Page 39 of Secret Santa

ChapterTwenty-Nine

The Christmas holiday flew past in a whirlwind of making up, meeting family, and catching each other up on the goings on of our lives during our time apart. Despite already being gone from the diner for two weeks, her team and Fitzy promised us that the diner was in excellent hands and Priscilla deserved some extended time away. We stayed in Chicago until it was time to fly to Vegas for Beckett and Lane’s wedding.

It was as if Santa had heard my secret wishes. On the flight to Vegas, Harlow and Priscilla sat next to one another, heads tipped toward each other laughing hysterically at whatever they talked about. Seeing them like that tugged at that family heart string I’d been missing for so long.

“Are you sure you’re okay going back to Vegas?” Harris asked Cash for the fifth time since the flight took off.

“Harris, I swear to god.” Cash put his drink back on his tray and rubbed at his temples. “You would try the patience of a kindergarten teacher. I stayed away from Vegas as part of an agreement with my backer. Not because I was addicted to gambling. I have zero issues with being in Las Vegas. Now please for the last time, find something else to harp on.”

“I meant should we be worried that Dino finds out you’re there.”

“Dino only gave a shit that I played in tournaments. Not that I’m physically there. Besides we’re flying in for the wedding and flying back out. I have zero intentions of doing anything other than standing next to my brother while he says ‘I do,’ and enjoying reminiscing with the gorgeous woman who looks at me like I hung the moon. Just like last time…if the do not disturb sign is on the door that means leave me the fuck alone. That includes text messages.”

He waggled his eyebrows at both of us before locking eyes with Harlow and giving her a smoldering look that hadmyinsides fluttering.

* * *

“According to the program we need to be upstairs in the gardens at eight o’clock.”

The pair got married on New Year’s Eve so they could continue the party into the New Year with all of their family. The wedding was large given how last minute it was. I couldn’t believe how many of Beckett’s old teammates joined the celebration.

We were waiting for the ceremony to start. I knew my role. I was supposed to work the room and if an opportunity presented itself to talk about what Charley Villa had done, I should jump at the chance.

“Coach Murray, you sure clean up well.” Priscilla leaned over my shoulder, pulling me in for a kiss.

“I could say the same thing about you, princess.”

The dress she wore was demure but sexy as sin concurrently. The bronze color of the fabric set off the color of her hair so perfectly all I wanted to do was take her back to our room and appreciate the view.

“Ms. King, please know that once we get back to our room, I’m going to bend you over and hang on to that mane of yours for leverage while I appreciate your belated Christmas present.”

My brothers had clued me in to another Murray obsession. High quality lingerie. And seeing Priscilla trussed up like a Christmas present as she put her dress on had me hardening with anticipation.

“Lane looks gorgeous,” Beckett whispered as the doors opened and she began walking toward us. Cash stood to my right, Harris to my left, as we all stood at the altar with Beckett watching Lane come down the aisle. I didn’t have fancy phrases to talk about the style of her lace dress or how perfect she looked with her hair all swept up off her neck, and the shoes she wore that had butterflies on the heels. But from where I stood, Beckett could be a cartoon character with how his eyes bugged out of his head watching her come down the aisle.

“I’ll never forget today,” he told us. “Every time I look at her for the rest of my life, this image will be on never ending repeat in my memories.”

While they exchanged vows, I saw the adoration in Beckett’s eyes, which reflected a similar emotion in Lane’s. Doing a quick check of the room, the heated gaze Cash gave Harlow, reflected directly back at him from her. And when I looked at Priscilla, all blushing sweetness, the only thing I could think of was the day that I stood in a similar position telling my brothers I too would never forget the day or how she looked.

I fell hard for my Secret Santa. Meeting Priscilla made me once again believe in the magic of Christmas. And I wanted to spend every Christmas from that moment forward making magic with her.

Epilogue

10 Months Later

Texas felt even more like home now that I had someone to come home to. We’d bought a sweet little ranch a block from the Square. Even though we’d only been out of Fitzpatrick Place less than six weeks, Fitzy was over at our new house so frequently it was as if we’d never left. Not that either of us were complaining. If it wasn’t for her, we would have never met. And though Presley probably wouldn’t admit it, Fitzy had wormed her way into the softest part of Presley’s heart. He loved her like he did his own mom.

Having an Olympic tier swim coach and his family constantly in the diner did wonders for business. So much so that we moved across the square into the Bourbon City News Building, which was large enough for us to expand to double our size. We’d brought on two new cooks and an army of servers. Having all of them allowed me to focus on the things that I loved, like exploring new recipes and expanding my baking skills. I had a tri-county title I needed to defend. And Presley desperately wanted me to go national. Beckett and Lane kept trying to get me to come to California and use Beckett’s contacts to get me on one of those baking shows. For now, I was perfectly content baking my coconut cakes for the people of Bourbon County. I didn’t need national notoriety when I had a man I came home to every night who looked at me like I was the most sought after baker in the world.

“Come back to bed soon-to-be-Mrs. Murray,” Presley called from beneath the covers. “The bed is cold and lonely without you in it.”

“I thoughtyouwere considering a name change, soon-to-be-Mr. King.” I let him yank me back into the warmth of our bed, snuggling down next to him and ducking when he pulled the covers back over us.

Thanks to a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships, Presley no longer had to prove to anyone that he was the real deal. He earned that place in spades, and the extended contract that came with it. Coach Murray was a force to be reckoned with and I would always be in the front row of the stands cheering on him and the entire team.

“I need to get to the diner.” I giggled, feeling his cock pressing between my legs in search of the place already weeping for him.

“I have it onverygood authority, soon to be wife, that thepractice makes perfectmethod of baby making is definitely the preference among smitten men obsessed with their wives.”

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