Chapter 42
JAX
Ienter the hallway. The Christmas decorations, glittering lights, take me back eighteen years, to the first New Year’s I spent at the Frazer home.
Back then, the house was alive with Francesca and Robert’s friends and business associates, and a separate party was arranged for the young adults. Francesca’s wording, not mine.
She confided in me years later that she’d called us that, hoping we’d act like young adults and not the teenagers we were.
I hated to disappoint her, we all did. We got drunk, some people snuck off and had sex. It was a party after all, but no one embarrassed her or Robert.
“Jaxson,” Francesca says, walking into the hallway and pulling me down and into a hug. It’s hard to believe she’s so petite when her sons are all giants.
“It’s good to see you. Thank you for inviting me.”
She grins and pats my cheek. “Always so polite. As I’ve told you before, you’re one of the family. Part of the furniture. We’d miss you if you weren’t here.”
I want to disagree with her. I know at least one member of her family who’d probably prefer I wasn’t present. But having survived Christmas with both parents, under the same roof, I was not going to chance New Year, so I got on the Eurostar and headed back, leaving Dad with Mum and Peter.
“How was your journey?”
“It was good, thank you. No delays.”
“There you are,” Caleb says, coming out of one of the side rooms. “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.” He pulls me in for a man hug and slaps my back. “You survived?” he asks, pulling back and looking me in the face.
“I did,” I say with a grin. “They were remarkably civil to one another. I decided to take you up on your invitation and get out of there while I still had a chance.”
“And we are glad you did. Everyone is here apart from Kat. She had a few last-minute emergencies to contend with.” He rolls his eyes, and the bottom drops out of my stomach. “But she should be here in the next half an hour.”
Pen appears behind Caleb and pushes him out of the way.
“Stop hogging. You’re not his only friend,” she says, pulling me in for a hug.
“You and she need to talk,” Pen whispers against my ear.
I pull back and frown at her.
“No frowning old man, it’s New Year,” Elijah says, stepping up and slapping me on the shoulder, almost causing me to lose my balance.
“Jaxson,” Lottie squeals, running from the room they have all just vacated. She throws her arms around my waist and hugs me tight. “I’m so pleased you are here.”
“This is quite the welcome,” I say, shifting her to my side, my arm resting on her shoulder, as it has done since she was little.
“Will you be on my team?” she begs.
“Team?” I ask shooting Elijah a look.
He shrugs. “Pregnant women and children,” he says. “Party games.”
A heavily pregnant Leah takes that moment to waddle into the hallway.
“Fair enough. I’m in,” I say, shooting her a smile.
She grins. “They are drinking games if I know this lot,” she says, “Only it will be juice for Pen, Lottie and me.”
Lottie groans. At fifteen, she’s growing up fast. It’s good to see her smiling again. It was touch-and-go after her birthday, but it looks like Christmas with her family has done the trick.
“I’ve put you in your usual room,” Francesca says. “If you want to go and freshen up before everything starts, feel free.”
“Thanks,” I say, hoisting my bag onto my shoulder, but noticing my case has already disappeared.
“Lottie, you’re with me. Diana needs to be let out.”
Diana takes that moment to come bounding into the hallway. She jumps up, her back legs propelling her high into the air. Elijah catches her mid-flight. She’s followed by a very excited Nick and Lois, April’s half-brother and sister.
“No, you don’t, scamp. No mugging the guests.”
She licks his face, and his eyes soften.
“Kisses will get you nowhere. Come on.”
Lottie grins at her dad and the puppy, who’s almost full-sized now, although she looks tiny against Elijah’s enormous frame.
“I’ll see you all in a bit,” I say, making my way up the stairs.
I reach the top, and the front door opens.
“Kat, you made it,” Pen says.
“Traffic was pretty good,” she says. “Hey, look at your little bump.”
I step onto the landing and out of sight, my heart rate picking up at the sound of her voice.
I close my eyes for a second. It’s not like I didn’t know she was going to be here. This is her family home, and my best friends are her brothers.
“I’ll just drop my things upstairs, and I’ll be right back.”
I move towards my room at record speed, closing the door silently before Kat makes it to the top of the stairs.
Chicken!
I head into the en-suite and jump in the shower. I allow myself a moment to catch my breath and prepare myself for what’s coming before washing away the hours of travel that seem to have stuck to my skin.
I get changed into my dinner suit and open the door.
Kat’s bedroom door opens at the exact same time. She steps out and pauses.
“Jaxson,” she says, in little more than a whisper.
“Kat,” I say. “Happy New Year. You look well, beautiful.”
You look well, beautiful?
What on earth am I saying?
I frown.
She inclines her head. “Thank you. So do you. I mean, you look handsome, not beautiful.” She stutters awkwardly over her words, and I grin.
“I’m going to start again,” she says with a smile.
“Happy New Year to you too, although we officially have another couple of hours to go, I think.” She chuckles.
“I see you survived Christmas in one piece.”
I roll my eyes. “Remarkable, I know,” I say as we begin walking down the corridor together. “They were actually civil. I didn’t want to jinx it, so I got out of there before the fireworks could start.”
“I’m glad it wasn’t as you feared.”
“Me too.”
We reach the top of the stairs and stop, staring at each other in silence. My whole body tingles with awareness.
“Shall we go down?”
Kat startles at my words. “Yes, probably. If not, they’ll send out a search party.”
She smiles, and my stomach contracts.
I motion for her to lead the way.
She’s changed out of her work suit into a long black evening gown with embroidered edges. It hugs her figure, but floats around her legs.
I follow behind, my eyes tracking every movement she makes.
“There you both are,” Caleb shouts up the stairs. “The festivities are about to start. You two are partners, by the way. Mum and Louise are together. Lottie is now with Lois and Nick, which leaves you two to battle it out against the rest of us.”
“Bring it on,” Kat says, her competitive streak rising to the surface before she can stop herself.
She bites her lip before turning to stare at me.
“I’m with you. Let’s show your brothers,” I say.
Her eyes sparkle, transporting me back in time to when Kat was so much more carefree.
Midnight chimes, and everyone shares a hug and a kiss.
My lips graze Kat’s cheek, although they want nothing more than to claim her mouth after watching her sass her brothers all night.
Her relationship with her sisters-in-law is something else as well.
There’s no doubt how hard the Frazer men have fallen for their partners. And that’s what they are… partners.
Leah gets up and stretches, leaning back and gripping the back of the sofa. Her stomach protrudes almost abnormally with the twins she’s carrying. She rubs a hand over her belly and smiles.
“These two little monkeys need to go to bed, and I know Callum will be up and wanting his breakfast in six hours.”
My chest constricts as I look at Gabriel. He now has everything he didn’t know he desired. His eyes glow as he takes in Leah, his hand sliding around her waist. We all wish her and Gabriel goodnight as he ushers her towards the door.
“That’s me too,” Pen says, getting up.
Elijah and Lottie jump to their feet.
“I’m driving,” Pen says.
I’d forgotten they were staying at Elijah’s house on the property.
“Can Diana come?” Lottie asks.
Diana has been asleep with her head on Lottie’s lap for the past two hours, having been worn out by all the children.
“She can,” Francesca says, “but make sure you let her out in the morning.”
“We’ll call it a night, too,” Sarah says. “Lois and Nick will no doubt be up at the same time as Callum.”
April gets up and kisses her mum and stepfather goodnight.
“I’ll take them for a bike ride in the morning,” April says. “Give you both a break.”
Sarah cups April’s cheek. “You don’t have to.”
“I know. I want to. They’re my siblings. It’ll be nice spending some time with them.”
“Well, if you change your mind.”
“If we’re getting up early, then I suggest we hit the sack too,” Caleb says with a grin and a knowing twinkle in his eye.
April rolls her eyes, but leans forward and places a kiss on his lips, before taking his hand and pulling him to his feet.
Everyone filters out, leaving only Louise, Francesca, Kat, and me.
Louise and Francesca exchange a look. “I’m going to call it a night,” they say almost in unison.
“Me too,” Kat says quickly.
Francesca’s shoulders slump, and she lets out a heavy sigh.
If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was disappointed.
Kat shoots her mum a look, but remains silent.
I stand, dropping a kiss on each of the women’s cheeks.
“Goodnight, ladies. I’ll see you in the morning.”
I leave without a backward glance, heading up to my room.
The winter moon hangs low over the trees. It’s mild for this time of year, so I decide to do something I haven’t done in many moons.
Go for a midnight swim.