Page 45 of Inviting Trouble
“Yeah, about that,” Mad started.
“Ah-ah,” Claire said, cutting her off. Because Claire had insisted on being Secret Santa to all of the Happy Endings Book Club members when she’d heard about the family tradition.
Mad grinned. “It’ll be awesome.”
Everyone got their fill of brunch and scattered throughout the great room and the living room nearby to eat. Mad watched Park from across the great room. He was hanging with Ty as usual, acting like everything was normal. If he didn’t step up soon, she knew her frustration level would rise to the point that she’d do something about it. Probably something reckless and regrettable. That was kinda her signature move. She stifled a sigh.
Her dad arrived with Claire’s parents and Viv. Her dad helped Viv off with her coat and boots. Her niece yanked off her red hat with a pompom and tossed it before running to the Christmas tree. Her dark brown hair was in pigtails, messy from the hat, and she still wore her red fleece pajamas with snowflakes. “Santa!” she exclaimed.
Alex scooped her up. “That’s right, pumpkin. Wait for the family. Not all of these gifts are for you.”
Viv struggled mightily to get down. Alex lifted her and blew a raspberry on her belly, making her giggle and distracting her. “Let’s get you breakfast, then presents.” She popped a thumb in her mouth, and he carried her into the dining room.
They returned only five minutes later, Alex trailing after Viv with a piece of toast, urging her to finish.
Everyone watched as Viv jumped up and down in front of the tree, bursting with excitement and doing a very good job of not grabbing any presents. She looked to Alex for direction and when he didn’t move quickly enough, she screamed, “Daddy!”
Mad’s dad appeared at her side and put an arm around her. “Reminds me of you.”
“Charming and adorable?” Mad asked.
“Sure, let’s go with that,” her dad said. She knew she’d been hell on wheels. And so was Viv.
Alex held up a large box and read the tag. “It’s for you.” He set it in front of Viv, who dove right in, ripping the paper off gleefully with both hands.
“Ooh!” she exclaimed. It was a Fisher-Price airplane.
Park approached and knelt next to Viv. “You want me to set it up for you?” It must’ve been from Park, who’d always loved planes.
Mad blinked back the hot sting of tears, ridiculously emotional.Pull it together.
Viv nodded and watched as Park opened the box and took everything out of the packaging for her. Viv immediately grabbed the girl figure and put her in the pilot seat, even though there was a boy pilot figure.
“That’s my girl,” Mad said, coming over to give her niece a high five, who high-fived her back, unaware she’d naturally chosen girl power.
Park glanced at Mad and quickly turned back to Viv. “It needs batteries. I’ll see if I can rustle some up.” He left the room.
Mad stepped away, feeling conspicuous. Alex handed Viv another present, picked up another one, and handed it to Josh. “From your Secret Santa.”
“Oh yeah?” Josh took the present, shaking it and putting his ear up to it.
“You’re going to break it!” Mad exclaimed.
“She gives herself away every time,” Ty barked. Her brothers laughed. They always knew who she was Secret Santa for. Each of them had a way of provoking her into revealing herself. Idiots.
Josh grinned at her and opened it. “Cool. Thanks, Mad. This’ll come in handy.”
“That’s a really nice one,” Hailey put in. “We use it at cooking class sometimes.” Hailey helped local chef Shane O’Hare run holiday cooking classes at Ludbury House, where she worked as a wedding planner.
“I got it on a Black Friday sale,” Mad blurted. “It was just a teensy bit over the twenty-buck limit with tax. Besides, I owe Josh for all he’s done for me.”
Hailey looked to Josh and then to Mad curiously. “What did he do?”
“Put up with her smart mouth for years,” Josh quipped. He shot Mad a look that saiddrop it.
Everyone was looking at her curiously. Mad opened her mouth to explain just a little without giving away too much, knowing Josh didn’t want his twin to step in with the money and especially didn’t want their dad to feel bad that he didn’t have the funds. But before she could get out a single peep, Josh wrapped her in a bear hug that smushed her face into his chest and ruffled her hair. “Thanks.”
Claire clapped. “Time for my gifts!” She went to the back of the tree and came up with a stack of wrapped gifts, each one in the exact shape of a book. Jake carried a large gift bag too.
