Christmas Showdown

by Mackenzie McKade

  “You say the most charming things.” She got to her feet and heaved TJ into her arms before heading toward the kitchen.

  As he started to pick up the paper and boxes, he marveled at how his life had changed in a matter of days. He had a son, an amazing woman, and a life ahead of him any man would envy.

  ***

  Kelly wrung her hands for the umpteenth time, looking out the window as they drove down the street. She had been so busy with TJ this morning she had barely thought about meeting Trey’s family, but the time was upon them as they pulled off the road on to a long driveway leading to a huge two-story ranch house. The front looked like a sales lot for high-profile four-wheel-drive pickups. The small red sports car appeared out of place amongst them.

  The nearer to the house they got, the more her stomach knotted and the faster her heart beat. As they stopped alongside a black crew cab, Kelly felt like she had become one big ball of tension.

  So what if they didn’t like her. It was what it was. They would have to deal with it or— Or what? If Trey had to choose between his family and TJ, which would he choose? Lord. She had to stop thinking this way.

  A boy around eight came running to the truck. His wide eyes were those crystal blue that both Trey and TJ had, but instead of black hair his was a dark brunette. As Trey opened his truck door, the boy started to ramble.

  “Uncle T, guess what I got? You gotta see it.” He jumped up and down, waving his hand for Trey to follow. “C’mon. Hurry.”

  “Easy, Jay. Let us get out before you start talking my ear off.”

  As Kelly stepped out of the vehicle, Trey opened the back door and got TJ out of his seat, holding their son on his hip.

  Jay’s eyes grew as big as saucers. “Holy crap, Uncle T. He looks like a mini Sam, and the last thing we need around here is another one of those monsters.”

  “Boy, an apology better be on the tail end of that comment.” The man who approached looked like an older version of Trey, but instead of Trey’s lean physique, the man was a little thick around the middle and graying slightly at the temples. A small-framed woman, no more than five-foot-two, strolled by his side. Her long, blonde hair flowed around her shoulders in the slight breeze that carried upon it the musky odor of livestock close-by. She offered Kelly a smile before her gaze became glued to TJ.

  “It’s amazing,” the woman said, at the same Jay said, “Sorry, Uncle T.”

  As Kelly hastened around the truck to stand protectively by TJ, Trey began introductions. “Kelly McMaster, this is my oldest brother Jason and his wife, Paula.” He bounced TJ against his hip. “And this is my son, TJ.”

  They were shaking hands when TJ cried, “Down.”

  When Trey made a move to set him on his feet, Kelly stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Maybe you shouldn’t. Come to Momma, baby.” She held out her arms expectantly.

  “Kelly, the boy wants to play,” Trey insisted.

  “But—” Kelly held her tongue when Jason and Paula started to laugh.

  “They sound like an old married couple.” This said by the next Burstyn to approach. The man walked with a swagger. The glint in his eyes revealed he knew he was good-looking. He had the same black hair and eye color as both his other brothers. But when he took TJ from Trey, the man’s eyes softened. “Damn, Trey. He’s the spittin’ image of you.”

  “And this is Lance. Stay away from him. He’s trouble,” Trey jested, but she felt there was an ounce of truth hidden in his warning.

  “Daddy?” A little girl around four came running toward Lance. “Let me see him. Oh my,” she breathed. “He looks like Sammie.”

  “That’s Chastity, Lance’s daughter. It’s his turn to have her for Christmas this year,” Trey explained.

  His and hers. A child split between two families. Kelly trembled, wondering if that would be TJ some time in the near future.

  Two other girls she guessed ranged from seven to five came wandering up to them. The oldest one, who had raven-black hair, looked to the other and groaned, “Another boy.”

  “And another apology,” Jason said discouragingly. “Heather, what do you have to say to your Uncle?”

  “Oh goodie, another boy.” She feigned happiness.

  Kelly held back her laughter as Heather’s parents frowned, looking at each other.

  “She’s your daughter,” Paula said.

  “I’m so glad to see you so thrilled about TJ, Heather. I thought maybe you and Janet would watch him for us,” Trey teased, or at least Kelly hoped he was teasing. The girls were too young to watch their son.

  When the two girls’ mouths dropped, their mother said, “They’d love to, especially Heather.”

  The youngest daughter, whose hair was almost a sable color and had brown eyes like her mother’s, spoke up. “Grandma asked us to help set the table.”

  “Okay,” Paula gave in easily. “Off with the both of you.” They ran back to the house after being dismissed.

  That’s when a black-and-tan German Shepherd yelped and came speeding by before darting beneath one of the trucks. Laughter followed the dog as a boy a head taller than TJ came darting from behind a vehicle.

  “And that would be Samuel or Sam, Jason and Paula’s youngest,” Trey said, chuckling.

  For a moment all Kelly could do was stare. If it wasn’t for the maturity in the toddler’s face, he could be TJ’s twin. Except that he didn’t posses the cowlick Trey and TJ did.

  Before Samuel could poke the dog with the stick he carried, his father scooped him up in his arms. “If you strike Marley again with that rod, I swear I’ll use it on you. Do you hear me, buster? We do not hurt animals.” The child’s gaze darted to Jay. “And no. You can’t whop your brother or anyone else.”

  Paula shook her head. “I hope TJ didn’t get the Burstyns’ need for adventure.”

  Trey and Kelly glanced at each other, not saying a word.

  Lance burst into laughter. “Their silence says a helluva lot. Should I release him and see who gets Marley first, Samuel or TJ?”

  “No!” both Trey and Kelly said at once.

  That’s when she saw the older couple standing in front of the truck Samuel had come around. The woman had her palm over her mouth, her startled stare pinned on TJ as if he were a ghost. The man beside her looked just as stunned.

  Kelly couldn’t help herself. It was like her child was a bug under a microscope. She stepped up to Lance and stretched her arms out. TJ crawled into her embrace, hugging her close.

  As the couple approached, the woman’s eyes grew misty. Like most of the people in this family, her hair was black. “This is my grandson?” While the woman kept her attention peeled on TJ, the man beside her took the moment to scrutinize Kelly. Now she was beneath the scope.

  “Mom. Dad. This is Kelly McMaster and our son, TJ. Barbara and John Burstyn.”

  Barbara stood eye to eye with Kelly, but her gaze never strayed from TJ. “May I?” She held her arms out to the child.

  TJ buried his face into Kelly’s shoulders. “It might take him a bit to warm up. He’s not usually around so many people.” And neither was Kelly. Not only was she forgetting everyone’s names, she knew there were two more sisters to meet.

  “Trey tells us you’re from Denver.” John’s cool eyes burned into her as if he might be attempting to see past her veneer and into her soul.

  The fluttery feeling in her stomach returned with a vengeance. But Kelly wouldn’t let this man get to her. “Yes. Born and raised.”

  “What brought you to Arizona?” There was a hint of steel in his voice.

  “Dad?” Trey groaned.

  It might be her imagination but was everyone holding his or her collective breaths?

  Kelly squared her shoulders. She didn’t enjoy confrontations, but she’d never run from one before either. “Not the reason you’re thinking.” Her response was delivered nonchalantly, but there was nothing calm inside her. She had been prepared to defend herself, but she didn’t think she’d have t
o right out of the chute.

  His eyebrows jumped so high she thought they might get lost in all his dark hair peppered lightly with gray.

  Lance exploded in gales of laughter. “She’s a redhead, Dad. You should know better than to try to get her goat.”

  “Hell. I was just asking a question.”

  “Sure you were, Dad. It wasn’t what you said, but how you said it.” A striking, ebony-haired young woman in her early twenties sauntered up beside her father. “I’m Suz.” She jutted her hand out and Kelly adjusted TJ to shake her hand. “His bark is worse than his bite,” she whispered.

  John frowned at his daughter.

  “C’mon, Kelly, why don’t you join us in the kitchen.” Before she received an answer, Suz spun on a booted heel. “Oh and Dad,” she threw over a shoulder as her narrow hips swayed, “I’ll let you know later what I pry out of her.”

  Kelly slid her questioning glance to Trey.

  “That’s Suz.” Trey shook his head. “She walks to her own beat. I’ll take TJ.” He reached for their son and Kelly held tight. “Darlin’, he’ll be fine. I won’t let him out of my sight and I won’t give him a stick to hit the dog with.”

  The dog stuck its head out from beneath the truck. When TJ saw the animal, he cried, “Down, Momma.”

  “If he gets one scratch on him, Trey, your ass is mine,” she growled for his ears only as she set the boy on his feet.

  “Baby, my ass is yours either way.”

  When Lance coughed and gave her a wink, heat flared across her face.

  As Paula and Barbara joined her, they walked side by side toward the house.

  “Kelly, does TJ have any dietary constraints I should know about?” Barbara asked.

  “No. He’ll usually eat anything.”

  “What about you?”

  “No. I’m good too.” Kelly glanced over her shoulder to see TJ and Samuel running in the same direction, which happened to be after Marley, with Trey and Jason close on their heels.

  “You’ll have to forgive my husband.” Barbara slid her an apologetic expression. “He’s protective of our family. He didn’t mean any disrespect.”

  Uh huh. Yeah, right.

  “He doesn’t need to worry about me. I don’t want anything from your family or Trey.”

  “Sure you don’t, honey. I just didn’t want you to take offense.”

  “No offense taken,” Kelly lied easily, eager for this day to be over.

  Chapter Ten

  This wasn’t good. Not good at all.

  Trey glanced down at his muddy son and knew his momma would be angry, but the boy was quick. He hit the puddle and fell before Trey could get to him. Now the bloodcurdling scream TJ let out could have woken the dead; it sure seemed to carry far enough to reach the house. The screen door of the kitchen burst wide and Kelly appeared. Her head jerked left and then right until she saw them. As if her feet had wings, she raced across the ground, stopping before them wide-eyed with her lips drawn in a straight line.

  “What’s wrong?” she demanded.

  TJ held out his arms to her, but Trey pulled him back. “He’ll get you dirty.”

  “So what. Give him to me.”

  TJ crawled into her embrace, locking his muddy arms around her neck. “Wet,” he whimpered.

  “I can see that. What happened?” she asked Trey.

  “Running toward his pony, he didn’t see the mud puddle.”

  “Running toward his what?” Her voice pitched and her eyes grew even rounder.

  “Mom and Dad got him a Welsh pony.” His vision strayed to the palomino with four white socks his father held the reins to. It was a damn fine-looking horse. “Jason and Paula sprung for the saddle and blanket. Lance gave him the bridle and spurs.”

  “Spurs? Good Lord. Is there anything else I should know about?” When TJ cried louder, she jostled him on her hip. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Momma brought you a change of clothes.”

  “You did?” Trey didn’t contain his surprise.

  “Yes. They’re in his diaper bag. Shhh, baby. I think it’s still in the truck.”

  “Everything okay?” Barbara asked, wiping her hands on a towel, stopping in her tracks when she saw TJ’s condition. “Oh goodness. Take him into the house, Kelly. We’ll wash him up in the kitchen sink.”

  “Trey, will you grab the bag?” Kelly asked before she turned for the house.

  Lance strolled up alongside Trey. “So what does your ass is mine entail? Because, little brother, this incident definitely qualifies, judging by the fire in your little redhead’s eyes.”

  “I’m not sure, but it doesn’t look good for me.” Trey climbed into the truck. “Here, make yourself useful.” He pushed several gifts into Lance’s arms. “Will you take those in the living room and place them beneath the tree?”

  “Sure thing, but I still want to know what that woman of yours means.” He chuckled.

  Strapping the diaper bag over a shoulder, Trey filled his own arms with presents, and then headed for the kitchen. He was almost to the back door when he heard a squeal and then a scream. Rushing into the house, he pulled to an abrupt halt and burst into laughter.

  Suz stood paralyzed, dripping wet, her shocked expression priceless.

  That’s when he saw the next stream of water gush out of the faucet’s pullout sprayer in TJ’s hands. Standing naked in the sink, he giggled each time one of the women would approach and he’d let them have it with the water, chasing them off.

  Trey couldn’t help it, he guffawed louder, gaining him several disgruntled looks from his female side of the family, and that included Kelly. When Jason and his father skidded through the back door they almost slipped in the pooling water.

  Jason joined Trey in his amusement while their father shook his head, a gleam sparkling in his eyes. “That boy is definitely a Burstyn.” He slapped Trey on the back, nearly making him drop the presents he held.

  Kelly’s heated glare snapped toward his father, who continued to snicker with pride. Her brows were tugged together and she didn’t look happy.

  “Hey, buckaroo.” Trey made a funny face, catching TJ’s attention while Kelly snuck up on the child from the other side. Closing in on the boy, she grabbed the sprayer out of his hand. TJ fussed, his little fingers flexing as he reached for his newly found play toy. When the sprayer rested in its cradle, Trey swore the women in the room breathed a sigh of relief.

  Melissa ran toward him. “TJ’s absolutely adorable. I can’t believe how much he looks like Sammie and you.”

  “Adorable?” Suz harrumphed, brushing at the water spots that stained her silk shirt. At times his sister forgot herself, like now. “This blouse is dry clean only.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Crestfallen, Kelly apologized as she wrapped TJ in a towel. “I’ll pay for it. Just let me know how much or where I can replace it.”

  “I’m just kidding.” Suz’s tone immediately changed when she saw the distress in Kelly’s weary gaze. “I’ve had this shirt since Christ was born. In fact, after today I was thinking of throwing it away.”

  Trey mouthed thank you to his sister.

  “Trey, take that boy of yours. Kelly and I are going upstairs to get changed. I should have a couple of things that will fit her. You might even be thanking me later.” Suz winked at him.

  Trey gave the presents he held to Melissa, hating the downtrodden look on Kelly’s face as she handed him TJ. “You’ll find everything you need inside the diaper bag.” She sounded so deflated.

  He knew how much this day had meant to her. “It’s okay, darlin’, just a little water. Right, Mom?”

  “Oh my goodness, yes,” she tittered. “I think that’s the most fun I’ve had in ages.” But her words didn’t change the expression of dread on Kelly’s face as she left the room with Suz.

  “So what happened here?” his dad asked, looking around at the mess.

  A huge grin curved Melissa’s mouth. “Kelly was holding TJ up while Suz sprayed him off. Suz laid the f
aucet down for only a second and TJ snatched it up. The rest is history.” She laughed.

  “That boy of yours is a quick learner,” his mother said as she began to soak up the water from the counters with a towel. “He knew immediately how to work the button.” Dropping the rag, she closed the distance between them and pinched TJ’s chin between her thumb and forefinger, beaming with pride that tightened Trey’s chest. “Didn’t you, TJ? He’s a beautiful boy, Trey. Definitely a handful like his father.” Then she hugged Trey. “So how are things going with your arrangement at the house?”

  Paula stopped mopping the floor and Jason paused to look at Trey.

  “Good. We’re good.” Really good, he could honestly say. Kelly’s sweater wet and plastered to her body had definitely caught his eye. He couldn’t wait to get her home and strip her out of those clothes and show her how much she had come to mean to him.

  “Down,” TJ cried.

  “Not yet, buckaroo. Let’s see what Momma has in this bag.” Trey dug through it to find a long-sleeve shirt, jeans, socks and an extra pair of shoes. Taking a diaper out, he started to dress his son.

  “I guess it will take some time for her to feel comfortable around us.” His mother sent a scornful glance to her husband. “It didn’t help that your dad started to interrogate her right off the bat.”

  “Me?” His father’s innocent act fell short as he stared back at his wife.

  “What did Dad do now?” Melissa asked, stepping into the kitchen.

  “I didn’t do anything. I just asked a couple of questions to see if they jived with what the attorney discovered yesterday. I had George draw up papers for a paternity test and custody.”

  “Dad, I told you not to concern yourself with this matter.” Trey slid a discouraging look toward Jason, who stood quietly by the table.

  “Son, you know how it went with Kristen and Lance. He hardly gets to see Chastity.”

  Trey didn’t need his father’s comparison of his brother’s situation to his. It had been, and still was, a difficult situation for everyone, especially Lance, when it came to his failed marriage. Kristen pretty much did everything possible to keep Chastity from him. She was bitter and angry and who could blame the woman? Lance had done her wrong, but he didn’t deserve being isolated from his child.