Chapter 16
Parker checked his shirt, made sure everything was in order with no stains. Then he made sure his belt was appropriately shiny and his boots were nice. He’d never had to meet a mama of somebody he cared about.
He’d met Beckett’s momma and daddy, of course.
And he liked Beckett.
But he’d never met the momma of somebody he was in an “I know what your balls smell like” sort of relationship with.
Still, he knew how to be nice, how to smile, and he loved Heath. These were the folks who had raised Heath up.
Heath took his hand and kissed his fingers. “You’re beautiful. They’re going to love you; you said so yourself. Ready?”
“I am.” He grabbed the presents, scooping them up in his arms, leaving the wine to last. “Let’s do this thing.”
Heath closed the truck doors since his hands were full and followed him up to the house. It was a cute little townhouse with lots of light coming from the windows to offset the gray day. The door opened before they made it to the porch. “It’s about time. I almost had to open a beer alone.”
“Logan!” Heath jogged up and gave the guy a hug. They were both solid and the hug was real, not one of those bro hug deals. “Parker, this is my baby brother Logan.”
“Aw, man. You are so welcome. Heath never brings anybody to these things. This is great. Can I help?” Logan held his hands out for presents.
“Absolutely! Pleased to meet you, sir. I’m Parker.” He held out one hand for a kind of awkward little shake and then handed over some presents. “Nice place you got here.”
Cold as fuck, but nice and snowy, which was perfect for Christmas.
Not nervous. He was not nervous.
“Isn’t it cute? It’s Mom’s. I’m sure Heath told you.” Logan held the door open and a lot of warm air and sound greeted him. Christmas music, people chatting. laughter.
“Logan, where’s my beer? Did you get lost—oh! Heath!”
“Hey, guys!” The town house had a nice open floor plan, and it was full of people. “Everyone, this is Parker.”
They greeted him cheerfully and loudly, and he got hugs from Heath’s big sister and Logan’s wife on the way across the room to where Heath’s mom was hanging out with a little girl who had to be Heath’s niece.
“Parker Stephens, this is my mother, Margaret Wooledge, and my niece, Opal.”
“Goodness, that was formal.” Margaret got to her feet and gave him a smile. “Peggy, please. So good to meet you, Parker.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’m tickled as all get out to meet you as well.” He held out one hand. “I’ve heard a lot of good things.”
“They’re all lies. I’m an evil, ornery old woman.” She took his hand and covered it with her other one. “You are very welcome here. Just don’t ever take the last slice of pie.” She winked at him.
“I would never.” He knew better. He was nothing if not polite. “You have my word, ma’am.”
Heath laughed. “But if she hands it to you, you will eat it. She doesn’t care if you’re full.”
“Now, Heath.”
“It’s true, Mom.”
Peggy squinted and gave him a naughty smile. “It is kind of true.”
Opal was quiet and hid behind her grandmother a bit, so he just gave her a little wave. She waved back.
They were all suddenly dwarfed by two tall teenagers who looked practically interchangeable. “Hey, Uncle Heath.”
“Hey there, boys.” Heath dropped his voice into a low register to tease them about their own low voices.
“Yeah, yeah. We’re still taller.”
“You will always be taller.”
One of the twins looked at him. “You ride bulls, right?”
“Like Sky?”
Sixteen and still finishing each other’s sentences.
“Yes, sirs, but Sky’s the champ. Always will be.” He was just a cowboy who rode bulls.
“That’s so tough.”
“Seriously cool.”
“This is Hayes and Tate, they belong to Keira and Doug. And over there are Levi and Warren, Opal’s big brothers.”
“Good to meet y’all. Thanks for letting me crash the party.” He was never going to remember all these names.
“Mom, Parker brought presents and wine.” Heath’s sister slid in next to him. “I’m Keira. This will all calm down in a bit. Can we open that?”
“Absolutely. I brought a couple of bottles. I knew there would be a lot of folks.” And wine was a good, safe, generous gift.
At least that was what Sky said.
“Of course he did. I can tell already he was raised well.”
Heath got pulled away by one of his nephews and shot him a grin and a wave.
Keira took the bottle. “Would you like a glass? Or a beer? Or soda? It’s never too early on Christmas.”
“I’ll take a Coke—whatever y’all have.”
“A Coke. We have that.” Keira took him literally, which he probably should have figured she would.
“I’ve been a teetotaler my whole life,” Peggy said, giving him a nod. “Good for you.”
He smiled, winking over—all the while cursing Heath the littlest bit. “I’ve been known to have a drink or two, but it’s a little early for me.”
Peggy patted his arm. “No judgment from me, dear.”
“Parker!” Heath picked his way around people and presents to get back to him. “Mom, can I steal him?”
“Of course. I was just going to sit.”
Heath beamed at him and pulled him toward a quieter end of the living room. “Sorry, the nephews got me. Did you want a beer? It’s kind of a tradition to start early around here.”
“I’ll finish the Coke and then have one. Remember, I’m what? Half your size?” He couldn’t begin to keep up.
“Maybe three-quarters.” Heath and his brother were built big. Keira’s husband was more like him, leaner and lighter. “Is this too much for you? You good?”
“I’m great. It’s a big, happy family. I fit right in.” Parker winked at Heath, admiring his lumberjack-lawyer.
“You fit great.” Heath tucked an arm around his waist. “I’m really glad you’re here.”
“Thank you. I am too—I want to celebrate with you, honey.” He wanted to enjoy this Christmas, for the first time in a long time.
“Well, let’s start with your presents.” Heath pulled a small box wrapped in newspaper from his pocket. “I didn’t have any Christmas paper, sorry.”
“No worries.” He unrolled the newspaper and opened the box, finding a gorgeous leather keychain, a single key attached to it. “Oh.”
Oh damn. This was…amazing.
“It isn’t really home if you can’t come and go as you please.”
“Thank you.” It was the best gift he’d ever gotten. He looked around, making sure no one was looking, and then he kissed Heath good and hard.
Heath laughed as they parted. “You’re welcome.” Heath kept an arm around him. “Mom likes you. You were right. She doesn’t tease and joke with people she doesn’t like.”
“Oh good. I’m glad.” He tended to be safe on the mother front, but there was no way to tell.
“Look at you two standing over here like a couple of wallflowers.” That was uh—the brother-in-law. Uh—
Heath helped him out. “How’ve you been, Doug?”
Doug.
“Good. Busy.” Doug looked at him. “And believe me, I get it. I remember my first Christmas, and Logan wasn’t even married yet. It’s all good. Also sometimes awkward, but good. I promise.”
“I am having a great holiday.” And there was no lie there. None.
“So you’re taking a holiday break from bull riding I hear? The boys were excited to meet you. I guess they found you online.”
Everyone had gotten the bull rider memo, but it seemed like no one knew or cared that he and Heath had only known each other a whole week.
“I’m totally on a good break, yes.” He was hoping for a nice long, long break, in fact.
“Well deserved, I’m sure. Hope you’re hungry. Peggy doesn’t believe in diets.”
Heath snorted. “Parker eats like I do.”
“Oh. Well, then we’ll be rolling you both out of here together later.”
He wasn’t a dieter. He was always hungry, and he probably always would be. “I’m game. It all smells amazing.”
“Avoid the fruitcake. It’s…heavy.”
“If it comes up, just tell Mom how amazing her potatoes are. Which they are. She’ll be happy.”
“The potatoes.” Doug rolled his eyes blissfully. “I seriously could make a whole meal out of them with the gravy.”
“So Doug is the guy we’re going to call about the concrete for the garage.”
“Okay! You decided? Garage first?”
“Garage first.”
“Excellent. I can’t wait to get started. It’s going to be amazing.”
Parker thought so too. A covered garage was going to be stunning.
“Doug does paving—”
“Paving and concrete. Roads, driveways, steps, foundations, whatever.”
“Doug is handy. Logan is handy too, but not with tools. He’s a chef. He works at a restaurant in Burlington. He actually has to go to work at four.”
“Oh, that’s awful, to have to go in on Christmas!” Parker knew first responders had to do it, but…damn.
“Next year he’ll have enough seniority to get Christmas off. But they’re busy all day today. He did get last night off, which is good for the kids.”
“Keira is also a lawyer, but she’s not practicing anymore. She stayed at home when we had the twins and then bought out her favorite bookstore in town, and she runs that now. Pretty cool.” Doug was obviously proud.
“Oh, how fun! I’ve never known anyone who owned a bookstore. That’s cool.”
“Right? She is living her dream. It’s good. The boys are driving and living their own lives now, they’ll head off to college soon.”
“Old fart,” Heath teased.
“You better catch up, bro,” Doug shot right back. “You’re way behind.”
Heath suddenly looked…constipated.
Oh, maybe this was a sore spot.
“Yeah, yeah. Go have another beer.”
“I just might.” Doug gave Heath a clap on the shoulder, then gave him a nod before heading for the kitchen.
“Sorry.” Heath sighed. “I get that a lot.”
“Why be sorry? You’re all right. I promise not to catch pregnant.”
“Ha.” Heath shook his head. “It’s not even that. They just like to tease me. I’d be okay if you did.”
“Caught pregnant? That would get us in the news, for sure.” He was totally into the idea of being a dad one day, though. Maybe in three or four years.
Heath giggled and shook his head. “This family in the news? That would be all I need. They’re crazy.”
“Rodeo cowboy suddenly finds himself with child. News at eight.” Parker cracked himself up.
“Why are you laughing?” One of the younger boys squinted up at him from under a Santa hat.