Page 28 of The CEO's Christmas Wife

“You’re a girl after my own heart,” Frances declared as she stood with the gift that she had created for the First Lady of their church.

“Why’s that?” I asked, holding my ornament up in the air to inspect it.

“You absolutely are in love with this season. You’re happy and full of the joy of Christmas and all that the season brings.”

“Why not? It’s the most beautiful time of the year. Stockings are hung over the chimney, the tree is decorated with brilliant colors and magnificent lights, the town is full of people doing good for one another and being nice to each other, and it’s the time of the year that we celebrate the birth of our Savior.”

“Ain’t that the God’s honest truth,” Frances stated and chuckled.

“Mama, you know that nobody knows when He was truly born. This is just a manmade holiday that people picked to celebrate,” Myra quipped, blowing into the room with a tin of cookies.

“Girl, hush that. Don’t come in here ruining our good mood,” Frances chided.

“Yeah, okay. Anyway, Mrs. Oakley sent me over with these cookies. She told me to make sure that I share them with y’all,” Myra announced, setting the tin of cookies in the middle of the table.

Frances glanced at her daughter, placed her hands on her hips, and twisted her lips. “Now, chile, you know good and doggone well not to bring that mess up in this house.”

I looked up at the two women in confusion.

Myra laughed. “Mm-hmm. Where’s all that goodwill and kindness you were talking about now, Mama?”

Frances rolled her eyes, made a huffing noise, and headed out of the room.

I smiled at Myra. “What’s that about?”

She giggled. “Nothing more than Mrs. Oakley, who happens to be very married, has a crush on my daddy. She’s always sending stuff over for them to try, with a little extra for daddy.”

“Is your father aware?”

“Girl, yeah,” she replied, waving her hand dismissively. “My daddy ain’t paying that woman no attention, but that doesn’t stop Mama from acting a fool every time Mrs. Oakley’s name is even mentioned.”

“Does Mr. Oakley know about it?”

“I doubt it. That man head be so deep in that television watching sports, the house could be on fire and he wouldn’t notice.”

“That’s sad. I never . . .”

“You never what?”

“I never want Kayn and I to become like that.”

I almost said that I never wanted to be in a relationship like that if I ever married, but I caught myself just in time.

“Girl, please. I doubt that you and Kayn could ever become that. Looking at you two, anyone can tell that you’re deeply in love. I want what you two have someday. I never thought the day would come that I would see my big cousin in love, but it’s a good look on him, and I’m happy for you both.”

I smiled tightly, and the feeling of deception churned in my gut. “Thank you, Myra.”

“What’re you two in here gossiping about?” Kayn asked, walking into the room.

“How happy you and Kandi are, and how you will never become Mr. and Mrs. Oakley,” Myra pronounced.

I could tell by the way that Kayn’s face scrunched up and how he shook his head that he knew all about the Oakleys’ problems, despite how long he had been gone.

“How long have they been having those issues?” I asked.

“No sooner than they said ‘I do.’ I’m not even sure why they married, to be honest, because let Daddy tell it, she’s been crushing on him since they were in high school,” Myra explained.

“All right, everyone. It’s time for a movie marathon,” Uncle JR declared, walking into the room.

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