Chapter 17
GABE
Christmas is upon us before either one of us can even blink.
This year, I’ve decided that I’d like to have Layla and my kids with me on Christmas Day.
Shockingly, their mom agreed and so she and I get to spend the day with them.
It’ll be good for my kids to be around Layla, as she’s not going anywhere.
“Ready to open presents?” I ask.
“Sure, Dad,” Kyra answers.
“Okay,” Deacon says.
Typical teenage answer, that one. It makes me smile, though. My kids are growing up so fast and they’ve become mini adults. It blows my mind how fast that’s happened. Soon, they’ll be in college.
Kyra and Deacon pile onto one couch and Layla and I sit on the other. “Who wants to go first?”
“Me!” Kyra pipes up. This is not a surprise. She’s always gone first ever since she was little. It’s become a tradition of sorts. Deacon and I gladly let her. Christmas is her favorite holiday.
“Here you go,” I say, handing her a perfectly wrapped present. I wish I could take credit for that, but I just let the people at the store work their magic. It saves time and makes the holiday a little less stressful for me.
“Dad, I love it!” Kyra squeals, holding up the present. It’s a vinyl of her favorite album. She’s big into music, same as me.
“Thank you!”
I nod, picking up another gift, for Deacon this time.”
I hand it to him and he takes it, ripping the paper open. He smiles. “Thanks, Dad,” he tells me, holding up a new glove. Last time I watched him practice, I could tell he needed a new one.
“You’re welcome, son.”
Grabbing another present, I hand it to Layla. “Here you go.”
She smiles, blushing a little. Taking the present, she gives it a little shake, making us all laugh softly. Good thing it’s not breakable. Sliding a finger under the tape, she opens her gift carefully, setting aside the paper and bow. Lifting the lid on the box, a megawatt smile lights up her face.
“Like it?”
His eyes meet mine. “I love it,” she tells me. “Thank you, Gabe.” I got her a custom Blue Valley Vipers jersey with my last name on it. She’s my woman. And now everyone else knows it.
“Let us see!” Kyra says excitedly.
Layla holds it up for them to see. I have more presents for her, but they’re NSFW, so she’ll get to open them later.
“Of course he did!” Kyra jokes, practically rolling her eyes.
“Now it’s your turn, Dad,” Deacon says, spotlight off Layla and I.
“Okay,” I tell him, grasping the box he hands me. I give it a little shake, just as Layla did.
“Just open it!” Kyra directs me, impatient.
I rip through the paper and open the box. And what I see makes my heart almost melt. It’s a picture of us three, carved into a baseball bat barrel. And if I’m not mistaken, it’s an old bat of mine. How freaking awesome is that?!
“I love it. Kyra and Deacon, thank you.” The tag said it was from both of them. And I do love it. It’s perfect.
Layla leans over and hands me a present. I untie the bow at the top and open the lid. Inside is a bottle of ultra exclusive whiskey.
“Thank you, Layla. You know me so well,” I say, smiling. I really do love top shelf whiskey.
After all the gifts are opened, Deacon has lost interest and is looking at his phone and Kyra and Layla are chatting in the kitchen.
I want to know what they’re talking about, but I also don’t want to interrupt them.
I’m so glad to see that my daughter is okay with Layla.
Not that she would hate Layla. I wasn’t worried about that.
I was a tad worried Kyra would hate the idea of Layla. But that doesn’t seem to have happened.
Eventually though, I stride into the kitchen, interrupting their candid conversation. Wrapping an arm around Layla, I smile at her. Then at Kyra. “Sorry to interrupt. But I need to get you two back to your mom’s.”
“Already? Ugg,” Kyra laments.
I concur. My time with my kids always goes by way too fast. I give her a sympathetic smile. “Get your coat on and I’ll gather up all the gifts.”
She nods and heads back into the living room. “What were you and Kyra chatting about?” I ask Layla.
“Kyra was asking me about my company. Business stuff. She seems eager to learn.”
I nod. “She’s a voracious learner. She likes to learn about almost anything. Smart as a whip, too.”
Layla smiles. “I noticed.”
Brushing a quick kiss across her lips, I murmur a quick thank you.
“No need to thank me. Your kids are great.”
I nod, giving her one last peck on the lips. “Okay. I need to drive them back to their mom’s. You want to ride along? Or would you rather stay here?”
“I think I’ll stay here.”
“I won’t be gone long.”
She nods and grabs a cookie.
“Wait for me.”
“Always.”
Layla
After Gabe gets back, we sit in front of the fire and relax listening to some of Gabe’s favorite music on vinyl. I have a glass of wine in hand and he has a glass of whiskey. Not only does the man have exquisite taste in music, but alcohol, as well.
“Today was a pretty good day,” he says.
“It was. I like your family.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I…”
“You what?” I implore.
“When I first met you, I was… I was worried that you wouldn’t even give me the time of day if you knew I had kids.”
“I see,” I reply, taking his hand in mine. “We’re grown adults. At our age, so many of us have kids. I just happened to not meet anyone and have kids. That’s all. It doesn’t mean that I don’t like them. But if you’re wanting more kids, I’m not sure I’m that woman, though.”
He snorts softly. “No, I’m not looking to have more kids. I have two and that’s enough. I love you exactly as you are Layla.”
My heart melts. “Same for me. I love you, Gabe, just as you are. Never change,” I tell him, pecking him on the lips.
“But… I have to say, I’ve never worked this little.
I’m usually a workaholic, filling all my time with work.
And I’ll probably do that once you leave to go back to Blue Valley for the season. ”
He smiles and pecks me on the lips back. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
We both relax and sip our drinks. Life is good.