Page 38 of Four Stepbrothers for Christmas

The men looked impossibly handsome, of course, the four of them slipping out of their coats and gloves to reveal huge, powerful bodies clad in flannel and denim.

Isaac’s gaze was the first to find me. Those deep-set eyes frowned in confusion and disbelief. But before the weight of his stare could completely pin me to the ground, Vinnie’s gasp yanked my attention his way.

His eyes – always so animated and cheeky – were huge saucers. The shock in them was palpable, as if he’d seen a ghost. And speaking of ghostly, the cold feeling of dread that had settled in my stomach didn’t abate when the twins turned my way. They looked so much like Sal in that moment, the resemblance was eerie. Their handsome faces bore identical expressions of surprise, eyebrows raised and mouths slightly open.

The thick silence in the room felt heavy, each second stretching into an eternity. The tension in the air was so thick, I could almost hear my own heartbeat echoing loudly in my ears until Luke broke the silence, a soft chuckle escaping him.

"So, is this our big surprise?" His voice held a hint of amusement, but I could sense an underlying confusion.

Mom, being the ever-bubbly and loving presence she was, burst into a fit of giggles, dispelling some of the tension. She reached for my arm, her grip warm and reassuring. "Surprise indeed!" She laughed, pulling me forward into the group. "Look, Becca – it’s your bosses!”

“They sure are!” I said, my voice higher than usual. “My bosses!”

“What an unexpected surprise, Chef,” Vinnie said, trying to match my tone.

Everyone was trying to process the surreal situation, and I could feel all their eyes on me. My face heated up, I’m sure turning a lovely shade of lobster-red. Being the center of attention, especially under these circumstances, wasn’t my favorite position.

Despite the mind-bending surprise, Vinnie shot me a small, lopsided grin, trying to break the ice. Archer cleared his throat, offering a nod in acknowledgment. Isaac just kept studying me, his gaze intense. And Luke? Well, he still looked faintly amused, a smirk playing on his lips.

The realization hit me then – there was no going back from this moment. My two worlds had just smashed into one another. Nowhere to go but through.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to marshal my thoughts. Something else occurred to me – Mikey wasn’t there. Where he’d gone, I had no idea.

Mom’s words filled the tense air. She could definitely sense that something was amiss, even if her understanding of the situation was only partial.

"Okay, look, when I met Sal and finally put two and two together, realizing he's the father of your bosses, I was concerned at first. I mean, come on! What are the odds?” She glanced around and went on. “Sal and I got to talking and, well, while we agreed this complicated things, it was no reason to put a stop to true love, right?”

“That’s right,” Sal said warmly. Despite the tension in the air, Sal was just as cool and calm as ever. I saw where the brothers got their unflappability from.

It complicated things– those were Mom’s words. She didn’t know the half of it.

Isaac shifted, his posture slightly stiff. "Well, isn't this a wild coincidence?" he said, though the strain in his voice was evident.

But Vinnie, always the one to step in and lighten the mood, moved forward, wrapping an arm around me in a friendly side-hug. "You know what? This is just plain crazy, but it's fun, right?" The warmth of his hug and the confident tone of his voice were soothing. I leaned into the gesture, and a soft chuckle escaped me. “Our favorite employee’s mom is dating our dad. Kind of perfect, really.”

"Seriously, out of all the men in the world, my mom decides to date your dad?" I teased, letting out a genuine laugh. It felt good, relieving some of the tension in my chest.

Not one to be left out, Luke approached and held out his arms, pulling me into a warm embrace. "Well, I guess our families were just destined to be intertwined," he whispered, his breath tickling my ear. He then released me, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. That simple gesture spoke volumes. It was his way of saying, 'We'll get through this.'

I hugged Isaac next, feeling the rigidity in his frame. His embrace was brief but comforting in its own way. And Archer pulled me close. His hug was tight, as if trying to convey all his emotions without words.

Pulling away, I looked at each one of them. "I know this is a lot to process. Hell, it's a lot for me too!" I admitted with a laugh, my gaze flitting to each face. "But let’s celebrate, right? True love is in the air!”

The warm looks on Sal and Mom’s faces let me know they were pleased with my attitude.

However, despite the fading awkwardness, I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen when the other shoe fell. And I had no doubt at all it was going to fall –hard.

Chapter 25

Isaac

It was disorienting, the juxtaposition of her presence against the backdrop of the unexpected revelation. My initial, fleeting thought was an appreciation of Becca’s beauty, the way her hair cascaded down her shoulders, the vibrant hue of her eyes that always seemed to pierce straight through me. Two days away from her had felt like a minor eternity. But the serenity of that thought was immediately disrupted by the chaotic realization of the situation.

How was it that none of us knew? The irony of the entire situation was not lost on me. Four men, all connected to Becca, none of us aware that the woman we were falling for was connected to the Gallo boys’ father's new flame. And the fact that we, particularly I, who prided myself on being well-informed and in control, had been blindsided? It was both frustrating and humbling.

Mary, ever the gracious hostess, seemed oblivious to the undercurrent of tension in the room."Come along," she beckoned, leading the way to the dining room. “You all must be starving.”

Sal followed her with a wistful glance back at us, obviously sensing the strange dynamics at play. Once the pair was out of the room, I hurried over to Becca.

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