Lucky 13 (Deadlines & Diamonds)

by Kearns, Morgan

  Small shrug. Big sigh. “Doesn’t really matter as long as it comes in a light blue box and sparkles.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Me too.” Mason took a drink. “Some buzzkill I am, huh?”

  Before Ricky could say it was okay, Mason got out of his chair. “This is a party. Let’s go out there and celebrate.”

  Ricky worried about Mason. The guy loved his wife. Ricky had his doubts on how she felt about him. The money, the prestige, the clout; yeah, she loved all of that, but Mason James, the man? Not a chance. He silently knew it was only a matter of time before she broke his heart.

  Hurricane Chloe, destruction in her wake.

  Laughter bubbled in from outside. Matt chest-bumped X, his finger in his uncle’s face. His expression taunted as well as teased, and the grin on X’s face made Ricky chuckle. Those two were his family now and he loved them.

  Go fig.

  Less than a year ago, Xavier hated him. He had to admit not being Team Xavier either. And now, here he stood, getting ready to call the guy ‘brother’.

  Call him crazy, but he was pretty frickin’ happy about the idea.

  18

  Shayne sat on the couch, sipping hot chocolate and watching Matt and Ricky put the finishing touches on the Christmas tree. Historically, she enjoyed putting the tree up the day after Thanksgiving and savoring the decorations for as long as she could. This year, though, she’d kind of been in a tailspin up until last week, and so Christmas Eve it was.

  Ricky’s pathetic tree reminded her of a middle-aged man who refused to accept his baldness. Matt drenched yet another branch with tinsel and all she could think was ‘comb-over’.

  She began to giggle. Then laugh. Until finally she found herself in full-fledged hysterics.

  Her two men stopped what they were doing to stand and watch her. Ricky smiled, obviously amused, but Matt looked a little worried. He threw another clump of tinsel onto the tree.

  “Mom, you okay?” His gaze shifted to Ricky. “Is she okay?” Back to her. “I think you’re losing it.” Back to Ricky. “She’s losing it.”

  His concern only intensified her humor and she laughed even harder. When she started gasping for breath, she leaned forward to place the mug on the coffee table. She held her sides with one arm and wiped at her eyes with the other.

  Matt dropped to his knees in front of her. The fear in his eyes should have sobered her, but she couldn’t seem to regain any kind of composure. It’d been so long since she’d felt this carefree, this…happy. She had Ricky to thank for the carefree, easy feelings she cherished in this moment.

  Suddenly the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes no long came from humor, but from gratitude.

  Although they hadn’t known each other very long, she knew Ricky recognized the moment her attitude changed. He put his hand on Matt’s shoulder. “Why don’t you grab your mom a glass of water?”

  She nodded. “Please.”

  He jumped up and raced into the kitchen. Ricky sat down next to her on the couch. He put an arm around her and guided her into his strength. She absorbed it, let it seep into her soul.

  “You okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “Wanna share what was so funny?”

  She looked at the tree and grinned. “It looks a little like a bald man with a really bad comb-over, don’t you think?”

  She felt him shake his head. “I don’t see it, but I’m glad you found humor in my really lame tree.”

  “I love you.”

  He kissed the top of her head. She loved when he did that. “I’ve been thinking about how to handle tomorrow morning. Do you want to do gifts here or I can come over there?”

  She twisted to look at him. “I thought we’d just stay here tonight.” She’d set up parameters, rules, guidelines and now was changing things up. “It’s a special circumstance, I think.”

  Matt came back with the glass of water. She took a long sip. The ice cold liquid quenched a thirst she hadn’t realized she had. She gave him the empty glass. “Will you please put that in the kitchen then grab the stuff out of the trunk?”

  “We’re staying?” Matt sounded much more surprised than he should have. He’d helped her put the gifts and bags in the trunk. He knew they were there.

  “Yes. We’re staying.”

  Ricky recovered quickly. “You can crash in the guest room. It’ll be your room in a few weeks anyway. And I’ll sleep on the couch.”

  Matt rolled his eyes. “Why are you sleeping on the couch?”

  “Somebody’s gotta wait for Santa Claus.” Ricky sounded so matter-of-fact, Shayne had to bite her lip to keep from giggling.

  Matt rolled his eyes. “I’m twelve. I don’t believe in Santa anymore.”

  Ricky grunted. “In this house, if you don’t believe, you don’t receive. How’s that?”

  Matt threw his hands up in the air and shouted, “I believe!”

  Shayne lost herself in another fit of giggles. This time Ricky joined her. Matt didn’t even crack a smile as he grabbed the keys from her purse and headed toward the front door.

  He stopped, looked over his shoulder. “And you don’t have to sleep on the couch. I’ve had ‘the talk’.”

  The door closed with a soft slam and Shayne chanced at glance a Ricky. His mouth hung open a bit. He stared at the door Matt’d just gone out.

  “What are you thinking?”

  He shook his head. “All I can think is ‘Thank God’.”

  She put her hand high on his thigh, squeezing suggestively. “Because we’re staying tonight?”

  “No. Thank God I don’t have to give him ‘the talk’.”

  ***

  Shayne loved Christmas. Waking up in Ricky’s arms made it even more perfect. She snuggled closer into his warm body and sighed.

  He clutched her to him. His lips met with her shoulder blade. “I can’t wait to do this every night.”

  “I can’t wait to wake up with you every morning.” She trickled her fingers over his tattoos. “I’ve been thinking about getting a tattoo.”

  He kissed the crook of her neck. “What would you get?”

  “I don’t know yet.” She traced over the intricate swirl work on his forearm. “Do you have a preference?”

  “No tats.” His breath on her ear caused goosebumps to cover her body. He licked her lobe. “I fell in love with all this flawless ivory skin and I’d like it to remain that way.”

  “It’s not flawless.” Her hands went protectively to the most flawed part of her.

  His hands covered hers. “It’s beautiful. Every inch of it.” One large palm slipped lower. She moaned.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  Ricky stiffened, yanked his hand away. His head jerked toward the door. “I guess I should be thankful he knocked.”

  Shayne giggled softly. “Yeah?”

  “You guys decent?” came the muffled question.

  Ricky bumped up against her backside and whispered, “Not even close,” then got up to walk into the bathroom.

  She admired each step he took and, when he turned to give her a full-frontal, she literally swooned, gasping and falling back against the pillows.

  Damn, she was a lucky woman!

  “Mom?”

  “Yeah, come in.”

  The door opened a crack and a nose appeared, followed by one eye, then the other. She felt his relief from clear across the room. She smiled at her son. “You ready for some breakfast?”

  He nodded. “Egg Nog Pancakes?”

  “Wouldn’t be Christmas without them.” The toilet in the bathroom flushed.

  Matt shot a panicked look at the door. “Um, I think I’ll wait in the family room. Turn the tree lights on or something.” And then he hustled out, closing the door behind him.

  As easy as it’d been between Matt and Ricky, there were still things to work out. She’d wondered how living together, all under the same roof would work out. She didn’t doubt it would. Her son and her fiancé adored one
another, and loved her even more.

  For the first time in her life, she truly understood what it was to be fortunate. Life had been hard, offering very little in the way of breaks. Enrique Santiago was her lucky star. Lucky 13. She’d never fear that number again. Not that she’d ever been a true triskaidekaphobic, but she’d never been a big fan of that particular Friday.

  She’d changed her views. Big time. She liked wearing his number on her back, but loved sporting his name even more.

  The bathroom door cracked open and a nose appeared. She laughed. Her two men were so alike.

  “It’s safe.”

  He came out in only a towel. “I really should put some clothes in there.”

  “It’ll take some getting used to.”

  “I know.” He strode over to the dresser, opened the top drawer and dropped the towel. She thought of a ripe apple and wanted to sink her teeth into his backside. Or at least grab a handful and squeeze the Santiago. “Should we go out for the breakfast buffet?”

  She shook her head. “No way. We have a family tradition when it comes to breakfast on Christmas morning.”

  He pulled on some boxers then donned a pair of nylon workout pants. She had to remind herself not to drool as he tugged a black t-shirt over his head. He froze and looked at her. “What?”

  “Nothing.”

  He glanced down at the front of himself, then back at her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” She twisted her head from side to side, very slowly, not taking her eyes from his. “Not a thing.”

  “Then why you lookin’ at me like that?”

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know. Like I have a booger.” He wiped at his nose. “Or maybe that you wanna take a chunk outta me. With your teeth.”

  She felt the predatory lift of her lips.

  He groaned and clutched at his chest. “You’re going to kill me, amor. Come on, get up, we’ve got some breakfast to make.”

  ***

  Life couldn’t get any better. Ricky was pretty damn certain of that. After an amazing breakfast, Matt flicked the switch for the fireplace and their tiny family gathered around the tree. Matt looked at the presents then at Ricky. He saw the question in the kid’s eyes and nodded.

  “Go for it, kid.”

  Matt’s grin widened. He dropped to his knees and picked up the tiny box for Shayne.

  Ricky shook his head. “That one should probably wait.”

  Matt frowned, but undeterred went for another box. He read the tag and looked up at Ricky. “For me?”

  Ricky nodded. His heart swelled with love for this kid. His kid. He once again reflected on how lucky he was to have these two people as his family.

  Matt tossed the bow over his shoulder then turned the shiny paper into hamster bedding. He frowned when he discovered the next, smaller box. He pulled it free. “How many more of these am I going to find?”

  Shayne glanced up at him from where she’d been cuddled against his side.

  Ricky grinned. “Better get going.”

  Within seconds, he’d discovered yet another gift. Then another. And another. Before finally pulling free the nine-by-twelve manila envelope.

  Matt’s dark brows pinched as he opened the envelope and retrieved the contents. He thumbed through the pages. “I don’t get it.”

  Ricky chuckled softly and extricated his arm from behind Shayne. He leaned forward. “Bring them here.”

  Matt walked over on his knees and handed the file to him. Ricky spread it all out on the coffee table. He pointed to the renderings. “This is the backyard. This is the batting cage. The barbeque. The pool. The grass and this—”

  “A basketball court?” Matt jumped to his feet and jabbed his hands in the air. “Seriously, you gave me a basketball court.” His voice squeaked a bit. He ran to the back window and split the blinds with his fingers. He surveyed the backyard for a few minutes.

  Shayne traced a finger over his thigh. “You shouldn’t have.”

  Ricky simply shrugged. “It’s his passion.”

  “I don’t want him to expect extravagant gifts all the time.” Shayne glanced over their shoulders to watch Matt. “He’s pretty grounded right now and I really don’t want to compromise that.”

  Ricky took the scolding like a champ, proud of himself that he didn’t defend his choice. Truth was, he knew Shayne was right. However, as he’d considered what to get his new son, he’d known the gift was perfect and didn’t regret it for a second.

  “From now on, amor, you’ll be part of every gift decision for him. Deal?”

  Her smile made his heart pull a Frank Sinatra stutter-step. She leaned up and kissed his chin. “Deal.”

  A soft clankety-clank-clank signaled the drop of the blinds. Matt ran over to the couch, jumping over an end table. “Thank you! You are the best dad ever!”

  Tears speared his eyes. He’d never given much thought to being a dad, much less the best one ever. Hearing the phrase come out of the boy he’d give his life for topped the charts. Emotions he’d never experienced before overwhelmed him. He wanted to gather his family close and never, ever let them go, to protect them, love them, cherish them.

  Of course he loved his mother, his nephew, and even his brother. But the love he felt for Shayne and their son existed on an entirely different plane.

  As Matt bent to hug him, Ricky had to blink—a lot—to keep from crying like a little girl. Matt jumped back over, and hopped to the tree. He very carefully pulled out a box just big enough to fit a baseball. He handed it to Ricky.

  “This is for you. From my mom.”

  Color seeped into her cheeks. “Don’t get too excited. It’s not exactly a basketball court.”

  He studied the silver and red striped paper, topped with its perfect crimson bow. He didn’t have the heart to untie it, so worked it off the box.

  Matt groaned. “Oh geez! You’re one of those present openers. Great!” He dove back under the tree.

  Ricky looked at Shayne. “What exactly is one of those present openers?”

  “The kind that takes forever to open their gifts because they don’t want to rip the paper or ruin the bows.” Shayne laughed softly and put her hand on his forearm. “My grandmother would fold up the paper and reuse it. Drove Matt nuts.”

  Matt resurfaced. “The best though was the Wal-Mart sack with the stickers on it!” And then he disappeared beneath the evergreen boughs.

  Not to be outdone, Ricky donned a straight face. “My brother once gave me a dog turd in a baggie.”

  Matt sat up and nearly took the tree down with him. He whipped around, his eyes enormous, his mouth hanging open. “Nuh-uh.”

  Ricky nodded, totally enjoying the expression on the kid’s face. “And it wasn’t even the really cool zipper kind, just the fold over ones and it was kinda oozing—”

  Shayne’s gag stopped his story. Her hand covered her mouth, her throat working convulsively.

  Matt, however, burst out laughing. He plopped down on the floor and crossed his legs. He leaned forward, his elbows on his thighs. “How’d you get back at him?”

  “I gave him a tarantula I caught in the yard.”

  Matt frowned. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”

  “He is deathly afraid of them. Threw the box in the air and danced around like a total pansy.”

  “And then what?”

  “Then he put Nair in my shampoo. It didn’t work as well as he’d hoped because I smelled the chemicals and washed it out pretty fast.” On reflex, he plowed his hand through his hair, grateful not to find any bald spots. “My hair wasn’t the same for a long time.”

  “Oh my gosh!” Matt clutched at his sides. “What’d you do?”

  Ricky grinned, loving this particular memory. “I put this industrial-strength, spray-on adhesive stuff on the toilet seat.”

  Shayne gasped. Matt’s eyes bugged out of his head.

  “Yep. He stuck.”

  Shayne looked mortified. “How old were you guys?�
��

  Ricky shrugged. “I was about nine, I think.”

  She cringed. “Which would make Eddie how old?”

  “Twenty-one.”

  Matt did his best hyena impression, rolling over onto his side.

  “Mom had to call the fire department.”

  Shayne smothered a snicker by pursing her lips. “What’d they do?”

  “Yanked him free.” Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. “Best Brazilian wax money can buy.”

  Matt recovered first. He wiped at his eyes and rubbed at his stomach. Then, still chuckling, he pointed at the gift he’d set on the coffee table. “Are you going to open that?”

  His answer was to pick up the box. He slipped a finger under the paper and broke the tape’s hold to reveal a plain white box. His heart pounded in his chest as he opened the lid. Lots of plain white tissue paper and a piece of red notepaper.

  “Open it, then read the note. It’ll make more sense.” She took the note and sat back against the cushions, her lip between her teeth.

  Peeling back the tissue paper, he found the most beautiful Christmas ornament he’d ever seen. Red blown glass in the shape of a heart suspended on a gold cord. He held it up, letting it dangle from his finger. Its delicate beauty made his hands look haggard and clumsy.

  “I love it.” He bent to kiss her. “Thank you.”

  She handed him back the note and took the ornament. A sigh of relief wafted from his lungs. He’d been afraid of breaking it.

  Matt jumped up. “Bathroom break.”

  The kid was intuitive. Ricky didn’t know what the note held, but had an idea emotions would run high. So, apparently, did Matt.

  Ricky unfolded the red paper and smiled to see Shayne’s handwriting. He glanced at her. She flicked her gaze to his, then back down at the stationary. He began to read and felt his throat tighten.

  Ricky,

  Matt and I have a tradition. Every year we exchange ornaments. We try to find the perfect one to express our love. When I saw this, I knew it was the one for you this Christmas, even before I was ready to admit you were the one for me. I gave you my heart the first time you kissed me, and I will never take it back. Every time you see this heart, know that you hold mine.