Page 118 of Christmas with the Elkin Billionaires

“Rachel? Are you out driving?”

The smallestthudcame from the backseat—Scott’s elk hitting the back of the seat. His scream was instantaneous as it fell out of his reach.

“What’s wrong with Scott?”

“Yes, I’m driving. His elk just fell on the floor. I can’t talk right now,” she shouted above the noise. “We’re fine. I’ll be in touch soon.”

“Rachel, we need to discuss this vacation you’ve taken.” Her mother didn’t notice that she’d said anything at all. “It’s not right of you to keep Scott from his grandparents during the holidays. We need family pictures. Iwantfamily pictures,” she amended. “It’s important for me to spend time with you, and—”

“I can’t talk right now,” Rachel cut in. “I’m hanging up the phone. Please don’t call back.”

“I’ll call back, sure,” her mother said. “It must be patchy service. I’ll hang up and then—”

“No,” Rachel shouted. “Donotcall again.”

“There’s no need to shout,” her mother scolded. “I’m only trying to talk to you about—”

“I can’t talk right now. I’m driving, and it’s dark, and whatever you want—”

“It’s not about anything that I want,” her mother continued, going on and on.

Rachel was on the verge of screaming herself. What did she have to do to get her mother to stop? A moment’s peace, that’s all she needed. Scott’s wails got louder. The stuffed elk wasn’t in reach this time, and Rachel felt a certain panic at her core. The snow fell thicker, whipping up and across the windshield, and it was getting harder to see.

“I’m hanging up, Mother.” She reached down, keeping her eyes glued to the road, and hit a switch on the phone, cutting her mother off in the middle of whatever it was she was going to say. Rachel waved a hand in the air, trying to get Scott to pay attention to her. Now was not the time to lose her mind.

“Row, row, row your boat,” she sang, trying to distract him. What she needed was a side road to turn off on so she could pick up his toys. They were approaching an intersection, and Rachel sent up a quick wish for the light to stay green.

It turned yellow.

Rachel tapped the brakes to stop, watching as an oncoming vehicle slid into the intersection. She pumped her brakes harder, fear lodging in her throat as her vehicle didn’t respond, the tires slipping instead of gripping the road.

It all played out as if in slow motion, the car heading straight toward them, headlights glaring. Rachel turned the wheel sharply, trying to avoid a collision.

The screech of metal and the force of the impact seemed to take forever. Rachel’s head went to the side, and she gripped the wheel tightly like she could stop all of this through willpower.

Scott stopped screaming. It was eerily silent in the car as it spun around several times. And then her car slammed into something hard and unyielding. She let out the breath she’d been holding, immediately turning to check on Scott.

He appeared okay—mostly terrified.

But they’d survived.

15

JONAS

There was no way Jonas could live with the waiting. Not anymore. He finished up the last of the roasted sweet potatoes on his plate, wishing he could have enjoyed it, and wiped his mouth with his napkin. His brothers watched him, a habit that was becoming more than slightly irritating. “Are you two done?”

The server came to clear away their dishes, and the three of them stood to leave. Jonas had decided it was past time to tell his grandmother the truth. Waiting like this was going to give him an ulcer. He couldn’t afford the stress and all the mistakes that came along with it. Letting Rachel and his son leave, the biggest one yet.

Outside the restaurant, the three brothers paused. “I’m headed home,” Chase said. After a whirlwind relationship of his own, he currently lived in his private residence with Tana and Lindsey. “I’ll see you guys.”

Jonas headed up in the private elevator and hesitated outside his grandmother’s door. Doubts reared up, larger than life. What he needed was a medical opinion. He went down the hall to a secluded alcove to make the call.

Their grandmother’s doctor was a man from town who had overseen her care for over fifty years. He was part of a team of specialists now, people coming together to help manage her cancer—and later, her pain.

Ten minutes later, Jonas was glad he called. The doctor’s confirmation it would be okay was the boost he needed to face his grandmother. He headed back down the hall, mentally preparing to face her.

His phone rang before he’d gotten halfway there, and he answered without looking at the screen. More than likely, the doctor with more to say. “Jonas Elkin.”

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