Page 61 of Knight

The rest of the evening goes off without a hitch. It’s actually really nice having the help. I’m able to do nothing but relax and enjoy myself. We kick about eight bottles of wine among all of us.

Everyone is feeling good, except for Harley because she has a shift beginning at midnight. She couldn’t drink at all.

Everyone eventually retires to their various rooms. Harley leaves for the hospital. I have no idea if Cassandra and Trevor stay put in their respective rooms. I don’t want to know.

Jackson and I have another amazing night together, eventually falling asleep naked and sated in each other’s arms. It feels almost too perfect. That’s because it is.

CHAPTEREIGHTEEN

JACKSON

Christmas Eve rolls around. My boys are away with their mother at some luxurious beach resort in the Caribbean.

This is the worst time of year to be divorced. I want to spend the holidays with my boys. If we’re both in town, we spend it all together, but some years one of us will take them on vacation. That’s just the way it goes.

Fortunately, I have Darian and her family this year. Darian’s parents drove in today from Washington, DC, and are staying over at her house tonight. Her brother is spending Christmas with his wife’s family, so I won’t get to meet him just yet.

I’m going over to her house for Christmas Eve dinner, and to meet her parents. I’m looking forward to finally meeting them, and excited for the big surprise that I have for her entire family.

To be honest, I’m a little nervous. I haven’t had to meet a girlfriend’s parents in over thirty years, and that time we also told them that we were pregnant and getting married at only nineteen years old. I imagine this will go a bit differently than me getting punched in the face by an angry father and two angry brothers. At least I hope so.

I arrive with a few good bottles of wine in my hands. Darian opens the door with a big smile on her face.

She looks gorgeous in a red wrap-around dress. She runs her arms up my chest and around my neck, and gives me a nice long kiss, as if she hasn’t seen me in a month, as opposed to this morning when she left my house.

Reagan walks by. “Here we go again. You two are ridiculous. Haven’t you had enough of that yet? It’s like living with horny teenagers, except I don’t live with you and you’re not actually teenagers. Yet here I am, constantly having to see it.”

She smiles in jest and then shouts, “Nana, Poppop, come meet Jackson before he and Mom disappear somewhere.”

Darian playfully smacks Reagan’s behind. “I can still ground you. You better watch it, young lady.”

Reagan deadpans. “I literally have been watching it. Every damn time I’m around the two of you.”

Darian laughs, hands Reagan the wine I brought, and grabs my hand to lead me into the main living area.

I see her parents sitting there. “Mom, Dad, this is Jackson Knight. Jackson, these are my parents, Charles and Anne Kaplan.”

I shake her dad’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”

“Please, call me Chuck.”

“Thank you. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Chuck.”

I go to shake her mother’s hand, but she comes in for a hug. “Nice to finally meet you, Jackson. I’ve heard so much about you.” She breaks the hug and turns to Darian, “Though Darian, sweetie, I don’t think you did him any justice as to just how handsome he is.”

I lift my eyebrow at Darian in question. “Don’t add to his already over-inflated ego, Mother. I told you he’sfairlyattractive. Handsome may be a bit of a stretch.” She smiles playfully at me.

I wrap my arm around Darian and squeeze her close. “That’s just because everything and everyone pales in comparison to Darian’s beauty.” I kiss her cheek and smile proudly.

Skylar rolls her eyes. “Oh god. Don’t get them started, Nana. Just wait. We’re going to have to suffer through them making googly eyes at each other all night. They’ll practically be dry humping by dessert.”

Darian scowls at Skylar. “You’re all brats. Every single one of you.”

She motions to the dining room. “Come on, let’s eat so we can get to our Christmas Eve presents. Hopefully, Harley will be here soon. She should be getting off of work right about now.”

We have a nice meal. I learn all about Chuck’s insurance business and golf game. I offer to take him out to play once the warmer weather returns.

Anne is a bit of a golfer too. She also plays tennis and pickleball. I guess the athletic genes run strong in this family, as does beauty. Darian looks a lot like her mom.

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