Christmas With the Kings, Kings of Montana Bonus Book

by Vanessa Bartal

  Chapter 17

  Christmas Eve was turning out to be as idyllic as Ethan had dreamed it would. The Kings had their big celebration on that day because Josh and Sam were flying to Arizona to be with his parents on Christmas. While the women cooked and baked in the kitchen, the men watched sports, talking and laughing as they took care of the twins.

  Ethan felt like a part of the family, but at the same time he missed his real family in Ohio. He tried to remember the last time he had felt homesick and couldn’t. He pulled out his phone to call before remembering there was no cell reception here.

  “Use our phone,” Cam said. Ever observant, he had watched as Ethan tried and failed to get a signal. He tossed him the cordless phone before turning his attention back to the nephew dangling on his leg.

  “Thanks,” Ethan said. He stood, grabbed his coat, and went onto the porch as he dialed. “Mom, it’s Ethan,” he said, feeling the uncanny need to identify himself to his mother. How long had it been since he talked to her?

  “Ethan,” she said, sounding surprised. In the background, he could hear the sounds of his family talking and laughing. His gut twisted and he was suddenly fighting the sting of tears. “What’s wrong, honey?”

  “Nothing, Mom,” he replied, his voice tight. “I just…I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas. How are you?” When was the last time he’d asked his mother that question and truly listened to the answer?

  “I’m fine, honey. How are you? What’s new? How’s the city?”

  “I’m actually in Montana,” Ethan said, dusting a fine layer of snow off the swing so he could sit down.

  “Montana,” his mother said, sounding excited. “How wonderful! What are you doing there?”

  “I came to visit Belle and Cam, but I fell in love with someone and I’m moving here permanently.” Saying the words out loud was frightening, but also liberating. This was real; this was his life now.

  “Oh. Okay,” his mother drawled.

  “You’d like her, Mom. She’s not like any of my other girlfriends.”

  His mom laughed, the sweet sound harkening him back to his childhood so that he smiled, too. “Well, that’s a relief,” his mother said. “No offense, Ethan, but you’ve had terrible taste in women since you moved to New York.”

  “So I’ve heard,” he replied.

  “When do we get to meet our new daughter-to-be? You are going to marry her, aren’t you?”

  “That’s the thing, Mom. I sort of messed up royally and she doesn’t want anything to do with me right now. I don’t know how to fix it.”

  “Ethan, you’ve always been a good boy at heart. I’m sure you’ll figure it out and she’ll come around. Just be a man of integrity, and she’ll have no choice but to see your pure heart.”

  “I’m not sure my heart is pure anymore, Mom,” Ethan admitted, hating the words. “Somehow I’ve gotten so off track.”

  “I know you have,” his mother said. Her weighty tone told him more than he wanted to know, namely that she was disappointed in the person he’d become. “But I know the man I raised you to be is still in there somewhere, and I know that when you get everything figured out, that’s the person you’re going to be.”

  They were silent a few beats as he digested that. His mom understood the person he’d become, but she loved him anyway. How often did a man find that kind of grace and unconditional love in his life? Yet he’d pushed it away, repeatedly, thinking it was too provincial for his newly sophisticated lifestyle. “I’m sorry I’ve been such a jerk, Mom. Maybe after I tie up my job in New York, I can stop in Ohio for a while.”

  “Dad and I would love that. And maybe after you’re settled in Montana we can come for a nice long visit. We’ve always dreamed of visiting there.”

  Ethan smiled, thinking how many times he had invited them to New York. He had taken their lack of interest in his adopted home as a strike against them. Turns out it just wasn’t their style. “I would love that,” he said sincerely. “Maybe by then things will be on track with PJ. If not, then maybe you can help me win her over.”

  “What does PJ stand for?” his mother asked, and he could tell she was smiling.

  “I have no idea,” Ethan said.

  “That’s the kind of thing you should find out before you marry her,” his mother said, and they laughed together before turning the conversation to the rest of his family.

  By the time he disconnected with his mother, Ethan felt buoyant. Somehow, things were going to work out.

  His bright mood continued over a festive family meal. He wasn’t sure how it would have been possible to maintain dim spirits in the light of so much food and lively conversation. Somehow Chrissy was managing, though. She sat in the middle of the table, occasionally answering questions with short one word answers, her frown fully in place. Even though her misery was of her own making, Ethan still felt sorry for her. No one should be so unhappy at Christmas. Grant must have felt the same way because he seemingly had decided to take her on as a project, chatting animatedly despite her lack of response.

  After supper, it was time for presents. Ethan smiled, secure in the knowledge that PJ was going to like her gift. He had also set out Chrissy’s gift—a silk scarf she’d been admiring. Her gift had cost more than PJ’s, but PJ’s gift meant more. After all, Chrissy had a dozen scarves. PJ had no jewelry, Ethan was almost sure of it. The thought of being the first person to buy her something so utterly feminine was thrilling.

  There were so many people in the room that there weren’t enough chairs for everyone. The women took the seats while the men sat on the floor in a circle surrounding the tree. Coy was the designated gift dealer, handing out packages so that everyone took a turn. The siblings and in-laws had a name exchange, everyone bought for the twins, and each family had bought something for him, PJ, and Chrissy. Ethan wondered if the sight of so many gifts from strangers would have a softening effect on Chrissy, but it didn’t. She wore a look of barely contained disdain while PJ exclaimed over each gift as if it were a pot of gold. The difference between the two women was almost comical.

  At long last, Coy handed PJ Ethan’s present. He tensed in anticipation as she opened it. Everyone was watching and they exclaimed over the beauty of the handmade jewelry. After PJ was done examining it, however, she turned a beaming smile on Grant. Even when Ethan heard her utter the words, “Thank you, Grant,” he didn’t understand what had happened.

  Not until Coy handed her a larger box did he begin to put two and two together. “This one’s from Ethan,” Coy said as he handed the box around the circle. PJ glanced at him with a look of anticipation, one that was probably met with a look of horror. At least he felt horrified as he watched her open the box and pull out an awl.

  “Thanks, Ethan,” she said, just as warmly and sincerely as she had responded to Grant over the jewelry.

  Ethan turned accusing eyes to Grant who smiled and gave him a knowing nod. It was like being bitten by Lassie—unexpected and out of character. Ethan understood that Grant was his rival, but he hadn’t known Grant was conscious of the fact. Switching his name on the gifts, though, that was a low blow. Especially because there was such a stark contrast between the ugly awl and the beautiful jewelry. And there was no apparent way to make it right. What was Ethan supposed to do? Stand up and challenge Grant to a duel? Make him admit in front of everyone that he had purposely switched their gift tags?

  There was no way, which only added to the disaster this vacation had become. What was wrong with him in Montana? Why did everything he tried turn to failure? Would it be this way with his job, too? Would he be the worst assistant Montana had ever known? But, no, he was thinking like a crazy person. He needed to take a deep breath and regroup. Things could only go up from here, right?