The Merriest Christmas (Southern U O’Brien Brothers Sister #5)

CHAPTER 7

Emmy

About 10 minutes later, Mom got a call.

"Chase," Mom said warmly, smiling wide and putting him on speakerphone."You're the first of my absent children to call and say Merry Christmas.That definitely earns you extra brownie points.How are things in New York?"

"Everything's fine," my third oldest brother said."Merry Christmas, Mom.I miss you."

"I miss you too, sweetheart."

"Hey, I'm here too," I said.

"Hey, Emmy."Chase sounded like he was smiling."How are things there?"

"As good as can be expected."

"Is that guy you almost un-alived okay?"

I rolled my eyes."Yeah, he's in the kitchen wolfing down pancakes.Pretty sure he's fine."

"Good.Oh hey Mom, I actually called to ask if you'd do me a favor," he said.

"Of course," she said back."What do you need?"

There was some rustling on the other end."Something's being delivered to the house today.It's for you.Can you go outside and see if it's there?"

Mom frowned."Sure.But Chase, I don't think anyone makes deliveries on Christmas."

"Trust me, they do.And they assured me it would get there soon.Can you check?Please?"

"Okay."

I frowned as I followed Mom to the door.She was right, of course.Packages didn't come on Christmas day.Most people had off—and anyone who would make someone work through the holiday had to be at least a little heartless.

"What company did you say it was from?" I asked.

"Can't give away the surprise," was all he said.

Mom laughed at that."What exactly are we looking for?"

"You'll know it when you see it."

Well, that was cryptic.

As we neared the door, there was the sound of a car pulling up outside.

"Oh, I think it might be here," Mom said.

"I think you're right," he said.

"I hope you didn't do anything crazy.I told you kids to save your money.It's—"

She stepped outside then stopped short.

I came to stand beside her, blinked a few times to make sure I wasn't seeing things, and couldn't contain the smile that rose to my lips.

They made it.

They freaking made it!

"Nothing crazy," Chase said as he stepped out of the car."We just wanted to see our mom on Christmas."

"We?" she repeated.

Archer got out next."All of us are here, Mom—though it was a close call.Bay decided to start singing midway through the trip."

As Baylor and Dex exited next, wearing big grins, I looked at my mom's face and saw the tears running down her cheeks.

"Not everyone recognizes talent when they hear it," Baylor said.

"You mean torture," Dex said with a grimace."If I had to listen to you sing All I Want For Christmas is You one more time, I would've cut my own ears off."

"Gross," Archer said, "and accurate."

"Ah, I know you love Mariah," Baylor said.

"Do you ?" Chase asked."Because the way you butchered her song, I'm thinking it's a no."

Baylor scoffed, but all the guys were smiling as they stopped in front of us.

"But how?" Mom said.

"It was all Emmy," Dex said."She booked our flights and transportation.She planned everything."

"Except the storm," Baylor said then threw me a grin."Though even that couldn't stop our little sister."

"You did this?" Mom asked me.

I shrugged."I wanted you to be happy."

"Oh, I am.I'm so full of happiness I'm about to burst.My babies are all here."

Mom tugged us into a big group hug.

Finn popped his head out then and lifted a brow.

"Can I get in on this family reunion?" he asked.

I laughed and tugged him forward.When we stepped back, Mom said, "Let's go in before we all freeze."

"Sounds good," Baylor said, patting my shoulder as he passed."Hey, were there any Christmas pancakes left?"

"You know it."

"Yes!"

Chase threw me a smile then shook his head at his twin."You can't eat all of them, Bay."

"Want to bet?"

"No, I really don't."

"That sounded like a challenge."

Finn grinned."Ten bucks says you can't eat nine in under a minute."

Baylor's answering grin was borderline cocky, just like him."You're on."

"I bet twenty that even if Bay manages to eat them, he pukes them up later," Dex said.

"Thanks a lot, D."

"You're welcome."

Dex's sarcasm was one of my favorite things about him, and I smiled because he was here.They all were.I was still trying to process it.Archer gave me a quick bear hug then kept walking into the house with Mom.Before going inside, Dex sidled up to me.

"Looks like your plan worked," he said.

"Yeah, still not sure how that happened," I replied, watching the rest of my brothers filter into the house.

"It was kind of genius, sending Seaver to come pick us up."

"What?"

"Seaver," Dex repeated as my heartbeat doubled."He's the only person I know crazy enough to drive in this weather."

He nodded to the guy in question, and my head snapped in that direction, watching as Seaver hit the automatic locks on his car then slowly sauntered up the driveway.His eyes were locked on me.

"Plus, you don't even like him," Dex added with a laugh."This got him out of the house and away from you for a minute.Good thinking, Emmy."

Forcing myself to look away, I shook my head.

"I'd love to take credit, but that wasn't me."

Dex frowned.

"Seaver was never part of the plan," I said quietly.

My brother looked surprised."He wasn't?"

"Nope."

"Then why did he do it?"

"Not sure," I said."Maye he was just being nice."

Dex frowned."Seaver isn't nice."

"Thanks, man," Seaver said, catching that last bit as he reached us.

"Hey, I didn't mean anything by it.I'm not nice either."

I rolled my eyes."Yeah, you are, Dex.You're like a salted caramel, hard and gritty on the outside, mushy and sweet on the inside."

"Should I feel insulted?" he asked.

"No way.It's why you're my favorite sibling."

"You're mine too, Emmy—even if your descriptions suck."Dex nodded at Seaver."Seriously, man, thanks for the ride."

"No problem," Seaver said.

"You guys coming inside?"

"Yeah, in a minute."

Dex raised a brow, looked back and forth between the two of us, then walked away without asking questions.Thank goodness.

I crossed my arms, staring at Seaver.

"You left," I said.

"Yeah, but I came back."

I gestured to the car."Why'd you go in the first place?"

Seaver just shrugged."Felt like a drive."

"A drive that took four hours in freezing conditions to get my brothers?"

"Not gonna lie," he said."I thought about stopping and throwing Baylor out.His singing…it's painful."

I sighed."I'm serious."

"Believe me, so am I."

"You were the one who told me how dangerous the roads are."

"For you," he said."My car has snow tires.Plus, I drove through way worse up in Minnesota."

"You brought my brothers home.Why?"

Seaver tilted his head."I think you know."

I swallowed past the lump in my throat.

"Thank you," I said thickly.

"It was nothing," he said.

But it was.

To me, it was very much something.

"Merry Christmas, Emilia."

"The merriest," I said, "thanks to you."

Seaver noticed me rubbing my arms for warmth and said we should go in.I went willingly.As we walked side by side, beneath all the joy, warmth and gratitude, I felt a familiar wariness.A chill that I just couldn't seem to fully shake.What was it he'd said?He felt like a drive?I knew it was just a joke.But I wondered if that was why he'd disappeared the last time.Seaver had done my family an amazing kindness.And he had returned.But…I still couldn't stop wondering when he'd leave again.

Everyone congregated in the kitchen, and it didn't take long for the conversation to turn to sports.

More specifically baseball.

Even more specifically talk of the majors.

With my brothers here, it was only a matter of time. The current players on the Southern U team had so many questions.Couldn't blame them really.They obviously had a lot of respect for Mom as their coach, and the legacy of the O'Brien name was still alive and well.Plus, if the other guys had any interest in playing professionally, this was the perfect opportunity to network and ask all the things.

The kitchen was packed.

I stayed back and leaned against the wall.

"So, what's it like playing in the MLB?" Toby asked.

Baylor smiled."Exactly how you'd think it would be—but better and worse."

"What do you mean?"

"It's better because every second you're there, you're really there.You know?It's not a dream anymore."

"And it's worse," Archer said, taking up where Baylor left off, "because well, everyone there is ten times faster, stronger, smarter, and more committed than anyone you faced off against in college."

One of the players grimaced."That sucks," he said.

But Archer gave a rare smile."That's what makes it fun," he corrected.

"I hear that," Chase said.

"Is it true you pitched a no-hitter your first pro game?" another guy asked Chase.

He shrugged."Yeah, but I was shaking in my boots under those bright lights."

I bit back a smile at his reply.It was just so Chase.Humble to a fault and way too talented to brag.

"Yeah, right."

"It's true."Chase shot him a smile."I threw up before that game, celebrated afterward."

"With a book, no doubt," Baylor scoffed.

Finn frowned."Hey, don't book-shame him."

"Is that even a thing?"

"I don't know, but I think you just made it one."

Toby sat forward in his seat and said, "Baylor, man, what's it like playing for the Yankees?"

"Amazing every day," Bay said."Not gonna lie, I almost cried when I set foot in that dugout."

"Is there rivalry between you and Chase?I mean, I know you're twins, but playing for the two most popular teams in New York?"Toby raised his brows."Can't be easy."

"It is when you know you're playing for the better team," Chase said to which Baylor boo'd.

"You wish, brother."

"Mom, back me up."

My mother raised her hands."I love you both equally and unequivocally."

There were grumbles around the table, but Mom had a twinkle in her eyes.

"But Chase is right.I love my Mets."

"Thanks, Mom," Chase said.

"And you know your dad would be so proud of you, Bay, for playing for his team.I am too."

"Ah Mom, I love you," Baylor said, "even if you picked the wrong team."

"Both of you wish you were playing for Atlanta," Archer said.

The twins laughed.

"Think that's funny?Remind me again who's ranked higher this season."

The laughter cut out quick at that.

Dex's lips twitched."Nice, Arch.But we all know the Pirates are going to come out on top this year."

One of the guys at the table looked awestruck as he shook his head."I can't believe we're sitting here with Archer, Baylor, Chase, and Dex O-freaking-Brien.Everyone misses you guys at Southern U."

"But we're damn proud of you for making it big," Toby said."Gives us little guys something to shoot for."

Baylor threw Dex a grin."Sounds like June.My girl tells me she's proud of me all the time," he said.

"And what do you tell her?" Dex asked.

"The truth."Bay's eyes went soft as he talked about his girlfriend and my best friend."I could've never done it without June.And it wouldn't have meant anything anyway without her."

"Poor sap."

He lifted a brow."Ah yeah, kinda like you with Maisie."

Dex tilted his head."Are you calling me soft?"

"When it comes to her?Yeah."

My brother thought about it a moment then nodded."You have a point."

"The right person can change everything," Chase said."Once you've found your one, that's it.Game over."

Some of the guys at the table groaned, but Archer gave a nod.

"It was that way with Honor," he said."She turned my life upside down."

"Same with Charlie," Chase said.

"I loved it."

"Me too."

"Okay, enoughof that," Dex said then crossed his arm.He stared around the table intently."We have serious business to discuss."

Archer sat back and cracked his knuckles."Very serious," he agreed.

"I heard one of you has been flirting with our sister."

My cheeks went pink.My eyes, without my permission. went straight to Seaver.

He didn't look worried at all.

Amusement danced in his eyes.

I looked at Finn next, but he gave a slight shake of his head.He hadn't told anyone about finding Seaver and me this morning.That was a relief.

"So"—Baylor rubbed his hands together in anticipation—"you're Toby, right?"

"Yeah, that's me," Toby said.

I released a quiet sigh.

At least, they didn't know who was really flirting with me—or that I'd flirted back.

And more.

Chase leaned forward, elbows on the table.There was no trace of a smile when he said, "So Toby, what are your intentions toward our sister?"

Good grief.