Chapter 23
“What did you think of the kids’ Christmas Eve party with Santa?” Tiffany asked Gary, as they helped clean off the tables. She had volunteered him to assist her on the cleanup committee.
“It was something else. But mainly, I was trying to recover from meeting Eden Steele. You didn’t tell me she was a relative of yours.”
Tiffany turned, tilted her head, and looked at him strangely.
“There are times, Gary Palmer, when I wonder if you ever listen to anything I say. I’ve mentioned Eden’s name more than once since we got here.
I even told you about the surprise anniversary party being given for her and her husband, Drew.
She’s the mother of my cousins, those Bad News Steeles from Phoenix. ”
“Okay, I recall that now. I just hadn’t put two and two together during any of those times.”
“And you probably would not have put two and two together had you not met her today. Seriously, I wonder why I even talk to you. You never listen to a word I say.”
“Of course, I do.” He paused a moment and then asked, “So, she spearheaded this event? The kids’ Christmas Eve party?”
“Yes. Some of the little ones thought Santa might not find them, since they wouldn’t be home tonight.
So Santa decided to come a bit early, to make sure he saw them.
And he promised that he would still make it to their house tonight and leave additional presents.
It worked out well. Did you see all those little smiling faces? ”
“I noticed. But do you honestly think Eden Steele is clueless about the anniversary party?”
“Everybody seems to think that she and Drew don’t suspect a thing.”
“Well, you don’t have to wonder which of those grandkids are hers. The green eyes give them away.”
Tiffany chuckled. “Yes, they do. And I noticed you didn’t seem to get annoyed when you got cross-examined by my Phoenix cousins at breakfast.”
“I’m getting used to it. Besides, I have nothing to hide.”
“They just want to get to know you better, Gary.”
“By asking a lot of questions?”
She shrugged. “As you can see, there are more boys than girls in the Steele family. I thought I had it bad as a teen being a Steele, until I talked to Vanessa, Taylor, and Cheyenne. They were the first girls born in their Steele generation. In fact, they are the only girls, and their overprotective cousins made life miserable for them. Since my father was the oldest, I heard he was the worst.”
He nodded. “Speaking of your dad, I didn’t see him at breakfast.”
“Neither did I. I asked Mom where he was. He and my uncle Morgan had Zoom conference calls with members of their staff this morning.”
“Oh? Why only those two when all his brothers work for the company?”
“I understand the company was recently awarded a government contract. Since Dad is CEO and Uncle Morgan heads the company’s research and development department, I guess they felt they should check in before everyone left for the holidays. The Steele Corporation is closed until after New Year’s.
“A contract with the government sounds important,” Gary said.
“I’m sure it is. Dad’s worked with the government before, but I understand this particular contract is major.”
“Did you ever think about going to work for your father’s company?”
“For a while, Marcus and I both did. However, when I got to college, I was pulled in another direction. And it worked out. I love working in pediatric medicine.”
When they had collected all the trash, she smiled at him. “I’m excited about the Christmas tree lighting in a few hours. I’m going to try to get Dad to come. Otherwise, he will be on his laptop until dinner.”
Gary smiled. “Let’s hope you can do that. Too much work isn’t good for anyone. Although I brought my laptop, I haven’t opened it since I arrived. What time is the tree lighting?”
“Around six, right before dinner. I’m looking forward to it,” she said.
And he was looking forward to the opportunity to hack into Chance Steele’s computer.
**
“So how did you and Gary meet?” Sloan Steele asked.
Sloan was married to one of those former Bad News Steeles–Mercury.
They had adorable two-year-old twins ─a boy named Eric and a girl named Eris.
Not only were they adorable, but they were also full of energy.
Sloan had bundled up the pair in warm clothing, and taken them outside to play in the snow.
Tiffany liked Sloan and recalled the day Mercury had brought her to North Carolina to meet the Charlotte Steeles.
It happened to be a weekend when she had been home from medical school.
She thought Sloan was simply gorgeous and could see how Mercury had fallen in love with her.
But then, she thought all her Phoenix Steele cousins had married beautiful women who were just as beautiful on the inside.
What she liked about them was that they were all friendly.
Usually at family gatherings, she, Sloan, and Gannon’s wife, Delphine, hung out together since they were close in age.
Both Sloan and Delphine were twenty-eight, and Tiffany would be turning twenty-seven in a couple of months.
She smiled. “Gary and I met at a party and hit it off immediately. He’s a lot of fun to be around and knows how to have a great time. And he’s very attentive.”
“Was it love at first sight?”
Tiffany shrugged. “I don’t think so, but he grew on me. Over the last three months, we’ve spent a lot of time together. We’ve gone to movies, dinners, skating, and taken cooking classes…”
“Sounds like he swept you off your feet,” Sloan said, smiling.
“Yes, he did. I just wish…”
Sloan lifted a brow. “Wish what?”
“I wish he didn’t feel so defensive when it comes to our family. I tried to explain to him how we are, but I think he’s feeling overwhelmed.”
Sloan laughed. “I can understand that. The first time Eden invited me to their family’s weekly dinners, I was definitely overwhelmed. I felt like I didn’t belong. They all had connections to each other, and I didn’t.”
“How did you get over it?”
“The Steele wives helped. Brittany, Stacy, Hunter, and Nikki all went out of their way to make me feel like I was a part of the group. And of course, Eden is a jewel. I love having her as a mother-in-law. She’s the best. So is Drew as a father-in-law.”
Sloan paused a moment and then admitted, “They’re nothing like my family. Dad is serving time in prison, and Mom has lost everything–their home, wealth, their businesses, and so-called friends. For the second time in her life, she was left penniless.”
Tiffany raised a brow. “The second time?”
“Yes. My mother’s family was very wealthy until they lost everything when Mom was fifteen.
She scraped and worked odd jobs to send herself to college and swore she would never be poor again.
She met and married Dad in college, and the two of them had the same idea about wealth building.
They succeeded in building up their finances… then ended up losing everything.”
“That’s sad,” Tiffany said.
“Yes, and what’s even sadder,” Sloan continued, “is that she blames me for not marrying Harold, so Dad would have the money to pay off the men who were blackmailing him. Can you believe that? She refuses to accept that her husband committed a horrendous crime. Instead of placing the blame where it belongs, and admitting she would not have lost everything if Dad hadn’t done what he did, she’s still blaming me. ”
Sloan rolled her eyes. “She won’t even talk to me, even though she’s living in a very nice condo that Mercury and I are paying for. She considers the place mediocre compared to the riches she used to have. Mom’s attitude makes me appreciate the Steele family more than ever. They are the best.”
Moments later, they were joined by Gannon’s wife, Delphine, and their three-year-old son, Euro.
Tiffany thought it was pretty cool that, to honor Eden, all her grandchildren’s first names began with the letter E.
In addition to Sloan and Mercury’s twins and Euro, there were Galen and Brittany’s twins, Ethan and Elyse; Tyson and Hunter’s son, Eastwood; Eli and Stacy’s son and daughter, Elias and Eloise, and Jonas’ son, Eldrick. All Eden’s grands had her green eyes.
“I can’t wait to have babies of my own,” Tiffany said, watching as Sloan and Delphine gathered up their kids to take them inside for their nap.
“And I can’t wait to have another one,” Delphine said. “Gannon and I want at least four kids.”
“Kids make Christmas special,” Tiffany said wistfully.
In a few hours, everyone would gather in the large courtyard at Mountain-Scape Lake Lodge for the Christmas tree lighting. According to Seth Bohannon, the lodge’s manager, the tradition was started by his grandfather more than eighty years ago, when the lodge first opened.
“So where is Gary?” Delphine asked Tiffany, smiling.
“He wanted to call his parents to wish them a Merry Christmas. It’s already Christmas in East Africa.”
Tiffany was disappointed that Gary hadn’t suggested that she be included in that call. It would have been nice to finally talk to his parents.
Pulling her coat tighter around her, she went inside with the others.