Wicked Whiskey Love

by Melissa Foster

  As Bradley and Red made plans, Bullet looked across the table at Sarah and said, “So, what’s it like to date the good one?”

  Sarah looked at Bones. “What does that mean?”

  “Most families have one kid who always does the right thing,” Bullet explained. “Bones was that kid.”

  She sat up a little straighter, ready to stand up for her man—although standing up for him by outing him for doing something bad was weird, she felt oddly proud to have the knowledge to do it. “Just for the record, I love that he’s a good person. There’s nothing wrong with being good. But if you’re implying that good means not tough, you’re wrong. My bad-boy boyfriend s-t-o-l-e a car once.”

  “No way,” Penny said. “I can’t even imagine that.”

  “I can. Bones is a badass,” Quincy said.

  “Bad boy.” Isabel said as Kennedy said, “Quincy said a bad word!”

  Jed laughed. “Nice job, Quince.”

  Bullet’s lips quirked, amusement filling his dark eyes as he looked at Sarah and said, “Is that what Bones told you?”

  “Yes, he did.” She looked at Bones and said, “Right?”

  Bones closed his eyes, shaking his head.

  “You didn’t?” she asked. “But you said…”

  “No, darlin’. I did.”

  “Oh no.” She lowered her voice to a whisper and asked, “Was it a secret?”

  He shook his head. “No. They all know.”

  Now she was confused. Why was he acting so weird?

  “Bones did s-t-e-a-l a vehicle, which was a bad thing to do,” Dixie said. “But the reason he took it made it pretty forgivable.”

  “What does that mean?” Sarah asked.

  “It was the summer I told you about, when Thomas was sick,” Bones explained. “Near the end, all he wanted was to spend the night on his dad’s boat. I snuck out late at night for a week straight and taught myself to drive my old man’s car. Then one night when everyone was asleep, I took the car, snuck Thomas out of the hospital, and brought him to his father’s boat. I loaded him up with blankets, and we lay there like we’d pulled off the greatest heist ever.”

  “You did,” Bullet said, sounding a little choked up. “You gave that boy what he wanted. You made his last days the best they could be.”

  Tears welled in Sarah’s eyes.

  “Darn pregnancy hormones,” Crystal said, wiping her tears with a napkin.

  “What’s my excuse?” Dixie asked, wiping her own eyes.

  “You’re human,” Scott answered.

  “You know what that makes him?” Sarah was talking to Bullet but looking into the eyes of her big-hearted, bad-boy good-boy boyfriend.

  “A damn good man,” Bullet answered.

  Sarah, still looking at Bones, said, “You took the words right out of my mouth.”

  “Why is everyone crying?” Kennedy asked. “Should I be sad, too?”

  “No, baby,” Gemma said. “They’re happy tears.”

  That led to a long discussion between Bradley and Kennedy about things that made them happy, which brought Sarah’s mind back to Josie.

  Bones put his hand on her thigh beneath the table and leaned closer, whispering, “How are you holding up? Is it too noisy for you?”

  The commotion never stopped, which was fun, exciting, and all around wonderful. She wasn’t going to let her longing ruin anyone else’s night. “No. I love it.”

  “And I love you.” He leaned in with a sweet kiss. “Thinking about Josie?”

  She nodded. “But I don’t want to talk about that. Did I tell you that we didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving when we were growing up?” She glanced at Scott, who was busy talking with Jed. “Our parents said it was just another day of the year. I always wondered what it would be like to celebrate, and this was better than I could have dreamed.”

  His eyes turned serious, and as if he’d read her thoughts, he said, “Mark my words. Next year Josie and her children will be with us.”

  “I hope you’re right.” And I love you even more for saying that.

  “We’re also going to make sure the kids have the best holidays—every single one of them—so they learn the meaning of holidays.”

  “Yes, we will,” Biggs said from the head of the table, his eyes on them. “All these kids will know the meaning of holidays.”

  “And just what is the meaning of this holiday, Pop?” Bear asked.

  Biggs stroked his beard, his dark gaze moving slowly around the table, finally landing on Bear again with a slow, uneven grin. “Son, if you don’t know, then you haven’t earned the right to be a father yet. And it’s just that. A right.”

  Bear scoffed and put a hand on Crystal’s belly.

  “I was kidding you, old man,” Bear said. “Technically speaking, we’re commemorating the harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrims, but realistically, it’s a great excuse to get together with these mangy men, beautiful women, and adorable babies and remember all the things in life we’re thankful for.”

  “I’m thankful for Uncle Boney and Lila!” Kennedy announced.

  “Why is that, princess?” Truman asked.

  “Because it’s their birthday and Aunt Finlay made my favowite cake!” Kennedy turned toward Finlay and said, “I’m thankful for you and Uncle Bullet, too, and Tink and…” She went around the table naming everyone, proving what a sweet girl she was. “And I even like the agerlin-fwee dinner!”

  “Allergen-free, honey,” Gemma corrected her. “And I like it, too.”

  Scott said, “Thank you for a delicious dinner.”

  “And for making things I could eat,” Sarah added.

  “Have you always been allergic to so many things?” Crystal asked.

  “I honestly don’t know when it started or how it progressed,” Sarah said. “Scott, do you remember?”

  Scott shook his head. “You had peanut butter when you were little and we ended up in the emergency room. I remember Dad complaining about the cost of the visit, and when we got home he threw out a bunch of stuff that the doctor said you could also be allergic to. But I can’t remember exactly when that was.”

  “Scott, are you allergic to anything?” Jed asked.

  “Nope.”

  “They must have tested Sarah in the hospital,” Bones said. “But most kids outgrow food allergies, especially some of what you’re allergic to—dairy, eggs—whereas other food allergies, like nuts, tend to persist.”

  “Have you been tested as an adult?” Penny asked. “Imagine if you’re not actually allergic to dairy. You’d be able to eat ice cream.” Her eyes lit up and she said, “If you do get tested and you can have dairy, come down to the shop and I’ll create a special sundae just for you. The Sinfully Delicious Sarah Sundae!”

  “I’m not sure I want other dudes eating that,” Bones said, earning chuckles around the table.

  “Bones,” Sarah whispered.

  “Seriously, babe,” Bones said. “Let them get their own sinfully delicious girl. You’re mine.”

  How could she argue with that?

  “But Penny’s got a point,” he said. “We should talk to an allergist. They can’t test you while you’re pregnant, but it’s worth looking into, even if you have to wait until the baby’s born. Maybe you’ve outgrown some of your allergies.”

  “I’m so used to eating this way, I’m not sure I’d know how to cook any differently.”

  “Fin and I can show you,” Isabel offered.

  “It would make things easier and less expensive,” Sarah said. “But what if nothing has changed? Then I’ve wasted the money on the tests.”

  “I think your doctor-boyfriend can swing the hundred bucks,” Bear quipped.

  Bones glared at him, then turned a softer look to Sarah. “It could change your life, and if not, then at least we’ll know.”

  “This seems to be the year of change for me,” Sarah relented. “Why not?”

  A YEAR OF change was exactly what it was turning out to be for everyon
e, and Bones had no complaints. He and the rest of the guys joked around as everyone cleared the table and he and Bullet did the dishes. Afterward, he headed upstairs with Bullet and Bear to get the presents he’d bought for the kids.

  “What the hell did you buy?” Bear asked as he loaded his arms with presents.

  “A better question would be, what didn’t he buy?” Bullet said. “What’s that Pack ’n Play for?”

  “Lila. We’re staying here tonight.”

  Bear smirked. “You bought all this crap and you couldn’t afford a real crib?”

  “Of course I can, you ass. I just didn’t think Sarah was ready for me to push that hard.” The truth was, he’d wanted to buy a crib, but Dixie had pointed that out about Sarah and had stopped him from doing it.

  “Probably smart,” Bear said. “But I don’t know how all this Daddy Warbucks stuff is going to go over.”

  Bones glared at him. “What’d you guys get them?”

  “A few toys,” Bear said. “Not the whole store.”

  “I couldn’t just buy for Lila. Bradley, Kennedy, and Lincoln would feel left out.” Bones grabbed the gift he’d gotten Sarah and met Bullet’s confused eyes. “What?”

  “Now we’re going to look bad,” Bullet grumbled. “Fin said it teaches kids the wrong things if you give them presents on other kids’ birthdays.”

  Bones looked down at the gifts. “Shit. Really?” They both looked at Bear. “What’d you do?”

  “Dude, I have no idea. Crystal went shopping with Gemma. I have no idea what she bought or who it was for.”

  “Goddamn it.” Bones went into the hall and looked down from the loft. Sarah sat on the couch with Lila standing at her feet, waving her stuffed hedgehog. Bradley was lying beside Tinkerbell on the floor, scratching her belly. He pulled out his phone and took a picture. A snapshot of his happiness.

  “Hey, Ma,” Bones called down. Red, Gemma, and Sarah all looked up. “Sorry. Red, we need you for a sec.”

  “This should be interesting.” Red handed Gemma her wineglass and headed upstairs. “What can’t my big, brawny boys handle on their own?”

  Bones nodded toward the bedroom, where Bullet and Bear had their arms full of presents.

  Red stifled a laugh. “Y’all look scared. What’d you do or break?”

  “One of us might have screwed up,” Bones said. “I bought presents for all four of the kids.”

  Bullet cleared his throat and said, “I only bought presents for Lila.”

  “And you?” she asked Bear.

  “I have no idea what we bought,” he said sheepishly.

  “What did you do with us?” Bones asked. “Did we all get gifts on each other’s birthdays when we were little?”

  Red flashed the kind of smile that said she loved them even though they were all clueless. “Y’all shared your gifts. There was no need to buy four of everything. Whenever one of you got something, you wanted to share it with the others, and if you didn’t, then Bullet glared at you until you gave in.”

  Bear and Bullet looked just as confused as Bones felt. “So…?”

  She patted Bones’s cheek and said, “Your heart is overflowing, and it’s showing in everything you do. There’s nothing wrong with that. But in this case, less might be more. Kids can get overwhelmed when given too much.”

  “Not to mention spoiled,” Bear said quietly.

  Bones glared at him. “They can also feel like they aren’t important if you don’t care enough to do the shopping.”

  “You saying I fucked up?” Bear put down the gifts and stuck out his chest.

  “I’m saying these kids are family, and you don’t leave it up to your wife to pick out the gifts. You do it together.”

  Bullet nodded in confirmation. “He’s right, dude.”

  “Excuse the fuck out of me. I was a little busy with this.” Bear whipped an envelope out of his pocket and shoved it in Bones’s hand.

  “What’s this?” He opened the envelope and withdrew a computerized drawing of something he’d never seen. It had the front of a motorcycle and the back end of a sports car with sides and a roof around three rear seats.

  “It’s a family motor-trike-car,” Bear said as Bullet and Red leaned in to see. “I haven’t picked out a name yet, but I figured it was only a matter of time before Bradley and Lila were begging for rides. And I know you. No matter how much you love your bike, you’re not putting those kids on your lap for a ride. This will have five-point harnesses in the back. I know you need five seats, but I can’t do it.”

  Overwhelmed, Bones took a moment before saying, “You designed this for me?”

  “Yeah. It’ll take a long time to bring it to life, but that’s why I didn’t go shopping. I’ve been spending my extra time trying to figure out what to get the guy who has everything.”

  “Christ, Bear. I’m sorry, man.” He pulled him into an embrace. “This is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I’ll fund it. No need for you to do all that.”

  “Bobby…” Red hugged him. “You’re so thoughtful.”

  “He’s fucking awesome,” Bullet snapped. “Makes me look like a cheapskate. Our gift to Bones is watching the kids so he and Sarah can fuck like—”

  “Brandon!” Red snapped.

  The guys chuckled.

  “Sorry,” Bullet grumbled. “But we still don’t have an answer about the four kids getting presents. There’s no Bullet down there, and Lila’s only a year old. She doesn’t know about sharing.”

  Thinking of the bath-time duck war, Bones said, “I have an idea. We need to teach them to share, but from what I’ve learned, sometimes you need to distract or trade. They need gifts to trade, right? So we each give the four kids a gift. I’ve got enough to go around. I’ll save the rest for Christmas.”

  “But what if that doesn’t teach them to share? Fin may not like this,” Bullet said.

  “Before we hand over the presents, we tell them they have to share,” Bear suggested. “And that if they want to play with someone else’s toy, they have to offer a trade. And no fighting.”

  They all agreed and clapped each other on the back.

  “Seems like you didn’t need me at all,” Red said as she left the room.

  They stowed the extra gifts in the closet and headed downstairs, each armed with four gifts except Bones, who also carried Sarah’s.

  After a round of “Happy Birthday” and a lesson in sharing, the kids tore through their presents. The next hour was a cacophony of joy as they played with each other’s toys.

  Bradley shot up to his feet and ran to the backpack they’d brought from Sarah’s house, which was lying beside the couch. He dug around in it and ran over to the couch where Bones and Sarah were sitting.

  “Happy birthday, Bones!” Bradley scrambled into his lap and handed Bones a crushed, rolled-up paper. “We made it for you.”

  “You made me a birthday present?” He glanced at Sarah and mouthed, Thank you.

  Bradley nodded as Bones unrolled the paper. On it were Bradley’s and Lila’s handprints in red paint and lots of colorful scribbles, along with four stick figures. Each of the stick figures had long bodies, short arms and legs, and three fingers on each hand. One had scribbles of yellow for hair and a big, almost-round belly.

  “That’s you, me, Lila, and Mommy.” Bradley pointed to the belly. “And that’s the baby.” Bones was drawn much taller than the others, and Lila was barely as tall as Bradley’s waist. Bones was written in crooked letters across the top of the paper with a backward S.

  “I’ve never seen a more beautiful drawing. I love it. Thank you,” he said, meeting Sarah’s proud gaze. “Tomorrow we’ll buy a frame and hang it on the wall.”

  “Yay!” Bradley scrambled off the couch and ran back to the toys.

  Sarah leaned closer and whispered, “You don’t have to hang it up. He won’t notice.”

  “Oh, we’re hanging it up, because I’ll notice.” He reached around the side of the couch for the gift he’d gotte
n her and set it in her lap. “Is Lila’s sweet mama ready for her birthday gift?”

  “It’s not my birthday,” she said with surprise.

  “You gave birth to that beautiful girl. That makes it your birthday, too.”

  “You spoil me,” she said. “I have one for you, too, but I wanted to give it to you next Friday, on your actual birthday.”

  “Sounds perfect. I took off half a day off. I thought we’d pick out a Christmas tree.”

  “Now, that sounds perfect,” she said and began opening her present.

  Bradley ran over and helped her tear off the paper. “You got a present, too?”

  “What’s going on over here?” Penny asked, and everyone gathered around as Sarah and Bradley opened her gift. Quincy draped an arm over Penny’s shoulder, but she shrugged it off.

  “Bones is spoiling me.” Sarah lifted the box top, and everyone crowded in for a better look.

  She withdrew the photo book Hawk had made using the pictures he’d taken at the wedding. The picture on the cover was of Sarah sitting beneath the floral altar with Lila in her lap and Bradley on his knees, holding her hand. Both of them were looking at Lila, who was gazing over Bradley’s shoulder. Bones knew Lila had been looking at him. He remembered every single one of the fifty shots in the book.

  Sarah ran her fingers over the lettering above the picture, which read OUR BEAUTIFUL LIFE. She looked at Bones with teary eyes, but she didn’t say a word. Her lower lip trembled, and he knew she was trying hard to hold it together.

  He squeezed her hand and said, “I know.”

  “That’s the sweetest picture,” Gemma said.

  “I want one of these when we have kids,” Finlay said, cuddling against Bullet’s massive body.

  Bullet put his arm around her and said, “Anything you want, lollipop.”

  Sarah took her time admiring each picture, then glancing up at Bones as everyone made appreciative comments. About halfway through the book she said, “Where are the pictures of you?”

  “Keep going,” he said, glad she wanted to include him.

  The girls oohed and aahed, telling Sarah how beautiful she and the children were as she flipped from one page to the next, her eyes catching his every few seconds. But all Bones could think about was how he wanted to see her in white, walking down the aisle toward him.