Page 35 of Four Stepbrothers for Christmas

I shook my head, trying to shove those feelings aside. It was supposed to be a time for joy and reconnection. Not to mention, I had the guys waiting for me when I got back, and every time I thought of them, a warm bubble of happiness and anticipation grew inside. Their faces, their voices, the way they made me feel – I clung to those memories like a lifeline.

We reached LaGuardia, and the buzz of the airport immediately washed over us. Pulling my suitcase from the trunk, I cast a sidelong glance at Mikey. He looked smaller somehow, and despite everything, a pang of concern squeezed my heart.

"Have a good flight," I said, my voice steady despite my fear he’d find trouble to get into once out of my sight.

His eyes met mine, searching for something. Maybe forgiveness, maybe understanding. But I wasn’t sure I could give it to him. Not after everything.

“Yeah. See you there, OK?”

“OK.”

He grabbed his single carry-on and headed into the airport, soon vanishing into the crowds. I let out a long sigh the moment he was gone, my mind racing.

His list of wrongs was long. The stealing, the nights he didn't come home only to turn up high or hungover the next morning. And then there was that night – the one that still sent chills down my spine – when I walked into my own home to find his dealer lounging on my couch. That terrifying ordeal led me to invest in a Ring system for my apartment, feeling like a hunted animal in my own den.

I remember thinking, "Is this what family is supposed to be?"

It wasn’t long before I was on the flight, the hum of the airplane a backdrop to the thoughts spinning in my head as I looked out of the window. Flying had always been a moment of suspended reality for me, a time where the world below seemed both distant and fascinating. One moment we were up above New York, the city looking so small, and the next we were on our way down.

As we began our descent into Maine, the canvas below transformed into a breathtaking panorama of winter wonder. Despite the beauty outside, an uneasiness settled in my stomach.

By the time I found my way out of the arrivals gate, amidst the hustle and bustle, I spotted my mom and someone with her who was tall, broad-shouldered, and radiating raw masculinity. I blinked a couple of times to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. He had salt-and-pepper hair that made him look like a real-life George Clooney doppelganger. His deep-set, blue eyes carried stories I bet he’d tell over whiskey and a late-night campfire. There was also a familiarity to him I couldn’t quite place.

I jogged over, my bag bouncing on my shoulder. "Hey Mom!”

“Oh, sweetie!” She hugged me for a few seconds before pulling away and looking to the man next to her.

“So, who’s your friend?” I asked.

Mom's face was beaming like she'd won the love lottery. She gracefully hooked her arm around his, her eyes twinkling. "Darling, meet Salvatore."

He shot me a grin, all charm and casual confidence. "Please, just Sal. Only your mom insists on calling me Salvatore.”

“I just think it sounds sosexy,” she said with a Cheshire cat smile.

I shook my head, trying to wrap my brain around this twist. " You’ve got a boyfriend? And in all our endless phone calls, you decided to leave out this tiny detail?"

"Well, you know," Mom shrugged, a coy smile playing on her lips. "I wanted to make it a surprise."

I playfully nudged her. " Sneaky, Mom." But genuinely, my heart swelled. She’d been through so much; she deserved a second shot at happiness."Okay, this is a pretty epic surprise," I confessed, pulling her into another hug.

When I let her go, Sal extended his hand to me. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Becca,” he said. “It goes without saying, but your mother’s got nothing but good things to say about you.”

I took his hand, and once more I was struck by the insane familiarity I felt at his grasp. Somehow, it was like we’d already shaken hands before.

The two of them looked at each other conspiratorially once introductions were over.

I narrowed my eyes, pointing a playful accusatory finger. "Okay, you two, spill it. What’s going on?"

Mom giggled, a bubbly, infectious sound. She was like a teenager with her first crush. "Oh, just a teeny tiny surprise."

"I swear, if you're going to tell me you're eloping to Vegas, I might faint right here," I teased.

They erupted into laughter, the sound echoing in the vast airport hall. "No, sweetheart, nothing of that sort. Promise!"

"If this is about Mikey… then spoiler alert. Been there, done that on the way here."

Sal let out a hearty laugh, the kind that drew attention and infectious smiles from passersby. "No, no, it's not Mikey. "

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