Christmas Eve
Blake
“I’m so glad you could make it.” I open our apartment door and Lucky drags me into a big hug.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, luv.” He kisses me on the cheek and hands me a twelve-pack of Foster’s with a huge red velvet bow on top.
“Thanks. It’s lovely. You shouldn’t have.”
“My pleas-ah.” The big Aussie grins as I walk him into the living room and take his coat. He shakes hands with Slate and kisses Lilac on the side of the mouth, “Hasn’t that wank-ah made an honest woman of ya? If he doesn’t soon, I swear you’re free game for blokes like me.”
Grinning, Lilac whispers in his ear, and I never saw Lucky blush so red before.
“Nev-ah proposition a sheila with a scalpel, mate.” Feigning to shudder, he grabs his crotch then reaches for the beer.
Bottles clink and my husband says, “Merry Christmas.”
“Right back atcha.”
When the doorbell rings again, it’s Grayson and Isabella. She hands me their coats, then shows off her Grumpy Cat in a Santa hat t-shirt. It saysbah humbug. Grayson’s shirt is of a man’s naked chest, two red bulbs hanging on nipple rings.
“I think we have a winner.” Jack puts a hand over Grayson’s head and snickers in his Bad Santa t-shirt.
“No way. Mine is definitely worse.” Lilac reaches into her bag and pulls out hers. I have to admit, the naked old-lady boobs are pretty awful.
“Our ugly Christmas t-shirt contest has officially hit a new low.” I chuckle, thinking my Trump in an elf suit is the best. “We’ll have to vote.”
Lucky unzips his sweatshirt, LED’s lighting his Christmas poo. “You yanks take these t-shirts way too seriously. Next year, I’ll up my game.”
In the background,Christmas in Zitherlandplays out Silent Night and I grin as everyone shudders. The rest get a turn at worst-Christmas-music-ever while we break open a new deck ofCards Against Humanity.
Laughing until tears run down my face, I raise a toast. “To Jack’s new job.”
“Here, here.”
Lucky slaps Jack on the back. “You’re going to be guarding some nob living on Central Park West?”
“And driving his kids back and forth to school. Piece of cake.” Slate takes a long pull from his beer while Jack grabs my hand and pulls me into his lap.
“Blake and I have been married for months yet never lived together for more than a few days in a row. It’s high time.”
“You did do things in a bit of an odd order.” Lucky grins and takes another beer while Jack looks offended.
“How can you say that? I married her to save her.”
“And the bun in the oven, mate?”
“Not my fault. Blakely attacked me when I was sound asleep.”
“I did no such thing!” I slap him playfully and blush to think of that night.
“I know you hooked up in Utah but how did Jack end up in DC and you here?” Lilac feeds a couple bites of cookie to Slate and he nibbles her fingertips until she giggles.
Everyone laughs and my face heats more. “After we exposed my sister’s killer, we had a big fight. Jack left and wouldn’t take my calls.”
“Hold on, little lady. Don’t make it sound worse than it was. I thought I was avoiding Lucky.”
“Don’t blame me mate, I gave her my phone because hers was stolen. You were being a twat.”
