.”

“I love you, I’m here to hold your hair back.” She went down to her knees and promptly threw up everything that she’d eaten that day, though it hadn’t been much. She had already thrown up a few times that day.

“Damn it, I don’t want to go back to the hospital,” she whispered, as I ran a cool cloth over her face.

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