Page 59 of Coast

Chapter Seventeen

Coast

“Tracker! Get up! Hecame! He came!” Paxton yelled.

I smiled before I even opened my eyes. And Mac shifted beside me, then buried her head back in her pillow and groaned.

“Oh my God, I feel like I just fell asleep. What time is it?”

I glanced over at the clock, then raised my hand to my face and swiped down. It was going to be a long day. “It’s five-forty.”

I laid there and wondered how long it would be before there was a knock at the bedroom door. I opened my mouth to suggest we better get some clothes on when Mac literally jumped out of the bed.

“Get up. I don’t want to miss anything with the boys,” she said. After she grabbed some clothes, she darted into the bathroom. I shook my head, threw back the covers, and sat up on the side of the bed. I heard the shower running in the bathroom, and I reached for my cell and texted my dad to let him know everyone was up. He texted back and I grinned. He was bringing Mac’s surprise with him. When I sat the phone back down, the anticipated rap on the bedroom door had me rising.

“Hold on a sec,” I yelled and walked to the chair and grabbed my jeans. A woman in the house definitely changed things because before when I’d strip for bed, the clothes would be in a pile on the floor.

Once my jeans were on, I walked to the door and pulled it open to find Tracker and Paxton both in the hall, standing side by side.

“What’s got you up so early?” I asked, feigning as if I’d forgotten what day it was. The wide-eyed expression on Paxton’s face almost made me laugh.

“It’s Christmas,” he answered, and the way he said it reminded me of Mac and her excitement from the night before.

“Yes, it is!” Mac said as she came out of the bathroom dressed and toweling her hair. She had to have broken the world record on shower time. She tossed the towel in the hamper, which was another new item our bedroom had and brushed her hair with her fingers.

“Santa came like you said he would, Mac. I didn’t think he would, but he did. I didn’t touch anything because there’s a lot, and I didn’t know if it was mine,” Paxton said, barely able to contain himself as he rocked on his heels.

At Paxton’sa lot, I looked at Mac and lifted a brow. A lot was an understatement. For the last month and a half, every time she came home from work, she had a bag that she’d stash in our closet.

Mac waved me off and walked to Paxton and knelt in front of him. “Santa doesn’t make mistakes often, so whatever is under the tree is for you and Tracker.”

Tracker snorted, and I nudged him. He didn’t believe in Santa, which was normal for a twelve-year-old, but not for a five-year-old as he had been when his mother told him there wasn’t a Santa Claus. All because Tracker had cried when he hadn’t gotten anything. I’d never hit a woman, but if that drugged up bitch was still alive, I’d make an exception for her.

“Mommy said I was naughty, and that’s why Santa never brought me anything,” Pax said, and I gritted my teeth.

“Mom lied, Pax. One of the elves probably forgot to add your name to Santa’s list,” Tracker said.

I placed my hand on Tracker’s shoulder and squeezed. One of the first things Mac and I noticed when the boys started living with us, was how Tracker always looked out for Pax.

“Do you think so?” Pax looked at me and asked with hopeful eyes. Eyes that had probably seen way too much for their seven years.

“I’m with your brother. Those elves are so busy I bet they lose a lot of names. ‘Cause you are far from naughty, Pax.”

“Well, I say we forget about the elves past mistakes and go down and check out what Santa brought this year,” Mac stood and said. “What do you think, Paxton?”

“Yes!” he yelled and jumped up and down.

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