“Look at that.” Logan pulls me in close. “That’s exactly how you kiss me.”
“If she loves him half as much as I love you, Rev is a lucky,luckyguy.”
Kresley Fisher edges her way in behind them and in her arms is little Eli, looking every bit like the rest of the Oliver, Edinger boys—sans Jaxson, of course. He’s two years old, just like Charlie, considering they were born on the very same day. Fun fact: little Wesley Cooper was born on the same date one year later.
Kres looks stunning in a navy dress that hugs her figure. The proverbial girls are out and about, and poor little Eli is picking at them, hoping to get a sip of the good stuff. Kresley’s lips are fuller, and her cheeks are, too. Ezrina let me know she’s been coming to her to get a little work done to smooth out the extensive plastic surgery she underwent. Now she looks unfairly beautiful, and oddly, she looks a little more like her old self. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she were here hocking her wares—her wares being herself. She definitely looks dressed to impress tonight.
“Skyla, Logan.” She nods our way. “Merry Christmas.”
We echo the holiday greeting as she makes a face at the crowd.
“I wasn’t going to come, but Emma begged me.”
“I’m glad you came,” I say. “You’re practically a part of the family.”
Her mouth opens wide as she looks my way. “Oh, never mind. It’s probably you, Chloe. Skyla isn’t my biggest fan, and I wouldn’t put it past you to mess with my head.”
“Kresley, it’s me, Skyla,Skyla. And besides, Chloe didn’t possess me. My dead sister Rory possessed me. And she—”
Before I can finish with my unfortunate soliloquy, Emma clip-clops her way into our circle and takes baby Eli from Kres.
“You are right on time,” Emma sings to Kresley. Emma’s hair is spun in a honey blonde bun, freshly dyed and it’s a good color on her. She looks prim and proper in a cranberry suit with a little green kerchief that Eli just plucked out of her pocket. “Oh, you’re just a big boy.” She lands a kiss over his cheek. “I bet you want to get down and walk.” She sets him on the floor before looking back up at Kres. “Your Christmas present is heading this way as we speak.” She brushes Kresley’s hair from her eyes and straightens her dress at the shoulders. “Remember he’s gone through a bit of a dry spell.” She shoots me the side-eye. “He’s more than primed for what you have to offer.”
“Who’s more than primed?” I asked with morbid curiosity.
Emma reaches back and pulls Gage into our midst and my stomach does a revolution.
“Merry Christmas, Kresley,” Emma trills as she presents her son to her like a prize.
“Gage!” Kresley beams as she gives her chest a wiggle and the girls dance a little happy jig.
I suck in a quick breath. “Gage is your gift to her?” I squawk so loud half the party turns my way. “Of course. How could I forget our lively conversation about the great setup back at my rehearsal dinner? You really are trying to set Gage up with Kresley.”
Kresley huffs as she pulls Gage in close by way of his tie, and for a moment I’m thrown because when he so rudely strode in past us I didn’t even notice he was wearing a tie. But he is. Gage is wearing a dress shirt, powder blue to offset his eyes, a silver tie, and jeans. It looks slightly mismatched, and the fact he’s void one female partner who could help dress him is pretty evident, but he gets marks for trying.
“What’s the matter with Gage and me?” Kresley purrs as she runs her finger along the side of his cheek and dares to dip it into a one of his dimples.
Logan chuckles. “Interesting.”
Emma tosses her hands up. “Now don’t you start with me. It’s bad enough I have Skyla to contend with.” She turns to her son. “You do realize she won’t be content with whomever you chose. But you’re single and Kresley is single. Your children already look like siblings. Plus, you’re adorable together. Gage, you know I’ve always seen Kresley as family. Please do put in an honest effort. It can be your gift to me.”
Barron calls her from the family room and she excuses herself.
A silent laugh thumps through me. “Gee, Gage, and here I thought your gift to her was world domination.”
Kresley rolls her eyes. “I’m so embarrassed.” She shakes her head at him. “When your mom said to come dressed for success, I assumed she had someone else in mind.” She blows a breath my way. “I guess it doesn’t matter if you’re Skyla, Chloe, or whoever. You’ll have a laugh at my expense regardless.”
She takes off, and as much as I want to dislike her, I simply can’t. Why did Kresley have to do a personality one-eighty just when Emma felt the need to play stupid Cupid?
Logan wraps his arms around me from behind and rests his head on my shoulder.
He nods to Gage. “Have you thought over what we talked about?”
“About the delusion?” Gage inches back. “Sorry. But you’re the delusional ones.”
Mia comes at me with a screaming Jaxson, and Logan insists on taking him.
“Come here, big guy.” Logan winces. “Whoa. Someone’s got a full diaper. I’ll get this one.” He takes off upstairs, and it’s just Gage and me standing awkwardly in the foyer. For so long Gage felt like home, and now he feels more like a lost child who wandered away within his own skin. It’s painful to witness, and my entire body feels grieved, not the way it did just a few weeks ago, but in an entirely new way.
