Page 42 of The Grump Who Stole Christmas
“Yeah. Boss Lady. Except sometimes…it doesn’t feel like I thought it should. And other times, it’s downright disappointing.”
I nodded thoughtfully. I could see what it took for her to make that admission and I didn’t want to make light of it. But it was Kay-Kay, and she was biting on her lower lip, and it was almost like I could see her overthinking and I couldn’t help it.
“You know what you need to do?”
“What?” she asked, her voice soft. She was looking at me like maybe I really had the answer she needed.
“You should get married and have babies.”
She blinked. “What?”
“Yep. Get barefoot and pregnant.” I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep a straight face. “Start learning how to bake chocolate chip cookies and stuff. You know you’re never going to be fulfilled as a woman, until you do that.”
“I’m going to kill you now.”
“Look, I would help you out, but you know my aversion to all things silk. So you’re going to have to find a nice fella on your own. Someone who can be the man of the house. Someone who wears the pants in the family.”
“You mean someone who can change a flat tire?”
“Exactly!”
“You think you’re funny,” she said, catching on to my sarcasm.
“IknowI’m funny,” I told her. Then I bumped her shoulder with mine. “Seriously, Kay-Kay, take it from someone who was so lost I couldn’t find myself in broad daylight. Don’t lie to yourself about what you want. And don’t apologize for it either.”
“I hate that you just finished that little rant with actual good advice.”
I bent down so our faces were pretty close. “I’m full of good advice. And your eyes are so freaking blue, it’s almost like they can’t be real.”
“Be careful, Paul Bunyan,” she said, her voice growing even softer. “That sounded like a compliment.”
“You want to kiss me now, don’t you?” I teased. “Even though I can’t change a tire.”
“I’m just wondering if you haveanytalents besides cooking and eggnog.”
“Let’s see,” I said, smiling, bending down in absolute anticipation of what she was going to taste like.
“Hey! Is anyone home? Dad? Kris? Paul?”
Like teenagers caught snogging on a couch in the basement, we pulled away from each other and focused on the last of the dishes in the sink.
Ethan walked into the kitchen and I was fairly certain my dick had softened enough for me to turn around and say hello without embarrassing myself.
“Hey, Ethan,” I said. Nothing happening here, I thought.
“Paul,” he said, acknowledging me, before he turned his focus on his sister. “Kris, what the hell is Jasmine arranging? What is supposed to be happening tomorrow?”
“We’re going to pick up our very famous brother from the airport who is home for Christmas.”
Ethan grimaced. “I don’t have time for this, Kris. Okay? I’ve got a town to run. Forget the fact that if I see Matt, I’m most likely going to want to punch him in the face, but I don’t have time for bullshit nonsense.”
“It’s not bullshit nonsense. We need some press coverage if we’re going to save the season, and we need to save the season if we’re going to save the inn. I’m the oldest and I say you’re going to show up tomorrow in your best suit and we’re both going to be thrilled that our baby brother has decided to grace us with his presence for the holidays.”
“Boss Lady,” I muttered. Both Kay-Kay and Ethan glared at me. “What? She’s good at it.”
“Fine. I’ll do it, if you say it’s that important,” Ethan said grudgingly.
“It is.”
