I placed both hands on Gemma’s cheeks and kissed her senseless. “Happy New Year, love.”
When she moaned into my mouth and her tongue touched mine, I thought about kicking everyone out right that second so I could throw her over my shoulder to carry her to our room. But that would be rude so I pulled back and kissed her nose before glancing around at everyone else.
Most of the women looked as freshly kissed as my girl did and I liked how happy my friends all were. All except Capri and Patience who sat together talking, a forced smile on their faces. It hadn’t escaped any of us that Capri was running from something. We just didn’t know what that something was. She kept a lid on her personal life but was a sweet soul. The woman also had some grit and had proved that when Brinley and Rowan had desperately needed her help at one time. We’d been there whenever she needed us and I know everyone wanted to see her happy.
Patience. Well, Patience may have only been about to turn nineteen soon, but she was wise beyond her years, with a baby of her own. And Jett, her best friend, and also Ruby’s brother, I was sure had taken her heart with him when he left. All of us could see while he may be her friend, he was so much more to her. Only he hadn’t been home since leaving and her sorrow was undeniable.
“I wish those two were happier,” Gemma said softly, her eyes zeroing in on the two ladies.
My hand softly brushed down her cheek. “I know, baby.”
A commotion across the room captured our attention and the ladies were temporarily forgotten.
“Eww, yuck!” Dexter, Gyth and Summer’s son, yelled as he swiped the back of his hand across his lips and then pretended to spit something from his mouth dramatically.
Embry was next to him, hands on her hips and if looks could kill the poor guy wouldn’t be seeing his eighth birthday. “You always kiss your girlfriend at midnight!” she exclaimed.
I couldn’t contain the deep laughter that burst out of me. Then I realized I’d just compared Peyton to Embry earlier and I sobered immediately.Oh Shit.Was this what I had to look forward to?
“Gyth, get control of your son,” Braxton told him. “And Embry, what the hell do you think you’re doing, kissing boys?”
His daughter’s temper was instantly forgotten because money was involved, and a huge grin crossed her face as she very clearly told her father, even while he was about to have a nervous breakdown, that he owed her money.
Gyth was holding both hands up in the air. “Hey, dude. Your daughter kissed my son.” His full belly laugh had Braxton turning toward him and shooting him a scowl.
Then Braxton turned back to his daughter. “I’m not paying you sh—anything,” he said, catching his almost mistake just in time. “No more kissing boys until you’re thirty.”
“Daddd.” Embry drew out the word and rolled her eyes.
I watched everyone in the room working to hold back their snickering. Damn, Braxton had his work cut out for him. Maybe he would be a pro at handling the spitfire by the time I found myself in the same boat.
“Don’t Daddd me,” he told her, mimicking her dramatics. I could see he was fighting to keep a straight face.
When Embry stomped out of the room, everyone lost it.
“Real funny, assholes,” Braxton told the room.
“I heard that andthat oneyou owe me for!” Embry shouted from the room next to us.
It was never a dull moment when we all got together.
“That’s what we have to look forward to,” Gemma whispered.
Her statement sent my heart racing.
It didn’t go unnoticed that she talked about us like a family who would be together for years.
And that was exactly what I was planning for.
ChapterThirty-One
GEMMA
Winter classes had started.
I’d been back at school for a few days and it shouldn’t have felt any different since I’d been doing it for years, but it did.
Ifelt different.
