Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Luke
Convincing his mom to hold Christmas at the camp was easier than he thought.
His brother, sister, and dad, on the other hand…
“This isn’t as comfortable as my chair back home,” Dean groused as he shifted his butt, leaning on each hip, wiggling his thighs, and crossing his knees.
“When we all move in, you can bring your chair,” Deanna reminded him, her tone making it clear this wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation.
And her sigh showed she knew it wouldn’t be the last.
“It’s Christmas! Can’t blame a man for wanting to be comfortable.”
“Since when are you comfortable on Christmas? You eat so much, you unbuckle your belt and moan and groan in your chair half the night about your stomach exploding.”
“Two words, Deanna: ‘your chair.’ I have a right to roll around in pain in my chair. The one in my home.”
“You’re impossible.”
“And you’re standing under the mistletoe.”
Watching his dad turn into an alpha male and kiss his mother silly filled Luke with a weird blend of amusement and disgust.
Mostly disgust.
“Get a room!” Colleen called out, throwing a tiny candy cane at their dad’s head, which he caught blind, while kissing their mother.
He didn’t flinch, the kiss meandering, his hand sliding down Mom’s waist to her–
“Dean!” she gasped, batting at his hand. “Not in front of the kids!”
“It's not as if they don’t know how we brought them into this world, Deanna.”
Colleen threw a cracker.
Again he didn’t flinch, catching it easily.
“Keep it coming, little girl,” he said to her. “I’d love a beer next.”
That finally got Deanna to smack him, the show over.
Thank goodness.
The Luview family Christmas was going to be small this year, with Dennis in Germany.
Once a year, in the summer, the entire extended family got together.
Every Luview, Bilbee, Forsythe, and Labrecque–all descended, one way or another, from Abram Luview and Jedidiah Bilbee–gathered at a small campground about an hour away.
Other holidays, until Amber died on Thanksgiving, had always been a bit of a blend, but this year, Luke had wanted Christmas to be small.
Intimate, even.
And late. It was seven p.m. and dinner wasn’t ready yet. Colleen had worked a holiday shift at the hospital, done at five, and they’d all adjusted their schedules.
The plan: mingle, eat, and go to bed. They’d brought old camping equipment to the lodge, with a real bed for his parents.
Rachel found it all quaint and called it “camping,” while Kell had teased her mercilessly and threatened to take her on a real back-country camping trip.
In the end, everyone had some kind of bed, and the Luview family would spend their very first night here at their new home.
Everyone except Dennis.
And Kylie. This year, at least. Next year would be a whole different matter, if he had anything to say about it.
Nothing fancy, but it worked.
Kylie walked into the room holding a mug of hot cocoa with a dollop of Fluff floating in it, Kell behind her, mischief in his eyes.
“Where’s Rachel?” Luke asked.
He nodded toward one of the bedrooms. “At the wrapping station. She found a gift she forgot about in the car just now for Harriet.”
“You know we ran into her the other day in town?”
“Oh, yes. Heard all about it. Rachel introduced Kylie to the Love Bomb.”
“Does she seriously think Reef will go for that?”
“You know Rachel. She won’t give up easily.”
“I’m so glad you guys are here.”
Kell grinned. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Luke took inventory: Mom and Dad; Kell and Rachel; Luke, Kylie, and Harriet; Colleen.
Small, but rich with love. Dennis was sorely missed.
Luke wished he’d retire from the military and come join them.
He’d helped out with the camp, putting in a share and telling them to give him a small cabin or else he’d build his own, but Luke wanted him here, woven into their lives, wanting selfishly for Harriet to know him better.
“You look happy,” Kylie said, her arm sliding around his waist, an act not unnoticed by his mom, who winked at him. Kylie’s touch made him feel something he hadn’t experienced in a long time: comfort.
And passion, but not in front of his parents.
Just then, Rachel walked into the room, holding a stack of shiny presents, the wrapping paper different from everyone else’s. Not a spot of red, pink, or white was on the paper. It was all silver, gold, blue, and green.
“I thought you found one present!” Kell said, taking the three boxes from her.
Rachel’s chin jutted up. “There were two more. I can’t come close to competing with Kylie’s fairy cape, but I have to try!”
Kell kissed her as he took the presents and walked toward the enormous tree.
“I see someone’s not a fan of Love You’s colors,” Kylie said out of the corner of her mouth, sotto voce, her mannerisms making Luke chuckle.
“In town, she conforms. Everywhere else, no. She’s a force to be reckoned with. A little like you.”
“Me?” She pinched his waist.
“That’s a compliment. City girl who came here for an acquisitions assignment that would elevate Love You’s chocolate company into an international brand. Ran into Kell. Fell in love. You know the story.” He gave her a squeeze.
Kylie smiled up at him. “City girl?”
“Uh, city woman.”
Kylie laughed. “I meant I’m not from the city.”
“No, you’re not, but it’s where you’ve been.” He frowned. “And where you might still go.”
“Hi!” Rachel interrupted them, smoothing her green cashmere sweater before coming in for a hug. “My Love Bomb buddy!”
Luke snorted, looking to his baby brother, who clearly wanted to join in and snicker but knew he’d pay for it dearly later with his beloved.
He just froze with a fake smile on his face.
Kell shot Rachel an amused glance. Luke knew his brother was crazy for her, and everyone in town expected a proposal soon.
Their mom was practically drooling over the prospect of more grandkids.
Rachel was from L.A., and a city person through and through. But falling in love with Kell made her stay.
Were Kylie’s feelings for him strong enough for the same outcome?
“Daddy?” He looked down to find Harriet’s face covered in shiny red smears. “Can I have a candy cane?”
Using his thumb, he swiped the corner of her mouth, showing her the sticky streak. “Looks like you already had one.”
Innocent eyes met his. “How did you know?”
He tapped his temple. “I’m psychic.”
“What’s sidekick mean?”
As Kylie and Rachel made plans to meet for coffee in the next few days, Luke turned into a marshmallow and let Harriet have more candy. She’d be buzzing half the night, but that’s what holidays were for, right?
Not gloom and doom and mourning.
A smile took over his face as he watched Kylie and Rachel talking. Kylie was using her hands animatedly, Rachel’s touchy-feely gestures connecting the two women as much as their experiences living in New York and L.A. seemed to, if the snippets of conversation he overheard were any measure.
Calamine, Kell’s enormous Maine coon cat, made her way into the room, slinking over to the fireplace and curling up on a small braided rug. Kylie did a double take at the animal, then said something to Rachel, who gave her a sympathetic look.
A few weeks ago, Kylie had mentioned she was allergic. Good thing dogs weren’t an issue. Once she settled in with him, Jester wouldn’t be an obstacle.
Whoa, boy, he thought to himself. You’re really a goner.
The thought made him grin.
Mom walked over to him, her ginger beer half gone. She held up her bottle and tapped his glass.
“To new beginnings,” she said with a wink.
Instead of groaning, he just smiled.
Mischief filled her eyes. “To new beginnings in eighteen days.”
“You’re impossible, Mom.”
“Where do you think you inherited it from?”
Dean clapped his hands loudly for attention.
“Let’s eat!” He pointed to the table. Eight chairs were set around the big square table Luke had improvised from four smaller tables, covered with a green linen tablecloth. Tall white candles in silver candlesticks, brought from home, stood in the center, with fresh holly laid between them.
Dean and Deanna were on one side.
Kell and Rachel next.
Colleen and Harriet after them.
And, finally... Luke and Kylie.
Dennis’s absence was duly noted, and Colleen hadn’t had a long-term boyfriend in forever because of her dating curse. They’d invited Moore, but he’d decided last-minute to fly out to Minnesota to watch his son, Jordy, perform in a local A Christmas Carol production.
It was eight for Christmas.
Kylie took her place next to him, sitting nervously, her butt half in the chair.
“I should help,” she whispered. “Your mom must need some help in the kitchen, right? I don’t want them to think I’m a slacker.”
He was confused. “Why would they think that?” His hand went to her hip, encouraging her to sit. She looked around, the tips of her ears blushing red.
Her sweet embarrassment made him remember to be a gentleman again.
“Sit,” he urged her. “No need to help. Remember? If you insist, help me with dishes.” He squeezed her hand. She held his tightly.
“Okay.”
Dinner was his mother’s traditional Christmas feast. Deanna Luview had married into the famous local family and had four children. While she enjoyed large gatherings, the Luview kids also knew one truth about their mother: she enjoyed cooking alone.
Everything her way.
Woe be unto anyone who walked into the kitchen when she was multitasking. Deanna was calm, cool, and always collected, with two exceptions: when someone she loved was hurting, and while managing a big holiday dinner.
Offer to take something off a burner and you’d get a glare, a snappy comeback, or worse: a “Don’t mess up my system. Shoo!”
Push too hard and she simply snapped, “Get out.”
His mom was loving, but she was also ready to blow if someone inserted themselves into her mental plan of how the whole dinner worked.