Authors: Lacey Black
“Hey,” Will says behind me from the doorway of my bedroom.
“Hi,” I reply, smiling over my shoulder. Will’s eyes are even bluer than normal, which seems impossible, and they’re trained on me. He takes in my hair, my face, my tight red sweater, and my dark skinny jeans.
Without a word, he stalks towards me until he’s directly in front of me. Heat from his body radiates off of him like a furnace. That or my core temperature just skyrocketed with his mere presence. Will’s lips find mine moments later. The room, the fact that my son is a room away, it all just fades away. This? Being pulled against his body with his lips caressing and conveying his pleasure is all that registers right now.
“Are you ready?” he asks against my lips, his breath fanning against my flush cheeks.
“Yes,” I whisper, not caring that we’re probably talking about two different things.
“I hope you don’t mind but I got Zach a present,” he says as he places another feather light kiss on my pulse point. I shiver at the contact, forgetting everything else again. It’s like my brain shuts down in his presence.
“Huh?” I ask as my entire body uncontrollably trembles.
Will’s chuckles against my neck pull me out of my desire-induced trance.
“Why did you get him a gift?” I ask, pulling back reluctantly.
“Because he’s my little buddy and I know he’ll like it,” he replies, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.
“You didn’t have to get him anything. You’ve already done enough gift giving,” I say, placing my hands firmly on my hips.
“I know I didn’t, but I wanted to. Come on, let’s go,” he says as he walks back out into the living room with me following closely at his heels.
“Mom! Will got me a Christmas present! Can I open it now?” Zach asks excitedly.
“Sure,” I tell him as I pull our coats out of the front closet.
Zach rips into the decent sized box and pulls open the flaps. His face freezes in shock as he stares down at whatever is in the box.
Will laughs from his place next to me. “You can take it out,” he encourages with another laugh.
“I can’t. I don’t want to touch it,” Zach says without moving his brown eyes from the contents of the box.
“What is it?” I ask, stepping forwards to get my first glimpse at the gift inside.
“It’s…it’s…it’s the best present ever,” Zach whispers and finally pulls the basketball out of the box.
I walk up beside him, not fully understanding the boy’s obsession with another basketball, and that’s when I see it. It’s not just any basketball. This one is a basketball with black ink all over it. And not just any ink. Signatures.
“This is signed by the Missouri Belters,” Zach says as he turns it around in his hands, taking in each and every signature on the ball.
“It sure is,” Will says happily. “And here,” he adds as he pulls an envelope out of his coat pocket.
Zach reluctantly hands me the ball to take the envelope from Will. His hands practically shake as he opens it up and pulls three tickets out of the white envelope. “Are you serious?” he asks Will, his entire face lighting up brighter than the sun.
“Dead serious,” Will replies with an equally excited face.
“Mom, we’re going to see the Belters next month!” Zach exclaims to me, throwing his arms around the man who gifted him with the best present ever. Their embrace strikes me like lightening in my tracks. “I can’t believe we’re going to see the Belters. And they’re courtside seats,” Zach adds. “I can’t wait to tell Dad!”
I look up at the man who has made my son the happiest I’ve ever seen him. I should be jealous by the fact that I’m suddenly second fiddle, but honestly? I’m grateful. I’ve never seen Zach so excited about something and know without a shadow of a doubt that Will will follow through. Zach doesn’t have to worry about the letdown. Zach can enjoy this gift of courtside seats, and in return, I can enjoy the gift that Will has given me. My son’s utter and shear happiness.
“Let’s go before Jake eats all of the appetizers,” Will says as he pulls us out the front door.
I remain quiet the entire trip to Will’s parent’s house. Zach talks a mile a minute about going to St. Charles in January for the game. He and Will are busy making plans for the evening including a hotdog dinner at the arena and souvenirs. My mind, on the other hand, is wondering how in the world I’m going to tell Will thank you without bursting into tears or confessing crazy feelings that I’ve started to feel…and hide.
Will pulls the car up a long driveway on the outskirts of town. The house is large and immaculate with a perfect wrap-around porch full of Christmas lights. There are several vehicles in the driveway, and I’m instantly nervous. I know that Will comes from a large family and I know they will all be here tonight. I start to fidget and am considering making up some excuse so that Will has to take Zach and I home. This feels too domestic. Too close. Too right.
“What’s wrong?” Will asks as he shuts off his car.
“I just don’t know if this is the best idea,” I confess.
“It’s fine,” Will replies, turning my shoulders to face him. “You’re my friend. Yes, my boss, but you’re my friend tonight. A friend that didn’t have anywhere else to go, and the thought of my friend spending Christmas at home alone tonight was unthinkable. So, get your sweet little ass out of my car before I have to spank it,” he says deadpanned while my eyes are as wide as dinner plates. I throw quick glance over my shoulder to the backseat and realize that Zach has already left the car. Thank God.
“Come on. Zach is already halfway up the sidewalk,” Will says before opening his door. Zach and I help gather the presents from the trunk before we head to the Stevens house.
Will doesn’t knock, just throws the door open and holds it open for us. The sounds of laughter fill the entire house as we step inside the foyer.
“Someone’s here,” a young girl yells from the living room moments before the blond haired girl comes barreling around the corner. “Uncle Will!” she exclaims as she throws herself against Will’s legs.
“Hey, Bean. Merry Christmas,” Will says as he tries to crouch down without dropping any of the packages.
“Sounds like Will,” I hear a woman say over my shoulder. The young petite blond I recall from the emergency room walks in the room carrying a small child, and it’s not hard to miss the shock registered on her pretty face.
“Hey, Ave,” Will says as he leans over and kisses her on the cheek. “This is my friend, Carmen, and her son, Zach,” Will says as way of introduction. “My little sister, Avery, my niece, Brooklyn – or Bean as we like to call her – and my nephew, Ryder,” Will says as he ruffles the hair on the young child.
“Hello,” Avery says with a polite head nod.
“Hi,” I respond just as an older woman walks into the foyer.
“William, you’re here. And I’m so glad you brought friends,” she says with a very pleasant smile. “I’m Elizabeth, Will’s mom.”
“Carmen,” I respond, extending my hand. The blond woman in front of me grabs it, but pulls me into her embrace. I practically drop the box I’m holding as I’m pulled into the fierce hug. She quickly releases me only to give Zach the exact same treatment. The look on his face is a little comical. Apparently, twelve-year-olds don’t take too kindly to strange women hugging them. Just wait, Zach…
“Will, you go put all of the presents around the tree,” Elizabeth says as she takes the box from my hand and stacks it up on the ones Will is already holding. “Let me take your coat, dear, and you can join me and the ladies in the kitchen. Zach, you make yourself at home and play with anything you find, okay?”
Mrs. Stevens helps remove my coat before anyone can say anything. She grabs my hand and gently tugs me towards her spacious kitchen. Inside, a few women are lingering around appetizers sitting on the island.
“Ladies, please say hello to Carmen. She came with Will,” Mrs. Stevens says with a little smirk. The very pregnant redhead at the island grins from ear to ear while the two brunettes give each other knowing glances and mysterious smiles.
“Hi, I’m Lia,” the brunette on the left says as she sticks out her hand. “I’m engaged to Nate,” she adds politely.
“I’m Josselyn, but you can call me Joss. I’m married to the younger brother, Travis,” she confirms with a warm smile.
“And I’m Erin,” the redhead on the stool says as she shovels a heaping mound of dip on a cracker in her mouth. “This is twin A and twin B, and they are starving,” she adds with a full-mouthed grin that makes her look like a chipmunk. An adorable chipmunk.
“You met Avery when you arrived, correct?” Mrs. Stevens says as Will’s little sister walks in the room minus the adorable child.
“Yes, hello,” I say nodding towards the women.
“So…” Joss says as she leans in towards me like I’m about to share my life’s secrets. Her word is left completely open and her eyes are sparkling with the need for gossip.
“So…” I start, not really knowing where this conversation – or lack of conversation – is going. I fidget under their intense, but friendly, scrutiny. I’m used to being the boss and having attention diverted towards me, but this is a little extreme. It’s actually the complete opposite of what I’m used to.
“How did you and Will meet?” Lia asks.
“We, um, work together,” I confirm. All five ladies give me head nods and smiles as if I had just said so much more than I really said. What is up with them? I’m sure that Will hasn’t mentioned me before, yet they are making it seem like they know that we’re so much more than co-workers. The thought makes me squirm.
Moments later, a group of large men all walk into the kitchen. They range from tall and broad to tall and lean, but one thing is clear: they are all brothers. Will, the only one wearing glasses, is within the mix.
The tallest one walks straight over to the appetizers and makes a huge plate. I watch as the little redhead on the stool helps herself to everything he’s dishing out on the plate.
“For me?” she sasses as she takes the bacon wrapped sausage link he just put on the plate.
“Of course, darlin’,” he responds with a smile before placing a kiss on her lips.
“That’s my oldest brother, Jake, and Erin,” Will says next to me. “Nate and Lia,” he adds, pointing to the couple with their arms around each other on the other side of the room. “That’s Travis there with my nephew, Grant, and Maddox just walked in with their little guy, Ryder.”
Will’s family is big and almost overwhelming. Of course, I’ve seen them all before when Will’s father was brought to the emergency department, but now is so very different. I’m never going to remember all of these names now that the men are mixed in. I just thought I had all of the women nailed down, but now, I’m overwhelmed again.
“Where’s Zach?” I ask under my breath.
“He’s in the living room with my dad and Bean.”
“So, you must be Will’s friend?” the tallest brother says politely next to me. I didn’t even hear him walk up.
“Hi, I’m Carmen,” I say, shaking his huge paw. Seriously, the man has the biggest hands I’ve ever seen.
“Jake,” he says casually, yet the ornery grin tells me otherwise. “I think I’ve seen you around the hospital,” he adds with that calm, calculated demeanor.
“Maybe,” I say, not confirming or denying.
“Yeah, I remember you,” he adds with a glint in his blue eyes. “So, Will, how’s work going?” Jake asks, turning his attention towards his brother.
“Good,” Will replies.
“How’s the boss? Still a ball-busting, raging bitch in heels?” he asks with a not-so-innocent smile. Oh, he’s trying to pull off innocent, but you can tell this man is far too charming and knows exactly what he’s doing.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Will mumbles and stumbles before looking down.
“Hey, those are your words, not mine,” Jake says casually. “I mean, I’ve never met the woman, but if your description is any indication of her, it’s probably a good thing I’ve never met her, huh? She sounds completely impossible to work with,” he says barely able to contain his smile.
Will, on the other hand, looks mad enough to spit nails. “Jake,” he says, seemingly defeated as he shakes his head from side to side. “This is Carmen, my boss.”
Jake laughs. “Yeah, I know. I just wanted to piss you off,” he says just before winking at me, slapping Will on the back, and walking away, laughing.
“Ball-busting, raging bitch in heels?” I ask, barely able to contain my own smile.
“I… no, it’s just… shit.”
I give a full belly laugh at Will’s discomfort. “It’s okay, William. I know what everyone says about me at work.”
“No, it’s not okay. I shouldn’t have said that about you,” he says, his blue eyes piercing into my soul. “That was before I knew you. I mean, really knew you, Carmen. I’m sorry I said that,” he says as he strokes my lower back.
“It’s okay, really. I’ve never let anyone see the real me before, only the persona I show at work.”
“I’d just like to say that you are nothing like the person you are at work,” he says, his thumb rubbing dangerously close to the bottom of my sweater.
“Dinner’s ready,” Mrs. Stevens announces from behind the island breaking our private little moment.
Everyone grabs bowls, platters, and pans of food as we slowly make our way toward the dining room. The room is festively decorated with holly and berries in the center of the table. The table may actually be the biggest table I’ve ever seen. It spans the entire length of the room, wooden and folding chairs are lined up closely on all sides. I try to hang back and wait until everyone takes their places at the table, but Will places his warm hand on my lower back and guides me towards a seat.
“Sit here. Zach can sit on the other side of you,” he says.
“I don’t want to take anyone’s seat,” I defend, looking around at all of the other couples grabbing a place at the table.
“This is your spot. They added this chair next to mine,” he says with a wink.
Zach comes in with the older man that I recall from the hospital and starts to tell me all about some show on television. He just starts to get excited about his story when the food starts to pass from person to person. I’ve never seen such a huge array of delicious food, and the aroma practically leaves me salivating. There’s turkey and honey glazed ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn and green bean casserole, and these big, fluffy rolls that smell like heaven.