by Sheila Kell
“An ATV.”
Blake choked on the drink he’d sipped. After much coughing and hitting his chest with his fist to try to clear his choking, he looked at Amber but slid his gaze to Jake. They’d best not get her one of those things. She was way too young. When Jake shook his head, relief lifted from Blake’s shoulders.
Instead of discussing that item, he moved along. “What else?”
The leg went to kicking back and forth while she leaned over and looked at the list he held. He’d forgotten about it and didn’t want to check just yet.
“A trampoline. I mean, everyone”—she stressed the word—“has one, so I should too so no one makes fun of me.”
A small nod from Jesse made him smile. He remembered when the boys had a trampoline. Going out to watch them one afternoon, he found it was used for flips, tricks, and bouncing off each other. He’d expected a few broken bones that year, but nothing, which had settled his worry and told him his boys could do stuff together without injury.
“I bet that’d be fun. Your mom, dad, and their brothers had one growing up. They enjoyed it. What else did you ask for?”
“If I don’t get a phone, then I wanted walkie-talkies for Reagan and me. Now that Brandon is here and they both have phones, I don’t know what’s gonna happen. Do you think she won’t want me around anymore? She’s my best friend, and I don’t wanna lose her to someone else.” She crinkled up her cute little nose. “Especially a boy. I mean, he’s my cousin and all, but he’s still a boy.” A tear trickled down her cheek, and his heart hurt for her. At her age, things were more serious than they should be. He looked to Jake for help since he wasn’t sure how they’d want to explain it.
While she wiped the tears from her face, Blake wanted to pull her into a hug and do whatever it took to make it better or her. He had to hand things over to his children at times.
Jake moved around the loveseat and knelt in from of Amber before she noticed. She almost knocked him over when she jumped to him and wrapped her arms tight around his neck. Rubbing her back to soothe her, he whispered, “Shh. I’m here, princess.”
Sitting down, Jake held his daughter and tried to soothe her. Jake directed his head to the largest congregation of family to ask him to—he deciphered—give them privacy. Torn between wanting to see the son he raised care for his daughter and giving him the time he needed, he left. He was so proud of Jake as a father.
Standing and wondering if he could speak with someone without making them cry, he zeroed in on Jesse and Kate, sipping the Christmas cocktail Elizabeth had created. In order to help Amber, Reagan’s parents needed to speak with her. It might not make Reagan happy at first—especially when she met someone her own age—but the two girls always had a good time. He did worry about Brandon’s insertion into the child pool and messing up the dynamics. He’d seen his boys and Emily teach their children about staying together as family. Reagan needed a reminder.
“Hey, Dad” came simultaneously from two of his sons and their wives.
“Hey, Uncle Blake.” Lee made a face like he’d just squeezed a lemon down his throat. “That’s still unusual to say.”
Blake chuckled, and when they offered him a beer or the sweet cocktail, he showed them his mineral water. “Just call me Blake.”
“Mineral water? That’s what happens when you get old,” Brad said jokingly, and while Jesse and Brad laughed, Kate, Madison, and Lee smiled and appeared not to know whether they could have that big laugh at their father-in-law or uncle.
As much as he wanted to spend time with them, he worried about Amber and her heartbreak at Christmas. “Jesse.” He paused a moment and looked at his daughter-in-law with a grin. “And Kate, Amber’s really upset because Reagan and Brandon took off and left her. I know it’s a big age difference to them, but it’s Christmas.”
Before Jesse could speak, Kate assured, “She’ll include Amber this weekend. They’ve always had fun together, and I won’t let her ignore a member of this family.”
Jesse nodded his agreement. The one thing all his sons had done was marry strong women with hearts of gold. They all saved each other in either danger or opening their hearts to love.
Lee cleared his throat. “Brandon will too. It’s all new to him, but I won’t have it any other way.”
A broad smile appeared on Blake’s face. “Thanks, Lee. You’re a strong addition to this family.”
Jesse and Brad smiled at him, but like before, someone spoke before Jesse, which surprised him because his oldest son was usually the mouthpiece for this family. Brad gave a light punch on Lee’s arm. “Hell, yeah, you’ll fit in.”
Nodding with pride at how they’d accepted Lee, Blake wanted to hug them, but that flashing moment was about Lee, not him. “Thanks.”
“No, Dad,” Jesse said, “thanks for helping us remember to remind Reagan and the other kids that family sticks together. You taught us that, and it’s made us into who we are today. A strong family.”
He wished he could say the blur was for a need of glasses, but it was happy tears about to leak out.
Maybe trying to allow him to compose himself, everyone turned to look for the children. When he was able, he turned his head and searched. “Where are Reagan and Brandon?”
Jesse ground out, “I don’t know.”
Unfortunately, Lee parroted Jesse. “I don’t know either.”
He’d already known they weren’t in the room. He’d hoped their parents knew their location. “Amber said something about a mystery.”
Shaking his head, Jesse added, “Reagan also did, but I blew it off. This means they’re probably where they shouldn’t be.” He pulled out his phone. “Let me call her. I gave her phone back earlier.”
“I’ll do the same,” Lee offered.
Shaking their heads as they looked at their phones. “No service,” Jesse said, moving his phone around.
“Must be the storm.” Lee shook his head and gave up searching for a signal and put his phone back in his pocket.
Blake groaned, thinking of the nooks and crannies and passages used by the staff. Damn, plus the ones they’d closed off for safety. Probably the ones the kids were exploring. “This is a problem.”
WAITING THE LAST hour for the man Reagan followed to leave his room, boredom set in since she couldn’t do anything but be still. Maybe he wasn’t there. That would really upset her since she’d been here since after dinner.
Her hands itched to search the room like they did on TV, but her dad hadn’t taught her how to pick a lock. Maybe she should ask one of her uncles. Uncle Devon was the best at it. Her dad would be upset if she picked a lock, even if the door was open. That made her think. Security cameras covered the hall and doors to the rooms.
She huffed and texted Brandon to see what he’d been doing at the same time her guy departed his room and walked downstairs. No bars on her phone. There were spots she’d hit a signal earlier; she’d have to find them. Frustrated, she left to go to the lobby and surprisingly met Brandon along the way. His man had also ventured downstairs.
As the two of them entered the lobby area, they caught the evil eye from their dads. When their dads moved toward them, she cringed. She and Brandon had hoped no one would’ve noticed them gone. Not expecting her father to miss a move of hers, she should’ve just told him she’d been exploring.
Ready for a chastisement for disappearing, her dad surprised her.
“You need to stay down here. That’s not an option. Also, include Amber. All the younger kids are playing together, and because she’s older, she’s left out.”
“Brandon, I know having family is new to you, and tonight’s a great time to get to know each of them.”
She and Brandon shook their heads, and both said a version of “I’m sorry and I will.”
After their dads left, she and Brandon smiled at each other. They’d stay all right because the men they were following were here, and since Brandon wasn’t told to stay, he could follow them if they left. After a nod, th
ey split up. Then she remembered Amber. After checking out the area and threats, she’d find something for her cousin to do.
Entering the lobby where she could see the small bar, she tagged the two men having drinks, although they didn’t sit together. She expected that sitting separate was a plot so no one would think they were both masterminds.
As for the other guests, the younger man with his petite pregnant wife, Reagan learned were Jacob and Stacy Manner. He looked over his wife’s head, which wasn’t difficult, and gave Reagan a look that made her body shiver and feel weird. He checked out the two single men for a few minutes. With the way he stared at them, she wondered if he was the one they should suspect. Having a fake pregnant wife would be a good cover. She could be a ninja warrior, and he could be a spy. That fit them. The spy needed to lose his attitude though. After putting them on her mental list, she decided to look at the older couple too. Appearances could be deceiving. It happened in movies all the time. The person you least suspected.
Watching the Manners would be a good job for Amber, so she caught her cousin’s eye and waved her over. Watching Amber bounce her way, she realized how important it was for her cousin to be involved. She was glad there was an assignment she could give her that would be safe.
“Do I get to help now?” Amber said before she reached Reagan. Stopping close, Amber looked hopeful.
“Can you keep your voice, like, low?”
“Yes,” she said with an almost hiss.
“Okay, we’re watching some people who might be up to no good.”
Her eyes widened. “What, kinda bad? Hmm. Is it safe? I mean, I wanna catch a bad guy, but I don’t wanna get shot or anything. We can’t get to the hospital with the snow.”
Only Amber would think that first. Although that was what she should be thinking.
“We’re only watching. If we see a problem, then we’ll tell our dads.”
“Who am I watching?”
She nodded toward the tables. “Don’t point,” she directed as she saw Amber’s arm moving. “See the man with the pregnant wife?”
After Amber nodded, she told her, “Sit near the kids so it looks like you’re playing with them.” She didn’t need that, but it’d keep Amber in one spot. “Watch for anything funny.”
“If I see something, do I come and tell you? Where will you be?”
“No, we’ll meet later and discuss everything.”
“’K.”
“Go ahead and don’t look obvious. Just check them out every now and then.”
Giving the Manners a serious look, Amber scooted off to sit, and Reagan breathed easier. If something bad happened, Amber would be safe. Even though, according to her dad, nothing was going to happen. There was no mystery. She shrugged. It wasn’t like she had something else to do.
After observing too long, trying to stay out of sight of the family, and keeping her mark in her line of vision, her hiding spot near the men’s room was boring. Standing behind a pillar, she sighed several times waiting on Brandon.
He had to be lost somewhere. When she first saw the lodge covered in snow, she hadn’t realized how big it was. It’d be easy to get lost. Although she hadn’t. She found a spot with one bar, so she tried her luck and texted him to find out where Brandon was. He could be well hidden, but she had the best hiding space. She messaged him to find out where he was. When he responded with being in his room, she got angry. All this time she’d been waiting, and he’d been on his bed watching TV or being on his computer. That made her jealous, but she was pretty sure her parents had bought her one for Christmas. She just hoped it was an Apple so all her stuff matched.
With her guy just sitting and drinking, she got bored and took covert shots as practice from her hidey-hole near the entrance to the men’s room. It wasn’t busy, so she didn’t have many pics, but her Aunt Madison walked by on the way to the girls’ room. She’d never seen any of her aunts primp except when Aunt Madison had a photoshoot. Mostly someone did it for her, but she still had those parties that Uncle Brad had to wear a tux too, which he hated. He’d said he planned to burn the thing—he’d used a bad word to describe it—when she finished all her contracts and commitments.
She had a pic of her Aunt Madison walking by, but Reagan hadn’t been covert enough. It would’ve been easy to see her snapping the pic. As another person walked by, she felt more comfortable with taking covert shots. Cousin Lee exited the bathroom, so she tried a covert shot of him. She didn’t think he saw her, but she mostly cut off his face in the pic. That meant she needed to angle it up a bit for the taller men. She should’ve known that. Her dad knew everything, and since she was always called a daddy’s girl, she figured she should know everything too.
The possible spy walked over and acted a bit weird. Mr. Manner looked around before he entered, like he was being followed. He must’ve felt Amber’s eyes on him. You go, girl. Maybe he wasn’t the trouble, but the trouble was following him. Someone was here to kill him since they found out he was a spy. She jumped at that. No one would die if she could help it.
She snapped a pic of him as he left, unsure if she should have it if he was a spy. She’d ask her dad later about spy rules. When the man Jason was following went into the restroom as Mr. Manner exited—was it Happy Hour in the men’s room?—she snapped his pic without moving her hand. It was better, but she’d still chopped off half his head. Why did men have to be so tall?
When the guy she followed also went into the restroom, she straightened and looked around before she took the shot in case he had backup here. She just knew he was going to be trouble. Brandon’s guy could also be a problem, but she suspected her guy more.
Her mark—another term she’d learned but didn’t know if she used it right—and Brandon’s, took a long time in the bathroom. She wondered if something was wrong. Maybe their stomachs weren’t good, which would explain it. But they didn’t take the newspaper in with them.
Tapping her foot, she wanted to snag Brandon from his room, but if this was how he followed someone, she’d rather have Amber, even with her noise.
Finally, her mark exited, and she snapped shot after shot to see if she managed to get a covert and good shot together yet. Video would be better, but it was easier to use the camera. All she could really do with them was show Brandon what her uncles had taught her. Speaking of Brandon, he texted her that he was coming down. She blew out a frustrated breath. About time.
Stepping from behind her hiding spot, she searched for ugly sweater guy and didn’t see him. She figured he must’ve exited by now. Maybe he went to his room to take something for his tummy since he’d been in the bathroom so long.
Brandon was so fired. If he couldn’t do better, he wouldn’t work for her. She huffed. Her dad would remind her that he was family and family sticks together. She closed her eyes for a moment. She needed to pull Amber who was probably bored by now. Peeking back around, Amber was missing from her perch. She was helping Ace, Ashley, Leslie, Scott, Travis, and Mitch in a bowling game with plastic balls and pins and a short plastic sheet looking like a lane. Her uncles hovered, jumping in to reset pins, congratulate their kids, and help keep them corralled. She missed the fun, even though she sometimes went crazy with so many little ones.
A hand touched her shoulder, and she jumped, turning around, ready to lash out like her mom had taught her. After her crazily beating heart settled, she extended a friendly punch to Brandon’s chest.
He backed away with his hands up in surrender, laughing. “Hey, is that any way to treat your newest cousin?”
Narrowing her eyes at him, she scowled. “Don’t ever scare me like that. Mom taught me some self-defense moves that can disable you before you can breathe.”
He raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “Your mom? What? Not your dad? He’s like the leader of HIS.”
Putting her hands on her hips, she huffed. “First,” she emphasized, “my mom was an FBI agent. Second, my aunts can kick ass too. All of them.”
“What
ever.”
Changing the topic before she was too mad at him, she asked, “Where’s your ugly sweater guy?”
He shrugged. “When he stayed at the bar, I didn’t worry anymore. Why?”
She cocked her head to the side. “Because he’s not there.”
“Crap. Did you, you know, see where he went?”
“Nope, I watched my guy.”
“I’m sorry, Reagan.”
His face did look like he was sorry, and she couldn’t stay mad at him. This was just his first day. “Okay, but you need to find your guy.”
“I’ve just gotta pi— I mean to go the bathroom first.”
She could stay here and wait for him to return, or she could stand outside the men’s room again to make sure he didn’t go back to his guest room. “Let’s go.”
He jumped and sounded nervous. “We?”
Brandon’s nervousness and squeaky voice had her thinking he might think she meant for her to go into the men’s room. Eww. She’d never do that. “I’ll just hang out by the place I hid earlier.”
“Whatever. I need to go. Follow me if you want, but not into the bathroom.”
His discomfort made her laugh when she shouldn’t have. When he turned around and glared, she still didn’t stop until she returned to her hiding place. Maybe Brandon’s guy had returned and would walk by.
Not long after Brandon entered, he exited, and he shook really bad. She rushed up to him, fear lodging in her throat. He looked like he needed a hospital. “What’s wrong?”
It took him a moment before he could speak. His white face made her worry he was sick, really sick.
“I-I found my guy.”
Shouldn’t he be happy about it? That was their plan. Oh gosh. If his man was still in there, it had to reek. She couldn’t imagine. She wouldn’t eat what he’d had. “What’s wrong?”
He pointed a shaky finger to the bathroom. “Go see.”
Unsure of what was going on that scared him so much, she slowly approached the room. “What if there’s someone in there? I can’t go in there. My dad would have a fit.”