Nicole Edwards: Holidays With the Walker Brothers

Glancing into the living room, trying to avoid eye contact with her naughty fiancé who was trying to get his brothers riled up, she noticed that the guys had moved on to the next holiday as well.

Somehow V had commandeered the most coveted seat in the kitchen. From her perch at the table, she had an unobstructed view of the guys moving around the living room. Along with the constant movement that was distracting in its own right, V had tried her best not to ogle all of that glorious cowboy muscle. Didn’t seem to matter that she was head over heels in love with Zane, she still wasn’t dead. But what woman wouldn’t feel like she had died and gone to heaven as she watched them work?

Not only that, but she had been listening to them teasing each other, grumbling and laughing as they sorted through box after box of holiday stuff. Despite their feigned disinterest in the task of putting up the Christmas decorations, they were all smiling. Well, all of the brothers except Sawyer and Kaleb, because they had dragged their father outside a short while ago. For what, V had no idea.

“What do you think, V? Would your mother come?” Lorrie’s soft voice pulled V back to where she was supposed to be, and she glanced up at her future mother-in-law.

“I’m sorry, what?” Way to go, Vanessa. Ignoring the future mother-in-law because you’re eyeing her boys probably wouldn’t earn you kudos.

Lorrie laughed sweetly, and V smiled in return, thankful that Lorrie was such a warm, forgiving person.

“Do you think Regina would join us for Christmas dinner?”

“Oh, I’m sure she’d be honored,” V answered, glancing around the table at her friends. For months, her mother had been walking the straight and narrow. And honestly, V was proud to say that the relationship she had been denied with her mother during her childhood was finally strengthening to a point where V didn’t feel like she was an afterthought. And though Regina had declined the Walker’s invitation for Thanksgiving, V didn’t see her mother doing it again at Christmas. She hoped.

For the first time, V noticed that Lorrie was actually making a list, but she couldn’t see exactly what she was putting on the page. Guests for Christmas, maybe?

“Wonderful. And what about your parents, Kylie? Do you think Joe and Melissa would join us?”

V watched Kylie as she nodded her head in agreement, also sneaking a glimpse into the living room over V’s shoulder. The woman had barely let Travis and Gage out of her sight, and that dreamy expression on her face was one V recognized all too well. She’d seen it in the mirror a lot in the past year.

“I’m sure they’d be thrilled. We don’t have much of a Christmas tradition, so I doubt it would take much to convince them to come down.”

“And Zoey, you can let your dad know he doesn’t have a choice,” Lorrie said with a chuckle.

“Will do,” Zoey responded quickly, her eyes alight with the same glow that was on her face. “I’m sure he’ll grumble, but I’ll make sure he’s here.”

Sitting here with the ladies she’d come to think of as family, V felt a strange sensation that buzzed in her veins. Something akin to the intoxicating effect of alcohol, although she certainly wasn’t drunk.

It was crazy what a year could bring. At this time last year, V was suffering from panic attacks and worrying whether Zane was actually going to live or die after he’d been nearly beaten to death right in her front yard. And now, she was filled to overflowing with the love of family. So not only was she enjoying the spirit of the holidays and eternally grateful for all of the blessings in her life, but for V, this was also going to be the first year that Christmas wouldn’t equate to a turkey and mashed potatoes TV dinner.

It wasn’t that she disliked the holidays, but her mother never had been big on the tradition which meant V would normally fend for herself. Since she moved out on her own many years ago, she never bothered her mother during the holidays, preferring not to get involved in whatever short term relationship Regina had going at the time. Without any other family, that usually meant a quiet night at home with her microwave and her television as her only company.

Then again, that was her way of wallowing in her own self-pity because Zoey was usually insisting that she join her.

But this year… this year was different. Her life had changed in significant ways and spending the holidays with her family and friends was actually on the top of her priority list.

Peeking into the living room, she noticed Zane piecing together the artificial tree, mouthing off at his brothers as was usual these days. He was bending over at the waist, and V took a second to admire his sexy ass encased in those well-worn jeans he favored. She made a mental note to have him lose the shirt when he put up their tree. Mmmm…

A few feet away from Zane, Travis and Gage were pulling out strands and strands of Christmas lights while they appeared to be having a serious conversation. Their brief glances into the kitchen told V they were probably talking about Kylie.

On the far side of the room, closest to the fireplace, Beau and Ethan were taking ornaments housed in large plastic bins out of another box, and the twins were sorting other boxes, presumably those that contained outdoor decorations, maybe?

The back door creaked open, causing the women to go silent as they turned toward the noise.

“Where’re you boys at? Get it in gear. Your brothers are out here bitchin’,” Curtis called when he stuck his head in the back door. “Sorry, ladies,” he added with a cheeky grin.

V laughed with the others at the table and watched as Brendon and Braydon gathered up as many boxes as they could fit in their arms before heading toward the kitchen.

“I think Zane was onto something. Why do we do this on Thanksgiving?” Brendon muttered to his twin as they passed through the kitchen, a smirk on his face.

V immediately glanced over at Lorrie to see their mother grinning. “They moan and groan about it every year, but in case you didn’t notice, their father and I never even mentioned putting up the tree or the lights.”

Another round of laughter erupted at the table.

V hadn’t even realized it, but Lorrie was right. No one had instructed the men to move on to the Christmas decorating, although Zane had already informed her before they came over that it was a tradition for them to put up the tree on Thanksgiving evening.

She had to admit, she was rather fond of this tradition, and it would seem that the Walker brothers were too, even if they liked to make everyone think otherwise.

Her mind was filled with thoughts of her first Christmas with Zane. They had to get a tree, ornaments, lights; the whole nine yards. And going out to find the perfect gift for him was something she was anxiously waiting for.

That, and maybe a little extra attention for Zane since, based on the heated look he was sending her, he was looking forward to a different form of celebration entirely.

♂♂♂♂♂♂♂

Sawyer

He was pretty sure he had mentioned before just how much he hated ladders. More than once at that. So why was it that he was hanging on to the gutter while attaching tiny plastic clips that were too small for his fingers to control?

“Damn, dude, you gonna take all day?” Kaleb muttered from the safety and security of the ground below.

Sawyer didn’t turn to look at him because heights just weren’t his thing and he happened to like the way his head looked right there on his shoulders. No point in trying to rearrange his anatomy by falling to the ground at this point.

Pushing the next clip in place, Sawyer tugged the strand of lights that were half hanging off of the roof, half strung around the ladder and clipped them in place. Hell, he hoped these damn things actually lit up because, if he had to guess, Kaleb hadn’t bothered to check that out before tossing an end up to him.