The kids were playing with toys, and Tate had managed to wrangle them to sing “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer.” There were plenty of friends dropping by too. T.K. and Logan, who were working on their relationship, arrived together with the other scarcely seen Holbrook son, Austin. Cal brought his girlfriend Jenna. Kendrick and Rusty stopped by for the football game the guys were going to play before dinner. Russ Winterbourne even stopped by to tell John Jacob he appreciated the family coming over the previous night to help out. It was a tense exchange, but John Jacob ended up shaking the man’s hand and bidding him a Merry Christmas.
The party was still in full swing when the doorbell rang again. This time Channing insisted on answering it. A few minutes later, he returned to the living room. “We have one more surprise. Looks who’s here.”
Everyone was pleasantly surprised when Joy and Isaiah turned the corner. Cassidy rushed over and gave them both a bone-crushing hug.
“What are you doing here?” Cassidy beamed. “I missed you so much.”
“We missed you too. My folks had planned a cruise to Alaska with friends almost two years ago. They offered to cancel or take us with them, but I wouldn’t let them. And Scooter had the lead part in the school holiday play, and I was in charge of the refreshments, so I didn’t want to tear him away from that. He’d practiced so hard and was looking forward to it. Structure is very important for a kid,” Joy said.
“Don’t you sound like a grown-up?” Cassidy said, grinning. “Tell me everything. I want to know what’s new in your life.”
“Something must have changed. You’re glowing.” Anna Beth noticed Joy doing a discreet scan of the room. Something must have pleased her, because she flashed a big smile and waved, then focused back on Cassidy.
“We’ll have a long talk tomorrow.” Joy gave them an enigmatic smile. “But everything is good.”
“That’s nice that you’re getting involved. Are you getting any more flak from the other parents?”
Cassidy had mentioned that Joy’s unconditional style had turned many a head at first. But she’d ignored the looks and went on with her life. She said Joy was finally unapologetically comfortable in her own skin. Which helped make a better mom to her Scooter.
“I try. I still get strange looks from the other parents, but who cares. They can stick it—” Joy stopped when she saw her son looking up at her. “They can take their opinions elsewhere.”
“Good going, Mom.” Isaiah smiled.
“We have Red to thank for the visit.” She punched Channing on the arm. “He sent a plane for us. I asked him to keep quiet so we could surprise you. Where are the triplets? I want to squeeze those adorable cheeks.”
“They’re somewhere being spoiled rotten.” Cassidy looked around. “Ah, they’re taking a photo with their Grandpa.”
“I’ve studied the photos you sent. I bet I can tell who’s who,” Joy mused.
“Good luck with that. I still get confused,” Channing replied.
“You look great. Both of you.” Cassidy bent down so she was eye-level with Isaiah. “Let me have a look at you, mister. I think you’ve grown two inches and gained a pound since I last saw you.”
“I gained four pounds,” he said proudly.
“Isaiah!” The kids rushed over and offered hugs, then they went off to play.
“It’s so wonderful that you were able to make it.” Teri-Lyn said. “We have presents for you under the tree.”
“Anna Beth.” Joy hugged her. “How’s my other guardian angel?”
“I’m doing great.”
“I’d love to have lunch with you before we go back to Utah.”
“I’d like that.”
“I have a few tattoo jobs lined up, but I’ll be free for the most part.”
“Really? Who are you inking? Did I say that right?” Anna Beth laughed.
“Yes. Riley Sloane is having a tattoo party for a few friends. I’ll be doing them at Parker and Avery’s place. I’ve been in high demand since he mentioned my name in that interview. I’ve had a few people travel to Utah to the shop where I work and ask for me.”
“That’s wonderful,” Cassidy said.
“And money in my pocket for school.” Joy beamed. She hugged Anna Beth again. “I’d like to treat you to lunch or a free tat.”
“Lunch would be fine.” Anna Beth smiled.
“Why don’t we all get together tomorrow for leftovers at my house and gossip?” Cassidy suggested. “Anna Beth, you think we can tear you away from Corbett for a few hours?”
“I think that can be arranged.”
Joy was doing that casual scan again. Anna Beth looked around the room too and saw Rusty smiling in their direction. Actually, he was smiling at Joy.
J.J. tapped on his glass. “Can I have everyone’s attention? I’d like to make an announcement. We’re celebrating the holidays, but as usual, there’s always something brewing with this family. I’d like to announce that my little brother, Tyler, has been working on a new passion project, and I have to say I’m damn proud of him for coming up with the idea. Next year Blake Enterprises is launching a new chain of upscale hotels, and Tyler will be at the helm as president. And he’ll have plenty of help from me and Bo, but he’s also going to be sharing the spotlight with Anna Beth, who’s been promoted to Vice President of Operations of the Blake Hotels.”
The crowd went wild. Tyler took an exaggerated bow, then pulled Anna Beth in and gave her a big hug. Once they settled down, Morgan had an announcement to make.
“Everyone.” Morgan waved her hands in the air. “Jake would like to give his dad an extra special Christmas present.”
“Mom!” Jake tugged on her sweater sleeve.
“Jake, honey, you are in the company of the people who love you most in the world. It’s OK to share this moment with them.”
“OK.” He sighed.
“What do you have for me, champ?” Seth smiled.
Jake went over to the tree, picked up a box with blue and white wrapping, and handed it to his father. “Merry Christmas. Uncle J.J. helped me pick it out.”
Seth took his time unwrapping the present as if he were trying to savor the moment. He finally finished peeling back the paper and opened the box. It was a football. He looked at Jake, who had a huge smile on his face, and his eyes were sparkling.
“Does this mean what I think it means?” Seth asked.
“Dad, you told me a long time ago that I didn’t have to follow in your footsteps. Mom says it’s because you love us and want us to make our own decisions in life. Grandpa said if you set out to do something you should—” He looked up like he was trying to remember something. “Be the best at it. I want to play football and I want to learn from the best.”
“Come here.” Seth pulled him into a bear hug. “It would be my honor.”
“Well done, kid.” Tyler began to clap, then everyone in the room joined him.
Anna Beth smiled when Corbett put a comforting arm around her and handed her a handkerchief. She wasn’t alone in her tears of joy. Quite a few people found it touching. They all knew they’d just witnessed something that would be talked about for years to come. She turned and gave Corbett a kiss.
“I have more news!” Morgan yelled. “I just talked to Jared and Autumn. They’ve moved up their wedding to New Year’s Eve and they’re going to have it here on the ranch.”
“Woo hoo!”
While everyone was worked into a tizzy about how they were going to pull off a wedding in a week, Corbett took her hand and led her to the guest bathroom. As soon as he locked the door, he took her into his arms and kissed her.
Anna Beth ran her hand through his hair. “Can I count you as my plus one for the wedding?”
“I can’t believe how close I came to losing you.” He caressed her cheek. “I don’t ever want to feel that way again. I love you so much. I’ve never loved this deeply before. So please be patient with me. I just want to be happy with you and have what’s
going on in that living room. Love, laughter, and a house full of screaming kids.”
“And Mr. Whiskers.” She laughed. “So that means I can count you as my plus one for the foreseeable future?”
“Forever. If you’ll have me.”
“Hey. Do you want to work with me?”
“Huh?”
“J.J. said I could pick my staff, and we’ll need sharp people to help put the Blake Hotels on the map. I could use a brilliant, dedicated, diligent, person with a head for numbers on the team.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Let’s face it. I’m going to obsess over this project. It’s my debut for Blake Enterprises. If we worked together we’d see each other often, and you’d get to sleep with the boss.”
“That would mean I’d have to relocate to Texas. How would you feel about that?”
“I love that idea and I love you, Corbett.”
“I love you too, Anna.”
EPILOGUE
Corbett looked around the room at his loved ones. Bo loved helping the kids operate the tech toys he and Summer had bought them. Corbett noticed his brother kept giving heartwarming glances to Summer. He knew it was only a matter of time before they started having babies. It made him smile every time the kids called him Uncle Corbett. He was no longer Uncle Bo’s brother but a full-fledged member of the family. It melted his heart when Mackenzie gave him a hug and thanked him for helping Santa assemble her bike. The boys all gave him a high five when he scored a touchdown during the touch football game. Much to his surprise, he and Anna Beth had been drafted into the babysitting rotation. He tried not to react in horror to the thought of watching twelve kids when Anna Beth squealed in delight. He’d need to rest for a week before watching all of them for a weekend.
He and Wyatt called their dad. Buck informed them that he’d proposed to Glynis and they were heading to Nevada to get married. A few weeks ago, that would have sent him into a tailspin. But now he just saw it as getting a really cool stepmother who made his dad happy. Their extended family was growing again. It was funny how only a week ago he was railing against the changes going on in the family and now here he was making changes of his own. Taking a chance on love and moving with the current brought him closer to Anna Beth.
The best part of all was watching Anna Beth. She was having such a good time laughing and talking with everyone. He liked that she and Cassie were so close. They were true friends who loved and respected each other. When he’d met her, she’d been so shy and reserved. He was proud of her for accepting that promotion and grateful that she’d accepted his apology. He’d been afraid he was falling too fast for her when the truth was he’d already fallen a long time ago.
He could get lost in those beautiful, enchanting eyes for hours, and soon they would be working together. He was looking forward to that trip to Lake Tahoe for Valentine’s Day, breakfast in the mornings as she sang off-key while feeding Mr. Whiskers, leisurely shopping on Saturdays and taking in a movie. Dinners with the family. Getting acquainted with the Grangers. But what he looked forward to the most was their future together.
Best. Christmas. Ever.
~ About the Author ~
Rhonda Laurel is a contemporary interracial/multicultural romance writer whose two great loves are writing and landscape photography. She uses both as a vehicle to convey the complexity of the human spirit and the beauty of the world around her. The multi-published author has written many works since her debut in 2012, most notably The Blake Boys series. The extensive series chronicles the Blake family as they live and find love on the Twelve Horseshoes Ranch.
Other works include: Ebb Tide, Shutter, California Bored and Tourism, and Memories of You. She also writes the Hollywood themed series: Hollywood Heat, which features Star Crossed, Hollywood Rush, Double Exposure, and the upcoming Vendetta Inc.
The author is happily building her backlist.
Discover more about Rhonda Laurel here
http://www.rhondalaurel.com
https://www.facebook.com/authorrhondalaurel
https://www.twitter.com/rhondalaurel
~ Coming Soon ~
Vendetta Inc.
~ Also by Rhonda Laurel ~
Leap of Faith
The Blake Boys Book Seventeen
Rhonda Laurel
Sometimes a leap of faith is all you need...
Channing Blake thought he couldn't be happier. He's working for Blake Enterprises. He's married to Cassidy, the woman of his dreams, and her cancer is in remission. Now he's ready to start a family, but his wife is haunted by the fear they may not be able to conceive children. Meanwhile, a case Cassidy is working on spills over into their home life, complicating everything. As the clock ticks to help her client, he must convince his wife to take a chance. To try for a family of their own...
Cassidy Blake should feel like she's the luckiest woman in the world. Her family law practice is thriving, and her handsome husband supports her in every way. So why can't she escape this fear of trying to start a family and failing? So when a troubled new client needs help keeping custody of her son, Cassidy quickly throws her heart into the high-stakes case. But helping the young mother and son only makes her yearn for a budding family of her own, even as she worries any change might steal their happiness forever.
Buy Leap of Faith here
https://www.amazon.com/Leap-Faith-Blake-Boys-Book-ebook/dp/B01LXXQYJA/
Worth the Wait
The Blake Boys Book Sixteen
Rhonda Laurel
The best things in life are worth the wait.
The minute handsome college student Wyatt Connelly laid eyes on Avery Reed at a Blake family gathering, it was love at first sight. She's smart, gorgeous, driven, and they're attending the same college in Texas. But the path to romance gets off to a rocky start when the Blake men warn him to stay away from their sweet and inexperienced niece. And to make matters worse, Tomcats quarterback Riley Sloane has been flirting shamelessly with her. Wyatt's trying his best to look out for her without crossing the line as he struggles with finding his own future career path. But watching Riley make a play for her is killing him. If Wyatt isn't careful, he might just lose the thing he wants most—the very person he's been waiting for...
Avery Reed can't figure out Wyatt Connelly. They'd grown close since attending school together, but Wyatt's sudden cold shoulder has her rethinking their relationship. The change leaves her confused and disappointed, so when quarterback Riley Sloane shows interest in her, she quickly develops a friendship with him. The sports star is fun, handsome, and successful, but she can't get her mind off a certain gorgeous, brooding college student who loves to tease her. As Avery gets ready to graduate college, she has to navigate passionate feelings and a complicated friendship headed into uncharted territory. Wyatt's certainly taking his time, but will she believe their love is worth the wait?
Buy Worth the Wait here
https://www.amazon.com/Worth-Wait-Blake-Boys-Book-ebook/dp/B01IYH8NCW/
Double Exposure
Hollywood Heat Book Three
Rhonda Laurel
A movie star. A studio mogul. The ultimate Hollywood power couple...
Hollywood is never boring, especially for the Cavanaughs. Kate is now at the head of both a movie studio and a record label, but recently it seems as though everyone is looking to either bring her down or buy her out. When she has the chance to uncover the secret behind-the-scenes world of the Hollywood power players, she jumps at the chance, hoping to gain information about recent attacks against her and Chris.
Meanwhile, Chris is looking to scale back his acting roles in order to spend more time with Kate...until he's drawn into a dangerous gambit to save an old friend. Along with Scar, his fearless bodyguard, Chris must face off against the criminals who are holding his friend for ransom. But now that he's lived the real thing, will playing an action hero on screen ever be satisfying again?
Buy Double Exposure here
https://www.
amazon.com/Double-Exposure-Hollywood-Heat-Book-ebook/dp/B01KB5DIRU/
Off Season
The Blake Boys Book 15
Rhonda Laurel
Retired quarterback Seth Blake is looking forward to the next chapter of his life with Morgan and the kids on the Twelve Horseshoes ranch. But when an old family friend and owner of the Texas Tomcats asks him to have a chat with Riley Sloane, his troubled star quarterback, Seth is reluctant to get back into the game and the celebrity that comes with it. Riley is arrogant and a wildcard, yet Seth can’t help but see a little of himself in the budding superstar—even if the two of them can't stop butting heads long enough for Seth to keep his promise. Even worse, a family crisis quickly forces him to put the brakes on his future to be there for those he loves.
While Morgan Blake is happy that the family has settled into ranch living, part of her misses the hustle and bustle of her old life in Philadelphia. As she tries to get her footing again and oversee the expansion of another bookstore, an unforeseen crisis arises that threatens everything. As she struggles to deal with the changes in her life, she fears Seth will put his career plans on hold indefinitely to be there for the family. She's desperate to find a way to keep Seth from putting off a new career opportunity, even as her world begins to crumble around her...
Begin Again (The Blake Boys Book 18) Page 13