Page 5 of The Art of Being Merry
An hour later, the boys and I are off to Willa and Beckett’s house. I chortle every time I drive onto their road—Reindeer Road. It’s so fitting for this town, even more so for Beckett. As for Willa, well, she’s growing into it the longer she lives here.
I love this for her. The life she’s building with Beckett in this Christmas-loving town. She deserves everything and more Beckett does and gives her. She’s finally at peace, and I couldn’t be happier for her.
“Oh, cool. Dax is here. He owes me five bucks.”
Atlas’s comment drags me from my head. “What do you mean he owes you five bucks?” My swindler is going to make his mama rich one day. Long as it’s all legal, I probably won’t even ask questions.
“‘Member when he bet me I couldn’t spell Rudolph?”
“No. I must have missed that.” A bet Dax probably thought he’d win, but not with my guy.
I park in the driveway next to Dax’s familiar truck. Seeing it makes my heart flutter, but it’s nothing compared to when I catch sight of him through the window inside. He’s got his niece Isla in his arms, pretending she’s a plane. Her smile is huge, and I bet she’s laughing.
He’s so the non-quintessential bachelor around the kids.
I hate how my heart squeezes. He’s not even a dad but loves his two nieces with his whole heart. Hell, I’ve even seen the way he is with Jace and Atlas. So different from Keith.
Ugh. At the thought of my soon-to-be ex-husband, I groan. More than I hate that he’s such an asshole, I hate how the father I thought I chose for my kids isn’t the man I assumed he was.
As if the signs weren’t there. . .
I dismiss the thought. If I wallow in the past, I’ll go down a dark road, one I’m not allowed to traverse. Not as a woman, and certainly not as a mom.
“Let’s go inside.” At Atlas’s suggestion, we do that.
As we walk toward the front door, Dax’s gaze snags mine. His smirky smile is almost as brilliant as the lights on Main Street.
Why couldn’t Beckett’s brother be an ugly troll?
Better yet, why couldn’t he have only sisters? Much as I’m becoming friends with Heidi and Autumn, they certainly don’t set my lady bits aflame.
I’ve barely gotten rid of one headache of a man in my life. I don’t need another. No matter how attractive he is—a combination between Zach Braff and James Roday Rodriguez—nor how sexy everything about him is.
Nope, after Keith, I’ve sworn off all men.
Once inside, my kids run off. They’ve been here enough to feel as comfortable as if it were our house.
Dax greets me with that wicked grin. “Clementine, glad you made it.”
Damn this man.
Even my own rules are meant to be broken, right?
2
dax
Clementine grunts,but her body language gives away how affected she is. Her cheeks flush red from the cold outside or another reason. Rosy cheeks seem to be synonymous with her. I should know. I’ve seen them enough.
The woman’s had me in a chokehold since the moment I laid eyes on her last Christmas. It’s only gotten worse since she’s spent more time with our family, especially at the wedding festivities for Beck and Willa, her move here this past summer, and gone to battle with her shitty ex. I know more about her life than I ever wanted to know. Loose lips and all when she’s drinking. She’s told me secrets I’ll take to the grave, things I’m sure she doesn’t want me knowing, skeletons she’d never admit if she were sober.
Get a little alcohol in her, and she’s worse than a cracked dam.
I don’t mind even a little I’m always on the receiving end of her diatribes. As long as they’re not aimed in my direction, I’m good.
“Didn’t know you’d be here,” Clementine finally responds, slipping off her gloves—err, my gloves—and coat. Her straight red hair is pulled away from her face in a ponytail, her freckles less noticeable in the winter. Poor woman always looks like she could use an extra hour of sleep, but today her emerald eyes are alive with color. I’ve yet to see her in the full face of makeup she wore for the wedding, but even without it, she’s radiant.
“You didn’t think I’d be at a Nicholas family dinner?” I retort, aiming to get a rise out of her. “Did you think I got myself kicked out of the family?”
