I hit the notification and immediately typed out a response.
Merry Christmas. You across the street at your mom’s?
No. I covered Courtney’s shift so she could be with her kids today.
Well, that was nice of you. How’s it been?
Pretty dead, thankfully. Nothing major.
That’s good. At least it was an easy shift.
So, did you get everything you wanted?
I chuckled at her words—they were clearly meant to be flirty.
Almost…
Almost, huh? Well…if you’re interested later, there’s some mistletoe at my place with your name on it Gotta go. Ambulance coming. Maybe I’ll see you later.
The corner of my mouth lifted as I read her message.
Damn tease.
“Who are you texting over there that has you smiling like that?”
My gaze snapped up to my brother, who was sitting on the sofa beside my dad, both of them grinning like idiots at me. “None of your damn business,” I snapped. They both broke out into a laugh at the lack of heat in my voice. “Assholes.”
I had dinner with my mom, dad, and Gabe, and when seven o’clock rolled around, I headed out. But I didn’t go home.
When Maverick and I pulled up to the curb, I parked my Jeep, and we walked together up the pathway to the front porch. Maverick sat expectantly at my side, eyes fixed on the door, his body tense as if ready to spring forward the moment I knocked.
A moment later, Haley opened the door. Maverick immediately lunged forward with excitement, weaving through her legs and bolting inside—he’d become comfortable here from past visits.
Haley looked up at me and smiled. “Hey, you.”
“Hey, yourself, baby girl.”
I loved watching her reaction every time I called her that. “Didn’t know if you were coming or not,” she said.
“Well, I was told there was mistletoe, so…”
She chuckled. “Oh, isthatwhat you’re looking for?”
When I smiled, her eyes lifted, and I followed her gaze, seeing the mistletoe hanging above the door.
I looked back at her and stepped forward, bringing my hands to settle on her waist as I leaned down. “Well, would you look at that?”
My lips pressed against hers a moment later, and I could feel her smile into the kiss as I guided her back through the open door, shutting it behind me.
Chapter 26
“You’re really takingthis ‘new year, new me’ thing to a whole new level,” I said to my brother as we pulled along the curb out front of a condominium building nestled on the south side of the cove.
Wes chuckled. “I guess I am.”
We got out of my car, and he walked to the back, opening it to grab the first of many boxes. He was moving into his new place today.
The building was owned by Ashbourne Investments, Lucas’s real estate investment firm. Lucas and Callie had lived here before building their house. Since Wes and Morgan were both at the end of their leases in January, they decided to get a placetogether.
